Rheological, textural and microstructural features of probiotic whey cheeses

Whey cheeses have been manufactured with probiotic bacteria - viz. Bifidobacterium animalis Bo and Lactobacillus casei LAFTI^®L26, from combinations of bovine whey and milk, following protein denaturation at 90 °C; they were subsequently inoculated (at 10%) with those strains, and homogenized afterwards; additives such as salt and sugar were then incorporated; and the resulting solid matrices were stored at 7° C for up to 21 d. Oscillatory measurements and instrumental texture profile analyses were performed, and sensory analyses were carried out by a trained panel. Microstructural features were in addition ascertained by scanning electron microscopy.L. casei exhibited a higher acidifying activity than B. animalis, which produced distinct textures; higher firmness and viscoelasticity were indeed found in matrices inoculated with the former. Incorporation of sugar and L. casei favoured consumer acceptability, relative to plain matrices. Microstructural differences were detected between matrices at different times of storage and formulated with distinct additives.     

Immobilised yeast grape must deacidification in a recycle fixed bed reactor

Maloalcoholic fermentation (MAF) of grape must by Schizosaccharomyces pombe immobilised in calcium‐alginate double‐layer beads (ProMalic^®) was studied in Erlenmeyer flasks and in a total recycle fixed‐bed reactor operating in batch mode. The reaction is pseudo‐first order with respect to l ‐malic acid and under similar conditions deacidification is faster in the recycle reactor. This was attributed to mass transfer limitations which were confirmed in the recycle reactor by studying the influence of yeast load on the rate of MAF. Mass transfer limitations are also responsible for the lower activation energy of fermentation with the immobilised yeast (67 ± 9 kJ mol^?1) in comparison with the free cells (126 ± 19 kJ mol^?1). Alcoholic fermentation and MAF were performed simultaneously, both in the recycle reactor and in the industrial trials, confirming the efficacy of immobilised S. pombe to reduce grape must acidity without interfering with the main fermentation. Altogether, the present results are useful for the scale‐up of a recycle reactor to process large volumes of grape must.     

Innovation in traditional food products in Europe: Do sector innovation activities match consumers’ acceptance?

Traditional food products are subject to an increased interest in Europe. Innovations, though controversial in the context of traditional food, are essential to maximally cope with this opportunity. So far, only few studies have concentrated on innovation in the traditional food sector. In this paper sector and consumer data are combined in order to validate to what extent innovations in the traditional food sector match with consumers’ acceptance. Sector innovations were explored through 270 interviews, covering 90 traditional food chains in three European countries (Belgium, Italy and Hungary). Consumers’ innovation acceptance was investigated using a quantitative survey approach with 2429 respondents in Belgium, Italy and Poland. In general, both the sector and the consumers were open towards innovations in traditional food products. In addition, the innovation activities of the sector were matching well with the innovations accepted by consumers. Throughout, preserving the traditional character of the food was stressed as a prerequisite for innovations in traditional food products.     

Up-cycling of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) to the biodegradable plastic PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoate)

The conversion of the petrochemical polymer polyethylene terephthalate (PET) to a biodegradable plastic polyhydroxyal-kanoate (PHA) is described here. PET was pyrolised at 450 degrees C resulting in the production of a solid, liquid, and gaseous fraction. The liquid and gaseous fractions were burnt for energy recovery, whereas the solid fraction terephthalic acid (TA) was used as the feedstock for bacterial production of PHA. Strains previously reported to grow on TA were unable to accumulate PHA. We therefore isolated bacteria from soil exposed to PET granules at a PET bottle processing plant From the 32 strains isolated, three strains capable of accumulation of medium chain length PHA (mclPHA) from TA as a sole source of carbon and energy were selected for further study. These isolates were identified using 16S rDNA techniques as P. putida (GO16), P. putida (GO19), and P. frederiksbergensis (GO23). P. putida GO16 and GO19 accumulate PHA composed predominantly of a 3-hydroxydecanoic acid monomer while P. frederiksbergensis GO23 accumulates 3-hydroxydecanoic acid as the predominant monomer with increased amounts of 3-hydroxydodecanoic acid and 3-hydroxydodecenoic acid compared to the other two strains. PHA was detected in all three strains when nitrogen depleted below detectable levels in the growth medium. Strains GO16 and GO19 accumulate PHA at a maximal rate of approximately 8.4 mg PHA/l/h for 12 h before the rate of PHA accumulation decreased dramatically. Strain GO23 accumulates PHA at a lower maximal rate of 4.4 mg PHA/l/h but there was no slow down in the rate of PHA accumulation over time. Each of the PHA polymers is a thermoplastic with the onset of thermal degradation occurring around 308 degrees C with the complete degradation occurring by 370 degrees C. The molecular weight ranged from 74 to 123 kDa. X-ray diffraction indicated crystallinity of the order of 18-31%. Thermal analysis shows a low glass transition (-53 degrees C) with a broad melting endotherm between 0 and 45 degrees C.     

Antifungal activity of five different essential oils in vapour phase for the control of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and Lasiodiplodia theobromae in vitro and on mango

Mango fruit has high commercial value; however, major postharvest losses are encountered throughout the supply chain due to postharvest diseases. These results lead to the search for natural fungicide for postharvest diseases control. The antifungal effects of five essential oils (thyme, clove, cinnamon, anise and vitex) were assessed by disc volatilisation method. Thyme oil vapours at 5 μL per Petriplate, and clove and cinnamon oil at 8 μL per Petriplate showed 100% growth inhibition of mango pathogens in vitro. GC/MS analysis of essential oil showed thymol (23.88), o‐cymol (23.88) and terpinolene (23.88) as the major constituents of thyme oil. Clove and cinnamon oils contain 3‐allyl‐2‐methoxyphenol (37.42%) and benzofuran 3‐methyl (17.97%), respectively. Thyme oil as a fumigant at 66.7 μL L^?1 showed a significant (P < 0.05) inhibition on postharvest pathogens of mango fruits stored at 25 °C for 6 days. Results of our study suggest the possibility of using thyme oil as an alternate natural fungicide to manage postharvest diseases in mango.     

Seipin Deficiency as a Model of Severe Adipocyte Dysfunction: Lessons from Rodent Models and Teaching for Human Disease

Obesity prevalence is increasing worldwide, leading to cardiometabolic morbidities. Adipocyte dysfunction, impairing white adipose tissue (WAT) expandability and metabolic flexibility, is central in the development of obesity-related metabolic complications. Rare syndromes of lipodystrophy characterized by an extreme paucity of functional adipose tissue should be considered as primary adipocyte dysfunction diseases. Berardinelli-Seip congenital lipodystrophy (BSCL) is the most severe form with a near absence of WAT associated with cardiometabolic complications such as insulin resistance, liver steatosis, dyslipidemia, and cardiomyopathy. Twenty years ago, mutations in the BSCL2 gene have been identified as the cause of BSCL in human. BSCL2 encodes seipin, an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) anchored protein whose function was unknown back then. Studies of seipin knockout mice or rats demonstrated how seipin deficiency leads to severe lipodystrophy and to cardiometabolic complications. At the cellular levels, seipin is organized in multimers that are particularly enriched at ER/lipid droplet and ER/mitochondria contact sites. Seipin deficiency impairs both adipocyte differentiation and mature adipocyte maintenance. Experiments using adipose tissue transplantation in seipin knockout mice and tissue-specific deletion of seipin have provided a large body of evidence that liver steatosis, cardiomyopathy, and renal injury, classical diabetic complications, are all consequences of lipodystrophy. Rare adipocyte dysfunctions such as in BSCL are the key paradigm to unravel the pathways that control adipocyte homeostasis. The knowledge gathered through the study of these pathologies may bring new strategies to maintain and improve adipose tissue expandability.     

APOB CRISPR-Cas9 Engineering in Hypobetalipoproteinemia: A Promising Tool for Functional Studies of Novel Variants

Hypobetalipoproteinemia is characterized by LDL-cholesterol and apolipoprotein B (apoB) plasma levels below the fifth percentile for age and sex. Familial hypobetalipoproteinemia (FHBL) is mostly caused by premature termination codons in the APOB gene, a condition associated with fatty liver and steatohepatitis. Nevertheless, many families with a FHBL phenotype carry APOB missense variants of uncertain significance (VUS). We here aimed to develop a proof-of-principle experiment to assess the pathogenicity of VUS using the genome editing of human liver cells. We identified a novel heterozygous APOB-VUS (p.Leu351Arg), in a FHBL family. We generated APOB knock-out (KO) and APOB-p.Leu351Arg knock-in Huh7 cells using CRISPR-Cas9 technology and studied the APOB expression, synthesis and secretion by digital droplet PCR and ELISA quantification. The APOB expression was decreased by 70% in the heterozygous APOB-KO cells and almost abolished in the homozygous-KO cells, with a consistent decrease in apoB production and secretion. The APOB-p.Leu351Arg homozygous cells presented with a 40% decreased APOB expression and undetectable apoB levels in cellular extracts and supernatant. Thus, the p.Leu351Arg affected the apoB secretion, which led us to classify this new variant as likely pathogenic and to set up a hepatic follow-up in this family. Therefore, the functional assessment of APOB-missense variants, using gene-editing technologies, will lead to improvements in the molecular diagnosis of FHBL and the personalized follow-up of these patients.     

Effects of dietary supplements of zinc-methionine on milk production,udder health and zinc metabolism in dairy goats

Twenty-two Murciano-Granadina dairy goats were used to investigate the effects of organic Zn supplementation of a diet containing a high level of inorganic Zn. Goats were kept in pens, machine milked once a day throughout lactation and fed a diet based on a dehydrated mixture of whole-plant maize and alfalfa ad libitum, alfalfa pellets, barley grain and a concentrate mixture. Treatments were: (1) control, and (2) supplemented with 1 g/d Zn-Methionine (Zn-Met) included in the concentrate mixture. After parturition, goats were blocked in week 3 and dietary treatments were applied until week 23. From weeks 3-20, feed intake, milk yield, milk composition, milk somatic cell count (SCC), and udder health were measured. In week 21, all goats were injected intraperitoneally with 1 g/d DL-methionine for 5 d to establish the effects of methionine under the conditions of udder stress induced by hand milking on the second day. During weeks 22 and 23, diet digestibility, and N and Zn balance were determined. Dry matter intake, milk yield, and milk contents of total solids, fat, total and true protein, and casein did not differ between treatments, but whey protein and non-protein nitrogen contents were significantly lower for the Zn-Met group. Milk SCC tended to decrease as a result of Zn-Met supplementation but differences between treatments were not significant when halves with persistent infection were excluded. Hand milking increased SCC in both groups, but udders of supplemented goats showed a lower reaction. Apparent absorption of N significantly increased and Zn retention tended to increase in Zn-Met supplemented goats. We conclude that Zn-Met supplementation can enhance resistance to udder stress in dairy goats. Effects were attributed to the organic Zn and not to the methionine component. Zn retention and protein utilization were also improved by the Zn-Met supplement.     

Synthesis,structural and luminescence properties of near white light emitting Dy-doped Y2CaZnO5 nanophosphor for solid state lighting

Novel near white light emitting Y₂CaZnO₅ (YCZ) nanocrystalline powders doped with Dy³⁺ ions were synthesized via the citrate gel combustion method. The structure of the compound is found to be triclinic with a particle size in the range of 20–30 nm. Luminescence properties have been characterized using photoluminescence (PL), excitation spectra and decay time measurements. The PL spectra have shown a broad blue band due to ⁴F_9/2→⁶H_15/2 transition and sharp yellow band corresponding to ⁴F_9/2→⁶H_13/2 transition of Dy³⁺ ions. From the concentration dependent PL studies, the optimum concentration of Dy³⁺ ions in YCZ is found to be 1.0 mol%, where intense near white light emission was observed. The Dy³⁺:YCZ nanophosphor has shown relatively better white color properties than the reported Dy³⁺:Y₂O₃ nanophosphor. The yellow to blue intensity ratios, CIE chromaticity coordinates and correlated color temperature studies have shown the possibility of using this compound for white light emission.