3‐Hydroxypyridinone‐l‐phenylalanine conjugates with antimicrobial and tyrosinase inhibitory activities as potential shrimp preservatives

To explore the potential of novel tyrosinase inhibitors, 3‐hydroxypyridinone‐l ‐phenylalanine conjugates, as shrimp preservatives, compounds 1 and 2 were evaluated for the antimicrobial activity, and compound 2 was investigated for the shrimp preservative efficacy. It was found that they both possess a stronger antibacterial effect than kojic acid against two Gram‐positive bacteria and three Gram‐negative bacteria. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of compound 2 against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcous aureus, Salmonella gallinarum, Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Bacillus subtilis were determined as 18.5, 37, 148, 37 and 295 μg mL^?1, respectively, whereas MICs of kojic acid against the same 5 bacterial strains were determined to be 355, 178, 1420, 1420 and 355 μg mL^?1, respectively. It has also been demonstrated that treatment with compound 2 improves the sensory properties, retards the growth of spoilage bacteria, decreases the total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB‐N) and increases the pH of Penaeus vannamei Boone, thereby extending the shelf life to 10 days. In contrast, the shelf life of shrimp treated with kojic acid and the control group was 7 and 6 days, respectively. Clearly, 3‐hydroxypyridinone‐l ‐phenylalanine conjugates could find application as shrimp preservatives by inhibiting melanosis and by preventing the growth of bacteria during the storage.     

Effects of methanolic extract of sour cherry (Prunus cerasus L.) on microbial growth

The antimicrobial activity of a methanolic extract of the common edible fruit Prunus cerasus L. was evaluated. HPLC analysis of the extract revealed the abundant presence of anthocyanins. Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations (MIC) for Gram‐positive and Gram‐negative pathogenic bacteria was in the range 2–6.6 mg mL^?1, whereas the time‐kill assay revealed that the bactericidal effect was exerted only at concentrations higher than 2× MIC. Interestingly, at concentrations lower than MIC, P. cerasus L. extract exerted a stimulating effect on bacterial proliferation and on the ability to form biofilms. In particular, a multidrug‐resistant Acinetobacter baumannii strain showed a 30% increase in growth at low concentrations. In the light of this finding, we speculate that the use of berry extracts (rich in anthocyanins) may present some risks to human health when used as preservatives in food and cosmetic products.     

Physicochemical and sensory properties of soy bread made with germinated,steamed, and roasted soy flour

For the development of healthful gluten-free soy bread acceptable to consumers, we evaluated the effects of various processing procedures for soy flour on bread quality, in terms of beany flavour and texture. We pretreated soy flour by both non-heating (raw:NS and germinated:GS) and heating (steamed:SS and roasted:RS) methods. In addition, to improve the loaf volume, we added 1% hydroxypropyl-methylcellulose (HPMC) to RS flour. Lipoxygenase activity was retained in the non-heat-treated flours (279 U/g for NS and 255 U/g for GS), but was significantly reduced in the heat-treated flours (106 U/g for SS and 69 U/g for RS). Moreover, heat-treated flour had higher isoflavone and ferric reducing antioxidant power than had non-heat-treated flour. However, RS flour had the lowest moisture content and lowest L^∗ value. The GS bread had the highest specific loaf volume (3.53 cm³/g), followed by NS (2.96 cm³/g), RS (2.25 cm³/g), and SS (1.81 cm³/g) bread. GS bread had the lowest hardness (1.53 N), followed by NS (1.65 N), RS (2.00 N), and SS (3.75 N) bread. The addition of 1% HPMC to RS increased the loaf volume (2.44 cm³/g), but decreased the bread’s hardness (1.80 N). As to the sensory properties, the bread with heat-treated flour was perceived to have a less beany odour and taste than was the bread with non-heat-treated flour. However, the latter had a better appearance than the former. These results indicated that soy flour pretreatment could enhance the loaf volume and reduce the beany flavour of whole soy bread.     

Evaluation of viscoelastic properties and air-bubble structure of bread containing gelatinized rice

The impact of addition of gelatinized rice porridge to bread has been investigated on loaf volume, viscoelastic properties and air-bubble structure. We prepared four variety of bread: bread containing rice porridge (rice porridge bread), bread containing gelatinized rice flour (gelatinized rice flour bread), and wheat flour and rice flour breads for references. Instrumental analyses the bread samples were carried out by volume measurement of loaf samples, creep test and digital image analysis of crumb samples. Rice porridge bread showed the maximum specific volume of 4.51 cm³/g, and even gelatinized rice flour bread showed 4.30 cm³/g, which was larger than the reference bread samples (wheat and rice flour breads). The values of viscoelastic moduli of gelatinized rice flour bread and rice porridge bread were significantly smaller (p < 0.05) than those of wheat flour and rice flour breads, which indicates addition of gelatinized rice flour or rice porridge to bread dough encouraged breads softer. Bubble parameters such as mean air- bubble area, number of air-bubble, air-bubble area ratio (ratio of bubble area to whole area) were not significantly different among the bread crumb samples. Therefore, the bubble structures of the bread samples seemed to similar, which implied that difference of viscoelasticity was attributed to air-bubble wall (solid phase of bread crumb) rather than air-bubble. This study showed that addition of gelatinized rice to bread dough makes the bread with larger loaf volume and soft texture without additional agents such as gluten.     

Fermentation Process and Grain Structure of Baked Breads from Frozen Dough Using Freeze-Tolerant Yeasts

The fermentation process for frozen doughs using freeze‐sensitive (Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Kyowa for sweet bread; S. cerevisiae, FC for white bread) and freeze‐tolerant (S. cerevisiae, YF for sweet bread) yeasts was traced by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Grain network structures of baked breads were also visualized by MRI. Prefermentation before freezing, punching and remolding, or resheeting and molding treatments increased loaf volume by 10 to 110% for the baked breads using freeze‐tolerant yeast, while these treatments decreased loaf volume by 70% using freeze‐sensitive yeast. The first fermentation before freezing and the second fermentation with punching or resheeting after thawing are useful for obtaining good quality breads from frozen dough using freeze‐tolerant yeast.     

Occurrence of aflatoxins in milk thistle herbal supplements

Milk thistle (MT) dietary supplements are widely consumed due to their possible liver-health-promoting properties. As botanicals they can be contaminated with a variety of fungi and their secondary metabolites, mycotoxins. The aflatoxigenic fungus Aspergillus flavus has been previously isolated from these commodities. Currently, there is no published method for determining aflatoxins (AFs) in MT. Therefore, a liquid chromatography (LC) method validated for aflatoxin analysis in botanicals was evaluated and applied to MT. The method consisted of acetonitrile/water extraction, immunoaffinity column clean-up, LC separation, post-column photochemical reaction derivatisation and fluorescence detection. The average recoveries for AFs added to MT seeds, herb, oil-based liquid extract and alcohol-based liquid extract were 76% or higher. The mean relative standard deviation was <10%. The limit of detection (LOD) was 0.01?µg kg^?1 and the limit of quantification (LOQ) was 0.03?µg kg^–1. The method was used to conduct a small survey. A total of 83 MT samples from the US market were analysed. AFs were detected in 19% of the samples with levels ranging from 0.04 to 2.0?µg kg^–1. Additionally, an aflatoxigenic A. flavus strain from ATTC and an A. parasiticus strain isolated from MT herb powder were found to produce high amounts of aflatoxins (11,200 and 49,100?µg kg^–1, respectively) when cultured in MT seed powder. This is the first study reporting on aflatoxin contamination of MT botanical supplements and identifying methodology for AF analysis of these commodities.     

Dynamic rheology of wheat flour dough. II. Assessment of dough strength and bread‐making quality

Controlled stress rheometry revealed that differences in wheat flour dough strengths could be observed by means of dynamic rheological measurements in the region of higher stress amplitude (ie >100 Pa). At lower stress amplitude (τ_o) the values of elastic modulus G′ for weak doughs were higher than those for strong doughs, but they decreased substantially beyond 100 Pa stress amplitude (τ_o), such that the G′ values for strong doughs crossed over the G′ values for weak doughs. Beyond a critical value of stress amplitude (ie 100 Pa), true differences in dough strengths could be seen on the basis of their elastic characteristics, because at large deformations protein–protein interactions played a more dominant role in the rheological behaviour of flour doughs. Dynamic rheological analysis demonstrated a very weak inverse relationship (R² = 0.16) between the G′ values of flour doughs and loaf volume data for 12 wheat cultivars of diverse bread‐making performance. However, the G′ values of glutens showed significant positive relationships with bread‐making performance, explaining 73% of the variation in loaf volume. © 2002 Society of Chemical Industry     

Technological properties,in vitro starch digestibility and in vivo glycaemic index of bread containing crude malva nut gum

The effects of crude malva nut gum (CMG) on the texture, digestion and the glycaemic index (GI) of white bread were investigated. Different CMG levels (0%, 2.5%, 5%, 7.5% and 10% w/w based on weight of flour) were added into a bread formula. The lightness (L*) and loaf‐specific volumes of the bread decreased with increased CMG levels. Firmness of the bread increased with increased CMG content. The in vitro starch digestion kinetics showed that bread containing CMG had generally lower predicted GI (74–81 vs. the control). In vivo human testing showed that increasing the CMG reduced the GI of the bread. The GI values of bread containing CMG ranged from 73 to 98 of the control. Overall liking scores of consumers ranged between ‘like slightly’ and ‘like moderately’ (6.1–7.1) compared to 7.1 for the control. Thus, the addition of CMG in carbohydrate‐based foods may lower the GI.     

Antioxidant and antimicrobial potentials of Serbian red wines produced from international Vitis vinifera grape varieties

BACKGROUND: Antioxidant and antimicrobial potentials of Serbian red wines produced from different international Vitis vinifera grape varieties and their correlation with contents of phenolic compounds were studied by spectrophotometric and chromatographic methods. The antioxidant activity of red wines was estimated through their ability to scavenge 2,2′‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl free radical (DPPH^?). The red wines, gallic acid, (+)‐catechin and quercetin were screened in vitro for antimicrobial activity against Gram‐positive and Gram‐negative strains using microdilution and disc diffusion techniques. RESULTS: Excellent correlations between the contents of quercetin‐3‐glucoside (R² = 0.9463) and quercetin (R² = 0.9337) and DPPH^?‐scavenging ability of the red wines were found. Serbian red wines exhibited significant activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria inocua, Micrococcus flavus, Sarcina lutea, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella enteritidis and Shigella sonnei strains, which was in correlation with their phenolic composition and antioxidant activity. The compounds gallic acid, quercetin and (+)‐catechin showed high activity against B. subtilis, S. aureus, S. lutea and M. flavus Gram‐positive and S. enteritidis and P. aeruginosa Gram‐negative strains. CONCLUSION: The results show that quercetin‐3‐glucoside and quercetin concentrations can be used as markers for the determination of antioxidant and antimicrobial potentials of red wines. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry     

Arabinoxylan content and characterisation throughout the bread‐baking process

End‐use quality of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is influenced in a variety of ways by nonstarch polysaccharides, especially arabinoxylan (AX). The objective of this study was to track total and water‐extractable AX (TAX and WEAX, respectively) throughout the bread‐baking process, using wholemeal and refined flour. The TAX and WEAX content and the ratio of arabinose: xylose were assessed in flour, mixed dough, proofed dough and the bread loaf, which was separated into crumb, upper crust and bottom crust. Changes in TAX during the baking process differed between the refined flour and wholemeal samples, suggesting a change in the TAX availability which we ascribe to molecular interactions and heat treatment. WEAX content dramatically decreased during baking, suggesting that oxidative cross‐linkages rendered it unextractable. Higher levels of WEAX and lower levels of arabinose substitution were correlated with higher loaf volumes for refined flour among the hard wheat varieties. Having a better understanding of the importance of both WEAX content and arabinose substitution allows for directed breeding efforts towards improved hard wheat varieties for optimum bread baking.     

A novel steamed bread making process using salt‐stressed baker’s yeast

The process of applying salt‐stressed baker’s yeast during southern style Chinese steamed bread dough preparation was examined. Baker’s yeast was stressed in 7% salt solution then mixed into dough, which was then evaluated for dough fermentation producing gas, dough expansion, texture profile analysis (TPA), colour, specific volume, spread ratio and sensory analysis. The results of this study pointed out salt‐stressed baker’s yeast produced significant amount of gas and dough expansion, particularly after 40 min of salt stressing. The texture of steamed bread was softer (463.08 g) than control (541.35 g) (P < 0.05), greater in specific volume (3.15 cm³ g^?1) than control (2.89 cm³ g^?1) (P < 0.05), had a lower spread ratio (1.45) than control (1.74) (P < 0.05) and a significantly improved sensory properties for taste (90.6) than control (81.6) (P < 0.05) were obtained.     

Modified Lysozymes as Novel Broad Spectrum Natural Antimicrobial Agents in Foods

In recent years much attention and interest have been directed toward application of natural antimicrobial agents in foods. Some naturally occurring proteins such as lactoperoxidase, lactoferrin, and lysozyme have received considerable attention and are being considered as potential antimicrobial agents in foods. Lysozyme kills bacteria by hydrolyzing the peptidoglycan layer of the cell wall of certain bacterial species, hence its application as a natural antimicrobial agent has been suggested. However, limitations in the action of lysozyme against only Gram‐positive bacteria have prompted scientists to extend the antimicrobial effects of lysozyme by several types of chemical modifications. During the last 2 decades extensive research has been directed toward modification of lysozyme in order to improve its antimicrobial properties. This review will report on the latest information available on lysozyme modifications and examine the applicability of the modified lysozymes in controlling growth of Gram‐positive and Gram‐negative bacteria in foods. The results of modifications of lysozyme using its conjugation with different small molecule, polysaccharides, as well as modifications using proteolytic enzymes will be reviewed. These types of modifications have not only increased the functional properties of lysozyme (such as solubility and heat stability) but also extended the antimicrobial activity of lysozyme. Many examples will be given to show that modification can decrease the count of Gram‐negative bacteria in bacterial culture and in foods by as much as 5 log CFU/mL and in some cases essentially eliminated Escherichia coli. In conclusion this review demonstrates that modified lysozymes are excellent natural food preservatives, which can be used in food industry.     

Reduction of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in Biofilms Using Bacteriophage BPECO 19

Biofilm formation is a growing concern in the food industry. Escherichia coli O157:H7 is one of the most important foodborne pathogens that can persists in food and food‐related environments and subsequently produce biofilms. The efficacy of bacteriophage BPECO 19 was evaluated against three E. coli O157:H7 strains in biofilms. Biofilms of the three E. coli O157:H7 strains were grown on abiotic (stainless steel, rubber, and minimum biofilm eradication concentration [MBEC^TM] device) and biotic (lettuce) surfaces at different temperatures. The effectiveness of bacteriophage BPECO 19 in reducing preformed biofilms on these surfaces was further evaluated by treating the surfaces with a phage suspension (10⁸ PFU/mL) for 2 h. The results indicated that the phage treatment significantly reduced (P  < 0.05) the number of adhered cells in all the surfaces. Following phage treatment, the viability of adhered cells was reduced by ≥3 log CFU/cm², 2.4 log CFU/cm², and 3.1 log CFU/peg in biofilms grown on stainless steel, rubber, and the MBEC^TM device, respectively. Likewise, the phage treatment reduced cell viability by ≥2 log CFU/cm² in biofilms grown on lettuce. Overall, these results suggested that bacteriophages such as BPECO 19 could be effective in reducing the viability of biofilm‐adhered cells.     

Physicochemical Characterization and Sensory Analysis of Yeast‐leavened and Sourdough Soy Breads

Sourdough fermentation has been shown to have numerous beneficial effects on bread quality, and nutritionally enhance soy‐supplemented bread by altering isoflavone chemical forms. Given this, the objective of this study was to compare the loaf quality and shelf life of sourdough and yeast‐leavened soy breads by various physical, thermal, and sensorial methods, and to assess the effects of fermentation by various microorganisms on isoflavone profile in dough and breads using high‐performance liquid chromatography analysis. Sourdough fermentation yielded a less extensible dough compared to yeast‐leavened soy dough (P < 0.001), and resulted in a harder bread crumb (P < 0.05) and lighter crust color (P < 0.001), compared to yeast‐leavened soy bread (Y‐B). Sensory analysis revealed a significantly higher overall liking of Y‐B compared to sourdough soy bread (SD‐B) (P < 0.001). Segmentation analysis of the cohort suggests that overall liking and bread consumption frequency may be determinants of Y‐B or SD‐B preference. SD‐B and Y‐B exhibited similar shelf‐life properties. Despite significantly different enthalpies associated with the melting of amylose‐lipid complexes, thermal analysis of the 2 soy breads stored for 10 d (ambient conditions) demonstrated no significant difference in water distribution and starch retrogradation (P < 0.05). Lastly, SD‐B was determined to have 32% of total isoflavones occurring in the aglycone form compared to 17% in Y‐B. These findings warrant further investigation of sourdough fermentation as a processing technique for quality and nutritional enhancement of soy‐based baked goods.     

Chemical,antioxidant and antibacterial study of Brazilian fruits

In this study, the antioxidant capability, total phenolic content and antimicrobial activity of ethanolic extracts of seven fruits from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest were evaluated. The conditions for the extraction of crude phenolics from the fruits were determined using an experimental factorial design. Total phenolic content, 1,1‐diphenyl‐2‐picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH^?) scavenging activity and β‐carotene‐linoleic acid couple oxidation assays were used to evaluate the antioxidant properties of the extracts. In addition, antimicrobial activity was screened using two Gram‐negative bacteria (Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae) and one Gram‐positive bacterium (Staphylococcus aureus). All native fruits assayed in this study have high potential as natural antioxidant sources. Among the seven fruits evaluated, Jabuticaba and Uvaia had the highest antioxidant activity in the DPPH^? and of β‐carotene‐linoleic acid coupled oxidation assays. In the biological assay, K. pneumoniae was the most sensitive microorganism to the fruit extracts, and the Jabuticaba extract had a slight inhibitory effect against this Gram‐positive bacterium.     

Preparation of antibacterial chito‐oligosaccharide by altering the degree of deacetylation of β‐chitosan in a Trichoderma harzianum chitinase‐hydrolysing process

BACKGROUND: Chito‐oligosaccharide (COS) is generally known to possess many specific biological functions, especially antibacterial activity, depending on its size. To prepare a specific size range of COS, however, has proved difficult. The aim of this study was to establish a method for preparing a specific size range of antibacterially active COS by adjusting the degree of deacetylation (DD) of β‐chitosan in a Trichoderma harzianum chitinase‐hydrolysing process. RESULTS: The molecular weight spectrum, elucidated by viscosity‐average molecular weight, high‐performance liquid chromatography and thin layer chromatography, of COS in chitosan hydrolysate was significantly related to the DD of its original chitosan. Compared with the original form, COS produced at 90% DD showed superior activity against most Gram‐negative bacteria tested, with a minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) ranging from 55 ± 27 to 200 ± 122 µ g mL^?1. Conversely, most Gram‐positive strains tested were less sensitive to COS (MIC > 880 ± 438 µ g mL^?1) than to its original form. Among the Gram‐positive strains, Staphylococcus xylosus was the only exception in that it showed a high susceptibility to COS and had an MIC as low as 45 ± 11 µ g mL^?1. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that the production of a specific size range of COS product is possible by altering the DD of chitosan in the chitinase‐catalysed process. To produce various sizes of COS for versatile biological functions, as seen in this study to inhibit various types of bacteria, is made possible in this established process. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry     

Influence of genotype and protein content on the baking quality of hearth bread

The relationships between protein content and quality and the loaf characteristics of hearth breads made from the respective flours were investigated for 20 wheat genotypes, comprising both commercially grown cultivars and advanced breeding lines, grown in 1997 and 1998. In both years the average protein content was increased by increasing the level of nitrogenous fertiliser application, this effect being more pronounced in 1997 than in 1998. Grain samples were milled and evaluated for endosperm hardness, protein content, SDS sedimentation volume, mixing properties and baking quality determined by a hearth bread baking test using optimal mixing and fixed proving time. When producing hearth bread, both the form (height/width) ratio and loaf volume are critical external characteristics. Genotype differences, mainly due to differences in protein quality, were more important for both form ratio and loaf volume than differences in protein content. The dough development time of the Farinograph, operated at high speed (126 rev min^?1), was the best indicator of heart bread baking quality, giving high positive correlations to both the volume (r = 0.89) and form ratio of the loaf (r = 0.90). Climatic differences between the two years, in particular temperature during ripening, also affected the quality parameters studied. Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry     

Effect of Different Raisin Juice Preparations on Selected Properties of Gluten-Free Bread

Incorporation of sucrose and raisin juice (in concentrated or in dried form) at 3 and 5% of flour weight to commercial wheat starch (Codex Alimentarius) gluten-free flour was carried out to examine the effects on baking, textural, and sensory properties of bread. Breads made with gluten-free flour are usually characterized by poor color and baking characteristics, as well as short shelf life. The current study was conducted to help solve these problems by using raisin juice, a natural sweetener that contains no preservatives, has lower caloric content than sucrose, and includes a number of important vitamins and minerals that are very important for the coeliac disease patients. The study showed that 3% raisin juice in concentrated form contributes to a great improvement in loaf volume, color, and hardness characteristics of gluten-free bread during the first day after baking but a higher staling rate because of its high moisture content. Dried raisin juice gave bread higher loaf volume and better color compared to the control gluten-free bread and also increased its shelf life because of its moisture absorption properties. Sensory analysis revealed a preference for breads containing concentrated raisin juice because of its fruity flavor, whereas all the samples that contained 5% raisin juice had very dark color.     

Effect of preservatives addition on the shelf-life extensions and quality of flat bread as determined by near-infrared spectroscopy and texture analysis

Many people do not have refrigeration or frozen storage to inhibit mould growth and keep the Arabic bread fresh for more than a few days. Therefore, shelf-life extension is necessary for this type of bread. The present study hypothesised that the addition of preservatives may be done in Arabic flat bread (AFB) to extend shelf-life. Thus, objectives of this study were to evaluate selected preservatives to inhibit mould growth and to employ physical techniques, to monitor bread aging. Three preservatives, fumaric acid (0.2%, F), sodium propionate (0.3%, P), and sodium propionate-fumaric acid mixture (PF) were used. Tensile tests, and near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) were used to monitor bread ageing. The addition of PF in the AFB formula significantly increased the time of tearing at 0 day. For all treatments, the NIRS results showed high R²-values between the actual storage days and NIRS predictions. The NIRS and texture analysis are valuable tools to detect the effect of the preservatives on AFB shelf-life and quality.     

INFLUENCES OF THE PROPORTION OF SOLID FAT IN A SHORTENING ON LOAF VOLUME AND STALING OF BREAD

Fats and oils are an important component of bread. Fats and oils are added to improve the properties of a loaf of bread, such as increasing loaf volume and increasing the time before staling is initiated. The physical form of the added fat can affect the overall dough behavior. The effect of hydrogenated soybean oil concentration in an emulsion used for the baking of bread was studied. It was observed that increasing concentration of hydrogenated soybean oil (solid fat) while keeping total lipid content constant led to increased loaf volume and decreased loaf weight. Also, increasing solid fat content led to a reduction in the rate of staling.