Effect of glasswort (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Salicornia herbacea</Emphasis> L.) and rice (<Emphasis Type="Italic">oryza sativa</Emphasis> L.) on quality of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ganjang</Emphasis> (Korean Soy Sauce)

Four types of meju were made from 100%(w/w) defatted soybean (DFS), a mixture of 80%(w/w) defatted soybean, and 20%(w/w) glasswort (DFS-G), a mixture of 80%(w/w) defatted soybean and 20%(w/w) rice (DFS-R), and a mixture of 60%(w/w) defatted soybean, 20%(w/w) glasswort, and 20%(w/w) rice (DFS-GR). Four types of Korean traditional soy sauce were prepared from the 4 types of meju. Mineral and antioxidant contents in the soy sauce made of DFS-G and DFS-GR were significantly higher than others. Citric, malic, succinic, lactic, and pyroglutamic acid contents in soy sauce made of DFS-R and DFS-GR were 1.3–1.5 times higher than others. Total nitrogen and free amino acid contents in soy sauce were correlated with DFS concentration in the meju. The bacterial community in the non-fermented meju-making ingredients was replaced largely by Bacillus sp. in the fermented meju. The use of glasswort and rice in the meju-making process did not alter the bacterial community responsible for the fermentation of meju.     

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.     

Effects of suni-bug (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Eurygaster</Emphasis> spp.) damage on size distribution of durum wheat (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Triticum durum</Emphasis> L.) proteins

Wholemeal samples were obtained from five durum wheat cultivars at two different bug (Eurygaster spp.) damage levels (medium and high damage). The samples were incubated (60 and 120 min) and used in size exclusion high performance liquid chromatography (SE-HPLC) analyses. The results showed that the amount of larger polymeric protein (TP1) and smaller polymeric protein (TP2) obtained from total (sodium dodecyl sulfate soluble) proteins decreased significantly in the bug-damaged samples, while the amount of total larger monomeric proteins (TP3) increased. The polymeric/monomeric protein ratio of all cultivars decreased at 60 min of incubation with increasing damage level. For all cultivars, the ratio of unextractable polymeric protein (UPP%) significantly decreased at 60 min of incubation except cv. Diyarbakir. The results suggested that bug protease caused depolymerization and/or disaggregation of polymeric proteins to lower their average molecular size. The changes in protein structure as determined using SE-HPLC supported by the decreases in gluten content and gluten index values which decreased with suni-bug damage. Deteriorative effects of bug damage on durum wheat quality were found to be quite similar to those on bread wheats.     

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.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Sous</Emphasis><Emphasis Type="Italic">Vide</Emphasis> Processing as an Alternative to Common Cooking Treatments: Impact on the Starch Profile,Color, and Shear Force of Potato (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Solanum tuberosum</Emphasis> L.)

This study aimed to assess the effect of sous vide cooking on the total and resistant starch content, color, and shear force in three potato cultivars (Agria, Agata, and Carrera). Potato strips were also cooked by three common treatments (boiling, frying, and microwaving) to evaluate the differences between the methods. According to principal component analysis (PCA), sous vide-processed cv. Agria and Agata potato strips were grouped with boiled samples, in contrast, cv. Carrera sous vide samples were grouped with microwaved samples. Higher water losses were associated with microwaved potatoes due to the diffusion of water inside the tuber. In addition, a significant decrease in shear force was obtained after microwaving and sous vide cooking (p < 0.05) irrespective of the treatment strength. The three cultivars became less bright, and the intensity of the color decreased; however, variations in the cook value (C ₁₀₀, min) between treatments did not affect the lightness and hue angle. Regardless of the initial value of resistant starch and the intensity of the cooking process, all of the cultivars reached a final content of less than 5%. From our results, in-pack sterilization may be considered for application in the food industry as a technology that has a similar impact to conventional cooking treatments used on potato products.     

Optimization for encapsulation of green tea (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Camellia</Emphasis><Emphasis Type="Italic">sinensis</Emphasis> L.) extract by spray drying technology

Green tea has been credited with providing a wide variety of health benefits like higher total antioxidant, cancer prevention, and anti-irritant etc. Microencapsulation technology is used to prevent antioxidant loss during processing which involves entrapment of active material into carrier material. The experiments were designed using response surface methodology based on three level two factor (green tea extract, 10–25 % and drying inlet air temperature, 120, 130 and 140°C) central composite design. The feed emulsion was prepared with green tea extract as core material and 40 % maltodextrin concentration as wall material with the ratio of core to wall (1:2) and it was fed into the spray dryer at varied drying inlet air temperature to get encapsulated green tea extract powder. The quality characteristics were analysed such as moisture content, total antioxidant activity and total phenolic content and the process conditions were optimized using desirability function methodology. At optimum spray drying condition moisture content, total antioxidant activity and total phenolic content were found to be 3.1 % w.b., 72.91 % free radical scavenging activity by DPPH method, 57.81 mg/g of dry matter, expressed as gallic acid equivalent respectively with desirability value of 0.92.     

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.     

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.     

Enhanced selenium content in buckwheat (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Fagopyrum esculentum</Emphasis> Moench) and pumpkin (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Cucurbita pepo</Emphasis> L.) seeds by foliar fertilisation

The fruit and thin-husked seeds of the pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo L.) and buckwheat grain (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench), both grown in Slovenia, were analysed for selenium (Se) content following foliar application of Se(VI) solution during the period of blooming. Samples were digested by a H₂SO₄-HNO₃-H₂O₂-V₂O₅ mixture and Se determined, based on hydride generation atomic fluorescence spectrometry. The whole procedure from weighing to measuring was carried out in the same Teflon vessel. The detection limit of the method was 0.14 ng g^–1 solution. Buckwheat seeds from untreated plants contained 47 ng g^–1 of Se and 394 ng g^–1 from plants after foliar fertilisation with Se. Pumpkin seeds from untreated plants contained 108 ng g^–1 of Se, and 381 ng g^–1 of Se from Se-treated plants, all per lyophilised sample. Se content in lyophilised pumpkin fruit was 15 ng g^–1 in untreated plants and 20 ng g^–1 in Se-treated pumpkin plants. It is thus feasible to enhance Se content in buckwheat and pumpkin seeds by foliar fertilisation, making them a rich source of dietary Se and useful as a raw material for enriched food products.     

Heavy metal contents and chemical compositions of atlantic (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Scomber scombrus</Emphasis>), blue (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Scomber australasicus</Emphasis>), and chub (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Scomber japonicus</Emphasis>) mackerel muscles

The heavy metal contents and chemical compositions among mackerel species were investigated. Atlantic and chub mackerel had higher mercury, but lower lead than blue mackerel. Chub mackerel had the highest crude fat (18.62%) and the lowest moisture (58.29%), whereas blue mackerel had the highest moisture (70.10%) and the lowest crude fat (2.89%). Atlantic and blue mackerel had total saturated fatty acids (SFA)>polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA)>monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), whereas chub mackerel had PUFA>SFA>MUFA. The main SFA of the 3 mackerels were 16:0 and the main PUFAs were 22:6n-3 and 20:5n-3. The total amino acid contents in Atlantic, blue, and chub mackerel were 190.63, 169.49, and 172.97 mg/g, respectively. The major amino acids of the 3 mackerels were glutamic acid, aspartic acid, lysine, and leucine.     

Biochemical characterization of esterase from soybean (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Glycine max</Emphasis> L.)

Esterases are enzymes that present good potential in industrial application, and soybean seed can represent an alternative source for this enzyme. The extraction and esterase activity of Brazilian soybean seeds (Glycine max L.) were evaluated. Esterase activity was found in both the germinated and non-germinated seeds at 2.90 and 1.70 U/mg, respectively, with a concentration in the powdered extract (freeze dried) of 100 mg/mL. The enzyme showed a preference for the hydrolysis of short chain fatty acids (120.02 U/mL) and optimum pH for activity was pH 8.0 with optimum temperatures of 40 and 80°C. The enzyme showed stability at 70°C showing 60% of residual activity and activity increased with the addition of the following salts: NaNO₃, K₂SO₄, and Na₂SO₄ in the reaction medium.     

<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.     

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.     

Drying kinetics of whole and sliced <Emphasis Type="Italic">shiitake</Emphasis> mushrooms (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Lentinus edodes</Emphasis>)

Isotherms of shiitake mushroom (Lentinus edodes) at 25 and 40°C were determined and drying kinetics of whole and sliced shiitake mushrooms were tested using a convective air drying method at different drying temperature of 40, 50, 60, and 70°C. The monolayer moisture contents of the mushroom were 7.23 and 5.44 g water/100 g of dry solids at 25 and 40°C, respectively. Both mushroom samples showed falling drying rate periods with increasing drying rates with increases in drying temperature, and the drying rate of the sliced mushrooms was faster than that of the whole mushrooms at the same drying conditions. The kinetic parameters for dehydration of the mushrooms were determined using the Newton model and the Classical diffusion model. Activation energy (E _a ) values as determined using the Newton model were 22.58 and 20.48 kJ/mol for the whole and sliced mushrooms, respectively.     

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.     

Molecular diagnostics of Lemon Myrtle (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Backhousia citriodora</Emphasis> versus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Leptospermum citratum</Emphasis>)

‘Lemon Myrtle’ is becoming increasingly popular in Europe both for use in cuisine and phytotherapy. However, this common name covers two completely different species, Backhousia citriodora F. Muell. and Leptospermum citratum Challinor, Cheel & A.R.Penfold. These species differ with respect to secondary compounds and even can cause, if mixed up and applied in high dose, toxic effects. We describe how the two species can be discriminated microscopically making use of differences in the morphology of leaf pavement cells and the relative size of palisade parenchyma. Based on the large subunit of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase oxygenase (rbcL) as molecular marker, the phylogenetic position of the two species within the Myrtaceae could be clarified. This sequence information was used to develop a simple assay to discriminate the two species even in dried and highly fragmented mixtures as typically occurring in commercial samples. This assay utilises the occurrence of single-nucleotide exchanges between those species that produce different fragments when the rbcL amplificates are restricted with Sac II.     

Modeling the Inactivation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Listeria innocua</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Escherichia coli</Emphasis> in Fresh-Cut Tomato Treated with Pulsed Light

The effectiveness of pulsed light (PL) treatments to inhibit microorganisms on fresh-cut tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill., cv. Daniela) was investigated. Tomato slices inoculated with Escherichia coli or Listeria innocua were exposed to PL treatments (4, 6, or 8 J cm^?2 fluence) and kept cold at 4 °C for 20 days. L. innocua and E. coli counts, gases in the headspace of the containers (O₂ and CO₂), pH, titratable acidity, and soluble solid content were monitored throughout the cold storage. The PL treatments reduced significantly (p < 0.05) initial loads of both microbes. The effect of the PL fluence on the survival number of microoganisms was described by a log-linear model (R ² = 0.849–0.999). At any fixed time within the cold storing, the microbial counts for untreated samples were always higher than those cut tomatoes that had been previously PL-treated. The behavior of L. innocua and E. coli during the storage were well adjusted (R ² > 0.930) by Gompertzian models; the studied microorganisms exhibited different patterns during the storage period. On the other hand, O₂ and CO₂ partial pressures in containers with fresh-cut tomatoes were also significantly affected by PL treatments (p < 0.05). The highest PL fluence caused the greatest changes of O₂ and CO₂ contents. In addition, the application of PL triggered an acceleration of the O₂ consumption during the cold stage. PL treatments might be used to effectively extend the safety of fresh-cut tomatoes over 12 days of storage against E. coli and L. innocua growth.     

Quantification of anthocyanins in black carrot extracts (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Daucus carota</Emphasis> ssp.<Emphasis Type="Italic"> sativus</Emphasis> var.<Emphasis Type="Italic"> atrorubens</Emphasis> Alef.) and evaluation of their color properties

Pigment composition of 15 black carrot cultivars (Daucus carota ssp. sativus var. atrorubens Alef.) was screened by HPLC-MS. Up to seven cyanidin glycosides, five of which were acylated with hydroxycinnamic and hydroxybenzoic acids, were identified and quantified in the roots by HPLC-DAD. Contents of individual compounds indicated great differences in the potential of anthocyanin accumulation both between different cultivars and carrots of the same cultivar. Total anthocyanin amounts ranged from 45.4 mg/kg dry matter to 17.4 g/kg dry matter. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the quantification of individual anthocyanins in roots of different black carrot cultivars. The determination of color properties in the extracts under various pH conditions proved black carrot anthocyanins to be applicable as natural food colorants also for low-acid food commodities, whereas a considerable loss of color was noted under nearly neutral conditions. Additionally, relatively high saccharide contents were found in almost all cultivars which may be disadvantageous when coloring concentrates are produced from carrot roots.