Indigestible fraction of okara from soybean: composition,physicochemical properties and in vitro fermentability by pure cultures of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lactobacillus acidophilus</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bifidobacterium bifidum</Emphasis>

Major non-digestible components of soybean seeds and okara were determined by an in vitro enzymatic-physiological method, alternative to dietary fibre. Total indigestible fraction was higher in okara (41.6%) than in seeds (28.5%), and consisted of soluble and insoluble fractions, mainly composed of non-starch polysaccharides, klason lignin and resistant protein. Total protein was lower in okara (32.29%) than in seeds (46.97%), as were oil (14.72% okara–20.89% seeds) and ash contents (3.18% okara–4.60% seeds). In vitro digestibility of protein was lower for okara (84.3%), than for soybean seed (91.8%). Moreover, okara showed high swelling (10.54 ± 0.14 mL/g d.w.) and water retention capacity (8.87 ± 0.06 g/g d.w.) and was fermented in vitro to a greater extent by Bifidobacterium bifidum (29.8%), than by Lactobacillus acidophilus (8.3%). For its composition, physico-chemical properties and bifidogenic capacity in vitro, okara is a potential candidate to be a prebiotic fibre-rich ingredient of new functional foods. An erratum to this article can be found at     

Effect of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lactobacillus acidophilus</Emphasis> Bauer and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bifidobacterium animalis</Emphasis> ssp. <Emphasis Type="Italic">lactis</Emphasis> BB12 on proteolytic changes in dry-cured loins

The effect of the potentially probiotic bacteria strain of Lactobacillus acidophilus Bauer and probiotic bacteria Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. lactis BB12 on proteolytic changes of proteins in dry-cured loins during fermentation and cold storage was studied. Results of the conducted tests demonstrated that the use of probiotic bacteria for the production of dry-cured meats impacts the generation of products of protein proteolysis with high antioxidant activity. The highest antioxidant activity of peptides after fermentation and cold storage was observed in the loin with the strain B. animalis ssp. lactis BB12 and the loin with the mixture of strains L. acidophilus Bauer and B. animalis ssp. lactis BB12. Qualitative analysis of peptides demonstrated that peptides with weight below 3.5 kDa are characterized by the highest capacity of quenching the ABTS cation radical, including the peptides in loins with the strain B. animalis ssp. lactis BB12.     

Spray Chilling Microencapsulation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lactobacillus acidophilus</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bifidobacterium animalis</Emphasis> subsp. <Emphasis Type="Italic">lactis</Emphasis> and Its Use in the Preparation of Savory Probiotic Cereal Bars

The use of probiotic microorganisms has been limited by the difficulty of maintaining their viability during processing and throughout the product’s shelf life. This study evaluated the viability of microencapsulating Lactobacillus acidophilus (LA) and Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis (BL) using the spray chilling technique to add them to savory cereal bars. The results showed that spray chilling generated a powder that was composed of smooth and continuous spheres with low moisture content and low water activity. The microencapsulated microorganisms exhibited a storage viability at least of 90 days as microparticles and in savory cereal bars, and their counts were superior to those resulting from other methods of adding activated and lyophilized probiotics to savory cereal bars. Thus, microparticles prepared by spray chilling are good vehicles for incorporating probiotics into cereal bars and have the potential to release the probiotics in the consumers’ intestines by means of fat digestion. Savory cereal bars that did and did not contain probiotics exhibited no differences in sensorial acceptance or commercial potential.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Lactobacillus acidophilus</Emphasis> fermented yam (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Dioscorea opposita</Emphasis> Thunb.) and its preventive effects on gastric lesion

This study was carried out to find the possibility of fermenting yam (Dioscorea opposita Thunb.) with Lactobacillus acidophilus and the protective role on stomach lesion of rats. The solutions of raw and extracted yam used were 2 and 6%, and they were fermented by L. acidophilus at 37°C for 0, 12, 24, and 36 h. At intervals (0, 12, 24, and 36 h), viscosity, titratable acidity (TA), allantoin, and diosgenin were examined. In the results, it was observed the most desirable data at 12 h with 6% fermented raw yam (FRY) without any change in the content of allantoin and diosgenin. In the animal study by rats (Sprague-Dawley), the inhibition ratios on gastric lesion were 53.41% in FRY. Based on these data, it confirmed that raw yam powder fermented by L. acidophilus would be a functional food with the supplement of viable cells and nutraceutical component of allantoin and diosgenin.     

Molecular diversity among natural populations of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lactobacillus paracasei</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lactobacillus plantarum</Emphasis>/<Emphasis Type="Italic">paraplantarum</Emphasis> strains isolated from autochthonous dairy products

The diversity of 87 Lactobacillus paracasei and Lactobacillus plantarum/paraplantarum strains, previously identified from different autochthonous dairy products, was investigated by phenotypic and genotypic approaches. The increased resolution obtained using phenotypic and genotypic characterization allowed the level of strain heterogeneity detection to be widened. Phenotypic diversity was evaluated by studying biochemical characteristics of technological interest, including antimicrobial and proteinase activities, resistance to nisin, aggregation ability, production of exopolysaccharides, acetoin and diacetyl, citrate utilization, and antibiotic susceptibility. Genotypic diversity was generally evaluated by PCR amplification of repetitive bacterial DNA element fingerprinting using the (GTG)₅ primer [(GTG)₅-PCR]. Moreover, in cases where strains were not discriminated by (GTG)₅-PCR combined with phenotypic analysis, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) analysis was performed. The results indicate that L. plantarum/paraplantarum and L. paracasei natural isolates from artisanal dairy products are a gold mine in terms of diversity of strains and could be potentially interesting to dairy companies for the formulation of functional starter cultures in the production of innovative foods.     

Green olive fermentation using spontaneous and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lactobacillus plantarum</Emphasis> cultures

The aim of this work was to evaluate the performance of spontaneous and Lactobacillus cultures in Spanish style fermentation of olive fruits. A fermentation with Lactobacillus plantarum ATCC 8014 was carried out for comparison. Fermentation was performed at room temperature during 120 days in two different concentrations of NaCl (2.4–13.6 % w/v) and sucrose (0–0.82 % w/v) in the brines. The pH, chlorides, lactic acid, reducing sugar and lactic bacteria in selective medium were investigated during the olive fermentation. After 120 days of fermentation, the formulation with 12 % NaCl in the brine hampered the growth of lactic bacteria, avoiding the consumption of reducing sugars. However, low salt concentrations (≤4 %) promoted a decrease in pH, an increase of the lactic acid and the growth of lactic bacteria, providing best environmentally suitable for the fermentation process. Whereas using concentrations of 12 % NaCl and 0.7 % sucrose showed better chemical conditions, ensuring the safety of the product produced. Multivariate analysis showed that the olives with both cultures were in close relation to lactic acid and reducing sugar and different from lactic bacteria.     

Tyramine production of technological important strains of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lactobacillus</Emphasis>, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lactococcus</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Streptococcus</Emphasis>

The aim of this paper was to study the biogenic amines (histamine, tyramine, putrescine, cadaverine, agmatine, spermine and spermidine) production of selected technological important lactic acid bacteria (strains of the genera Lactococcus, Lactobacillus and Streptococcus). Three methods (ion-exchange chromatography (IEC), PCR and cultivation method with pH indicator) were used. Within the 39 strains of lactic acid bacteria tested, the production of tyramine (formed by tyrosine decarboxylase) was detected in eight strains (3 strains of Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis, three strains of Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris, 1 strain of Streptococcus thermophilus and 1 strain of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus). The other tested biogenic amines were not detected. Cultivation in decarboxylation broth seems to be the least accurate method for the detection of biogenic amines due to enhanced risk of false-positive reactions. Therefore, in order to detect bacteria producing biogenic amines, the combination of PCR and chromatographic methods (e.g. IEC) can be recommended.     

Estrogenic effects of various extracts from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Chamdanggui</Emphasis> (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Angelica gigas</Emphasis> Nakai) and <Emphasis Type="Italic">sogdan</Emphasis> (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Phlomis umbrosa</Emphasis> Turcz)

The various extracts from chamdanggui (Angelica gigas Nakai) and sogdan (Phlomis umbrosa Turcz) were evaluated for estrogenic activity and characterized according to HPLC profile. Chamdanggui and sogdan were individually extracted with 4 solvents (hot water, 70% ethanol, n-butanol, and dichloromethane) of differing polarities. Estrogenic activity was determined by E-screen using an estrogen-dependent MCF-7 BUS cell. Although almost all extracts showed estrogenic effects in a concentrationdependent manner, the hot water extract from chamdanggui (250 μg/mL) had the higher effect (138%). Among 90 fractions using HPLC separation of the hot water extract from chamdanggui, fraction 21 and 28 produced the highest estrogenic effects of 178 and 163% at 10 μg/mL, respectively. The results imply that the hot water extract from chamdanggui could be useful as an alternative hormone replacement therapy.     

Cell surface properties of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lactobacillus salivarius</Emphasis> under osmotic stress

The modifications of cell morphology and surface properties of Lactobacillus salivarius under osmotic stress were investigated. When deMan–Rogosa–Sharpe (MRS) medium was supplemented with NaCl (0.8 mol l⁻¹), changes in cell size and shape of L. salivarius cells occurred. A higher autoaggregation percentage and a lower hydrophobicity of L. salivarius determined by microbial adhesion to hydrocarbons were observed under osmotic stress. Moreover, coaggregation was strain specific and depended on incubation time as well as growth medium. On the other hand, fatty acid analysis by gas chromatograph–mass spectrometer revealed increases in the ratio of saturated/unsaturated fatty acids and cyclopropaneoctanoic acid, which is a useful way to enhance their osmotic resistance for maintaining the structural and functional integrity of cell membranes.     

Studies concerning the use of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lactobacillus helveticus</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Kluyveromyces marxianus</Emphasis> for rye sourdough fermentation

The aim of this study was to investigate the fermentation behaviour, antioxidant activity and rheological behaviour of the sourdoughs prepared with Lactobacillus helveticus and Kluyveromyces marxianus. The final acidity of the sourdough after 18 h of fermentation was higher at higher temperatures (40 °C) and for the formulations with whole rye flour. The highest lactic/acetic acid ratios were obtained in case of more fluid sourdoughs fermented at 40 °C. The antioxidant properties of the sourdoughs are correlated with metabolic activity of the microorganisms, the DPPH radical scavenging activity being higher for optimum conditions of Lactobacillus helveticus growth. On the other hand, the rheological properties of the sourdoughs are not significantly influenced by the temperature. Sourdoughs formulations with whole flour are more viscous, as well as the controls fermented by the spontaneous microflora. The results of the bread-making process simulation by means of Mixolab indicate differences between dough formulations mainly depending on flour type.     

Thermal inactivation kinetics of quality-related enzymes in cauliflower (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Brassica oleracea</Emphasis> var. <Emphasis Type="Italic">botrytis</Emphasis><Emphasis Type="Bold">)</Emphasis>

Thermal inactivation of quality-related enzymes in both cauliflower crude enzyme extracts and fresh tissue samples was studied in temperature range 50–100 °C. For crude enzyme extracts, several parameters, reaction rate constants (k) and activation energy (E _a) as well as decimal reduction time (D) and (z) values, were used to characterize the thermal stability. The rates of inactivation were found to follow first-order inactivation kinetics. Activation energies varied between 101.18 and 208.42 kJ mol⁻¹ with z values of 10.59–24.09 °C. The examined kinetics indicated that lipoxygenase was the most heat resistant followed by peroxidase, polyphenol oxidase, pectin methyl esterase and ascorbic acid oxidase. Furthermore, the obtained results from the blanched fresh tissues indicated that inactivation of lipoxygenase secured disappearing of any other enzyme activities. Therefore, this study recommends using lipoxygenase as an indicator enzyme to optimize the thermal treatments of cauliflower products.     

A New Multiplexed Real-Time PCR Assay to Detect <Emphasis Type="Italic">Campylobacter jejuni</Emphasis>, <Emphasis Type="Italic">C. coli</Emphasis>, <Emphasis Type="Italic">C. lari</Emphasis>, and <Emphasis Type="Italic">C. upsaliensis</Emphasis>

A new rapid method based on real-time PCR was developed to detect four thermophilic Campylobacter species (Campylobacter jejuni, Campylobacter coli, Campylobacter lari, and Campylobacter upsaliensis) in food samples. The assay targeted the bipA gene for C. upsaliensis and C. lari, whereas the gene encoding the ATP-binding protein CJE0832 was used to detect C. coli and C. jejuni. These genes were chosen for this assay due to their low variability and mutation rate at a species level. The multiplex PCR showed 100% inclusivity for all 25 thermophilic Campylobacter strains tested and 100% exclusivity for 38 non-targeted strains belonging to closely related species. The newly developed real-time PCR could detect down to 10² genomes/reaction and displayed efficiency above 97% for all species except for C. upsaliensis (90.1%). The method proved to be a reliable tool for food analysis, showing 100% sensitivity, 96% efficiency, and 92.45% specificity when validated against the gold standard method UNE-EN ISO 10272:2006 using 200 diverse food samples (meat, fish, fruits and vegetables, and raw milk). In artificially spiked samples, the detection limit of the method was 10 cfu/g in salad, 5 cfu/g in turkey meat, and 1 cfu/g in the rest of meat samples tested. Consequently, the newly designed molecular tool represents a quick and safe alternative to obtain reliable results concerning the presence/absence of the main thermophilic Campylobacter in any food sample.     

Synergistic interaction of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Auricularia auricula</Emphasis>-<Emphasis Type="Italic">judae</Emphasis> polysaccharide with yam starch: effects on physicochemical properties and in vitro starch digestibility

Thermal stable polysaccharides from Auricularia auricula-judae (AP) have unique molecularstructures and multiple bioactivities. The effects of AP on the physicochemical properties and in vitro starch digestibility of yam starch (YS) were studied. The addition of AP induced a significant increase in the swelling power, solubility, mean volume diameter and adhesiveness as well as a dramatic decrease in the hardness and gumminess (p?<?0.05). AP showed a strong suppressive effect on in vitro starch digestibility. Higher modulus (G′, G″) and stiffness parameters (A_α), and lower order of relaxation function (α), were observed in oscillatory rheological measurements, indicating that the gels were more elastic-like and had higher pseudoplasticity in the presence of AP. Furthermore, AP remarkably decreased the syneresis and storage modulus (G′), and also retarded the retrogradation process of YS gel at 4°C, revealing a synergistic interaction between AP and YS, which could also be demonstrated by scanning electron microscopy.     

In vivo study of antiallergenicity of ethanol extracts from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sargassum tenerrimum</Emphasis>, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sargassum cervicorne</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sargassum graminifolium turn</Emphasis>

Food allergy has becoming the serious threat in the world for which the search of an effective anti-allergic drug is the demand of time. Keeping in view of the potentiality of seaweeds, the ethanol extracts from Sargassum tenerrimum (ST), Sargassum cervicorne (SC), and Sargassum graminifolium turn (SG) have been studied in vivo for its antiallergenicity through passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) and active cutaneous anaphylaxis (ACA) in female BALB/c mice. Intraperitoneal administration of these ethanol extracts inhibit mouse PCA and ACA in a dose-dependent manner using ovalbumin (OVA) and shrimp allergen as triggering agents to induce allergenicity over mice. The extract of ST containing phlorotannin has been found most active over the suppression of PCA triggered by OVA and shrimp with IC₅₀ values of 25.64 and 40.98 mg/kg, respectively and an efficacy comparable to that of an anti-allergic drug disodiumcromoglycate. Similarly, ST inhibits ACA triggered by ova and shrimp allergen in the mouse, with 50% suppression at 25.5 and 43.53 mg/kg, respectively. The results presented here show that these extracts are active on the studied models among which ethanol extract of ST was the most potent, leading toward the promising development of a new class of anti-allergic drugs.     

Antioxidant and emulsion properties of freshwater carps (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Catla catla</Emphasis>, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Labeo rohita</Emphasis>, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cirrhinus mrigala</Emphasis>) protein hydrolysates prepared using flavorzyme

Fish protein hydrolysates (FPHs) were prepared from freshwater carps (Catla catla, Labeo rohita, and Cirrhinus mrigala) using flavorzyme at different degrees of hydrolysis (DHs) ranging from 5 to 20%. The 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free-radical-scavenging activity of the FPHs prepared from the three species were in the range of 50–82%; the ferric reducing power of the FPHs prepared from catla was the highest. The linoleic acid peroxidation inhibition activity of the prepared FPHs varied from 71 to 91%. The emulsion activity index of the FPHs prepared from catla and rohu decreased significantly with an increase in the DH (p < 0.05). The emulsion stability index of the FPHs prepared from the three species was the highest at 20% DH. FPHs prepared from freshwater carps possess good antioxidant and surface-active properties and are therefore suitable to be used as natural antioxidants in health-food formulation and as water-soluble antioxidants in the food-processing industry.     

Influence of starter culture combinations of<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Lactobacillus fermentum</Emphasis>,<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Saccharomyces cerevisiae</Emphasis> and<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Candida krusei</Emphasis> on aroma in Ghanaian maize dough fermentation

Various combinations of Lactobacillus fermentum, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida krusei were investigated as starter cultures for the fermentation of the Ghanaian maize dough. The four combinations used were each yeast species with L. fermentum, both yeast species together, and both yeast species together with L. fermentum. Maize dough fermented spontaneously was also used as control. The aroma profile, acidity values and sensory characteristics of all dough samples were compared. Using Principal Component Analysis (PCA), the aroma profiles of the dough samples could be separated into five distinct groups based on the type of fermentation. Fermentations where S. cerevisiae and C. krusei were combined produced the highest concentrations of aroma compounds, particularly esters, but were judged as having the lowest acceptability scores. A more balanced profile that included alcohols, carbonyls, esters and acids was obtained with the combination of L. fermentum and C. krusei, which produced fermented dough with a high sensory score comparable to spontaneous fermentations. Combinations of L. fermentum and S. cerevisiae produced high concentrations of ethanol and fusel alcohols. Lactic and acetic acid concentrations were highest with the combined use of all three starter cultures.     

Nutritional properties of mussels <Emphasis Type="Italic">Mytilus galloprovincialis</Emphasis>

The aim of this study was to determine the quality indices and assess the influence of diets supplemented with mussels from contaminated (MCont) and non-contaminated areas (MNCont) on some indices of protein and lipid metabolism in rats fed with cholesterol. A wide range of in vitro tests demonstrated that mussels from contaminated area have a higher content of proteins, lipids and higher antioxidant capability. In the in vivo experiment, 28 male Wistar rats were divided into 4 diet groups each of 7 and named Control, Cholesterol (Chol), Chol/MCont and Chol/MNCont. During 30 days of the experiment rats of all four groups were fed basal diet (BD), supplemented with 1% of Chol, 1% of Chol and 5.6% of mussel’s dry matter (DM) from contaminated and 1% Chol and 5.6% of mussel DM from non-contaminated areas for Chol/MCont and Chol/MNCont groups, respectively. At the end of the experiment, a high digestibility coefficient of DM and crude protein in the Chol/MCont and Chol/MNCont groups of rats was found: 93.56 and 93.87% and 91.64 and 91.36%, respectively, and the differences were not significant (P > 0.05). However, the protein efficiency ratio was significantly higher in the Chol/MCont and Chol/MNCont than in the Control and Chol diet groups. Also the level of nitrogen retention as shown by feces and urine examination was higher in the Chol/MCont and Chol/MNCont groups. Diet, supplemented with mussel dry matter from both contaminated and non-contaminated areas significantly hindered the rise in plasma lipids and also hindered the decrease in plasma antioxidant activity. Minor changes were fixed in the protein profile of rat’s plasma after both mussels’ diet. In conclusion, supplementation of diets, containing cholesterol with mussels’ DM from both contaminated and non-contaminated areas improves animals’ protein metabolism and positively affects plasma lipid profile and plasma antioxidant activity. Antioxidant tests can be used as an additional index for the quality of mussels.     

Pressurized acidified water extraction of black carrot [<Emphasis Type="Italic">Daucus carota</Emphasis> ssp. <Emphasis Type="Italic">sativus</Emphasis> var. <Emphasis Type="Italic">atrorubens</Emphasis> Alef.] anthocyanins

The anthocyanins present in black carrot were extracted with pressurized water acidified with sulfuric, citric and lactic acids. Anthocyanin degradation became significant above 100 °C and there was no improvement when extraction pressure was increased to 100 bar. Therefore, the extraction from black carrot was carried out at temperatures 50, 75 and 100 °C under 50 bar pressure. The extraction efficiencies in terms of acylated and non-acylated anthocyanins were comparable for all three acids used to acidify water at 50 °C, while similar results were observed at 75 °C for both citric and lactic acids. Water acidified with lactic acid showed significantly higher extraction efficiency at 100 °C compared to water acidified with sulfuric and citric acids. Highest degree of polymerization together with increasing degree of browning was observed within extracts when sulfuric acid was used. On the other hand, when organic acids were used to acidify water, a higher extraction efficiency of anthocyanins, accompanied with a relatively low polymerization and browning was observed, with lactic acid giving the best results.