Biochemical characterization of horA-independent hop resistance mechanism in Lactobacillus brevis

We isolated a strain from hop-resistant Lactobacillus hrevis ABBC45, which had lost a plasmid (pRH45) harboring a putative hop resistance gene, horA. The hop resistance level of this horA-deficient strain, named ABBC45(C), was initially low but gradually induced by repeated growth in media containing progressively increasing levels of hop compounds. Although the hop resistance level was substantially lower than that of the hop-adapted wild type strain, hop-adapted ABBC45(C) (ABBC45(CR)) was still capable of growing in beer, suggesting ABBC45 possesses at least two hop resistance mechanisms. Hop resistance acquired by ABBC45(CR) gradually diminished to the pre-adapted level, when the strain was grown repeatedly in the absence of hop compounds. ABBC45(CR) was found to be cross-resistant to several structurally unrelated drugs, including ethidium bromide, daunomycin and nisin. In addition, ABBC45(CR) was shown to extrude ethidium in an energy-dependent manner, while ABBC45(C) did not show such activity. This indicates that the efflux pump was induced by adaptation to hop compounds. The efflux activity of ethidium was reduced by the addition of hop compounds, suggesting hop compounds are also the substrate of the efflux pump. It was also shown that the efflux activity was completely dissipated with the abolition of proton motive force (PMF). These results, taken together, suggest the hop resistance mechanism of ABBC45(C) is mediated by PMF-dependent multidrug efflux pump.     

Levels of phthalates and adipates in processed foods and migration of di-isononyl adipate from polyvinyl chloride film into foods

The levels of dibutyl phthalate (DBP), butylbenzyl phthalate (BBP), di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEPHP), di-isononyl phthalate (DINP), di-(2-ethylhexyl) adipate (DEHA) and di-isononyl adipate (DINA) were determined in 50 processed foods (ham and sausage, fried dumpling and shao-mai, fish paste products, croquette and fried fish, bread, noodle, pickles, etc.). DBP, BBP, DEHP, DINP, DEHA, and DINA were contained at nd approximately 47.7, nd approximately 16.6, nd approximately 749, nd approximately 358, nd approximately 57.2 and nd approximately 20,200 ppb, respectively. High-level contamination of DINA was found in fish paste products, croquette and shao-mai, presumably because of migration from plasticized wrapping film using for food packaging. We studied the relationship between DINA migration from wrapped PVC film into fried croquette and its standing time after frying. When the croquette was wrapped immediately after frying, the migration from wrapping film into the croquette was highest (36,400 ng/g). On wrapping after standing for 5 min and 30 min, the migration level was reduced to 1/3.5 and 1/14 of the highest level, respectively.     

Evaluation of selective plating media for the detection of heat- or freeze-injured Staphylococcus aureus

The efficacy of Baird-Parker (BP) agar, mannitol-salt-egg yolk (MSEY) agar and mannitol salt (MS) agar in detecting Staphylococcus aureus FRI-100 heated at 52 degrees C for 20 min in 100 mmol/L potassium phosphate buffer was determined. Brain heart infusion agar with 1% pyruvate (BHIP agar) supported the highest recovery of injured cells and was used as the control medium. Of the three selective media, significantly higher recovery of heat-injured cells was observed on BP agar than MSEY agar, and the poorest recovery was observed on MS agar (p < 0.05). Low recovery of unheated cells was obtained for MS compared with other media (p < 0.05). A reduction in populations occurred gradually in reagent-grade water stored for 14 days at -20 degrees C. There was no significant difference between BHIP agar and MS agar in the number of freeze-injured cells recovered from 1 to 14 days.     

Comparison of soyasaponin and isoflavone contents between genetically modified (GM) and non-GM soybeans

Soyasaponins and isoflavones are main secondary metabolites in soybeans. In this report we compared the content of secondary metabolites between genetically modified (GM) and non-GM soybeans. Six cultivars/lines of GM and six cultivars/lines of non-GM soybeans were extracted with methanol. Each extract was partitioned with aqueous methanol and hexane and the aqueous methanol fraction was partially purified by HP-20 and LH-20 column chromatography to afford crude soyasaponin and isoflavone fractions. The main A-type soyasaponin, acetylsoyasaponin A1 (AcA1), and the main B-type soyasaponins, soyasaponins I and II (I and II), in the crude fractions were identified by LC/MS analyses with authentic samples. The main isoflavones, daidzin, genistin, daidzein and genistein (DI, GI, DE and GE), in the crude fractions were identified by LC photo-diode array analyses with authentic samples. The contents of AcA1, I and II in the crude soyasaponin fractions and those of DI, GI, DE and GE in the crude isoflavone fractions were analyzed by reversed-phase HPLC. The average contents (mg/100 g) of AcA1, I, II and total of B-type soyasaponins in GM soybeans were 36.4 +/- 24.2, 51.2 +/- 11.8, 26.4 +/- 7.6 and 77.7 +/- 18.5, respectively, and those in non-GM ones were 22.3 +/- 14.7, 46.3 +/- 17.8, 19.8 +/- 9.1 and 65.9 +/- 26.9, respectively. The average contents (mg/100 g) of DI, GI, DE, GE and total isoflavones in GM soybeans were 93.1 +/- 15.5, 121.8 +/- 19.4, 0.073 +/- 0.178, 0.320 +/- 0.082 and 215.3 +/- 33.3, respectively, and those in non-GM ones were 78.8 +/- 34.6, 106.7 +/- 28.3, 2.206 +/- 4.468, 0.822 +/- 0.754 and 188.5 +/- 26.7, respectively. There were no statistically significant differences in soyasaponin and isoflavone contents between GM and non-GM soybeans. Therefore, it was estimated that the GM soybeans are equivalent to the non-GM ones in terms of the composition of the main secondary metabolites.     

Utilization of adzuki bean extract as a natural antioxidant in cured and uncured cooked pork sausages

A commercial adzuki bean extract (AE) was evaluated for antioxidant effectiveness in cured and uncured cooked pork sausages. TBARS values, instrumental color evaluation and sensory panel scores were assessed. For uncured sausages, AE at 0.2% was equally effective as 0.1% butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) in reducing TBARS values. Similarly, AE at 0.2% significantly (P<0.01) reduced the TBARS in cured sausages. Incorporation of 0.2% AE into sausages produced higher (P<0.05) CIE lab color a* value and lower (P<0.05) L* and b* values. Sensory panels did not detect any difference in color, odor, taste, flavor, and overall acceptance in uncured pork sausages with addition of 0.2% AE. However, there were adverse changes in the color and odor of cured sausages, even though the taste, flavor, and overall acceptance were similar. Therefore, the results suggest that AE is a potential antioxidant.     

Antimicrobial effect of spices and herbs on Vibrio parahaemolyticus

The antimicrobial effects of spices and herbs from 18 plant species were examined on a foodborne pathogen, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, with the use of combinations of temperatures and nutrient levels. Basil, clove, garlic, horseradish, marjoram, oregano, rosemary, and thyme exhibited antibacterial activities at incubation of 30 degrees C, while with the exception of horseradish, the same spices and additional 7 species exhibited the activities at 5 degrees C. The lowest MIC (minimum inhibitory concentration) was 0.125% observed in clove and marjoram at 30 degrees C in a nutrient rich medium. Lowering of incubation temperature produced little effect on the MICs except for turmeric. The decreasing of the MIC in turmeric appeared to be basically attributed to the sensitivity of the bacterium to coldness. In nutrient poor medium, the lowest was 0.001 and 0.00025% in marjoram at 30 degrees C and at 5 degrees C, respectively. The sensitivity to several spices and herbs was similar among different clinical serotypes including the emerging strain O3:K6. These results suggest that the spices and herbs can be practical for protecting seafood from the risk of contamination by V. parahaemolyticus and used in hurdle technology with low temperature.     

Amino Acid Absorption in Portal Blood After Duodenal Infusions of a Soy Protein Hydrolysate Prepared by a Novel Soybean Protease D3

ABSTRACT:  The intestinal absorption of amino acids from decapeptide was investigated in rats under unrestrained conditions. The soy protein hydrolysate utilized in the experiment was produced by a novel soybean protease D3. The enzymatic features of protease D3 showed high homology with cathepsin L and cathepsin K and the average molecular weight of D3 hydrolysate is approximately 1200. We compared the intestinal absorption of D3 hydrolysate in portal blood with that of an amino acids mixture and soy protein with the same amino acid composition by determining the concentration of individual amino acids after a single administration of a nitrogen source. The absorptive velocity and intensity of each amino acid were calculated from its rate of elevation in the portal blood. And in most cases, these were higher in the D3 hydrolysate than in amino acids mixture and protein. The proportion of the amount of each amino acid absorbed in portal blood from D3 hydrolysate was much more like the composition of the administrated amino acids than like that from the amino acids mixture. The result of in vitro digestion assay indicated that D3 hydrolysate was hydrolyzed easier than the hydrolysates produced by microbial proteases. This is the first report to demonstrate that the D3 hydrolysate, which contains decapeptide as a dominant fraction, was more rapidly utilized than the amino acids mixture and protein as is the case with di-, tripeptides. This suggested that this hydrolysate could be available for nutraceutical use as well as use in nutritious foods for athletes and patients.     

A nondigestible saccharide,fructooligosaccharide, increases the promotive effect of a flavonoid, α‐glucosyl‐isoquercitrin,on glucagon‐like peptide 1 (GLP‐1) secretion in rat intestine and enteroendocrine cells

This study conducted in vivo and in situ experiments with rats to investigate the glucagon‐like peptide‐1 (GLP‐1) secretion in response to oral or ileal administration of α‐glucosyl‐isoquercitrin (20–40 mmol in 2 mL; Q3G), fructooligosaccharides (200 mmol in 2 mL; FOS) and Q3G + FOS. Direct effects on GLP‐1‐producing l ‐cells were also examined by an in vitro study using a murine enteroendocrine cell line, GLUTag. To evaluate the plasma GLP‐1 level, blood samples from jugular cannula for in vivo and portal cannula for in situ experiments were obtained before and after administration of Q3G, FOS, or Q3G + FOS. We found tendencies for increases but transient stimulation of GLP‐1 secretion by Q3G in in vivo and in situ experiments. Although FOS alone did not have any effects, Q3G + FOS enhanced and prolonged high plasma GLP‐1 level in both experiments. In addition, application of Q3G on GLUTag cells stimulated GLP‐1 secretion while FOS enhanced the effect of Q3G. Our results suggest that Q3G + FOS possess the potential for the management or prevention of Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) by enhancing and prolonging the GLP‐1 secretion via direct stimulation of GLP‐1 producing l ‐cell.     

护毛法回收的猪毛通过爆发性膨胀处理的溶解性

本文报导了通过爆发性膨胀增加猪毛溶解度的方法,从而使得保毛脱毛法所回收的猪毛能够得到更有效的利用。     

Safety and structural analysis of polymers produced in manufacturing process of alpha-lipoic acid

Alpha-Lipoic acid has recently been permitted for use in foodstuffs and is contained in tablets and capsules. Although alpha-lipoic acid is synthesized from adipic acid, the safety of polymers produced during the purification and drying processes has been an issue of concern. Hence, we examined the safety profiles of thermally denatured polymer (LAP-A) and ethanol-denatured polymer (LAP-B) produced in the manufacturing process of alpha-lipoic acid. Furthermore, we conducted structural analysis of these polymers by 1H-NMR and FAB-MS spectroscopy. In a consecutive ingestion test, male and female mice ingested diet containing 0.1 and 0.2% LAP-A and -B for 4 weeks. Blood uric acid, potassium and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) tended to increase without dose-dependency. Relative liver weights were also increased. However, male dogs that were orally administered LAP-B (500 mg/kg) once did not show any abnormalities in blood parameters or general condition. These findings indicate that alpha-lipoic acid polymers are not acutely toxic; however, chronic ingestion of these polymers may affect liver and kidney functions.