Effects of temperature, ammonium and glucose concentrations on yeast growth in a model wine system

In enology, alcoholic fermentation is a complex process involving several mechanisms. Slow and incomplete alcoholic fermentation is a chronic problem for the wine industry and factors leading to sluggish and stuck fermentations have been extensively studied and reviewed. The most studied cause of sluggish and stuck fermentation is the nitrogen content limitation. Nevertheless, other factors, such as temperature of fermentation and sugar concentration can affect the growth of yeasts. In this study we modelled the yeast growth‐cycle in wine model system as a function of temperature, sugar and ammonium concentrations; the individual effects and the interaction of these factors were analysed by means of a quadratic response surface methodology. Cell concentrations and weight loss were monitored in the whole wine fermentation process. The results of central composite design show that lower is the availability of nitrogen, higher is the cell growth rate; moreover, initial nitrogen concentration also influences survival time of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.     

Stress corrosion cracking of cold-worked austenitic stainless steels

Stress corrosion cracking (SCC) of AISI 304L and AISI 316L stainless steels, cold-worked under various conditions (i.e. at different degrees of deformation obtained by drawing and rolling at room temperature and at liquid nitrogen temperature) has been carried out in H₂O containing 1000 ppm Cl^? at 250°C and in a boiling MgCl₂ solution. The effect of heat treatments at 400 and 900°C on the SCC of previously cold-worked steels has also been studied. Particular attention was directed towards heat treatment at 400°C. In steels deformed at room temperature, it increases the SCC resistance. By contrast, for steels deformed at liquid nitrogen temperature, heat treatment at 400°C reduces the SCC resistance if carried out for short periods of time (1–6 h). Hardness measurements, structural analyses via X-rays, scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM), as well as modified Strauss tests, seem to prove that reduced stress corrosion resistance is not to be related to the chromium-rich carbides precipitation which could have been accelerated by the presence of α′-martensite. Instead, they tend to suggest that perhaps this phenomenon is connected to an increase in the level of internal micro-stresses which are generated by a reciprocal re-ordering of the α′ and γ structural phases.     

Changes of the cell surface hydrophobicity of Lactobacillus acidophilus La‐5 in response to pH,temperature and inulin

The main topic of this study was to study how cell surface hydrophobicity (CSH) could change in response to pH, temperature and inulin; Lactobacillus acidophilus La‐5 was used as a model microorganism. pH, temperature, inulin and incubation time (exposure to prebiotic or incubation at pH 4.0 and 9.0) were combined through a full factorial design and a Central Composite Design; the results were analysed using a multifactorial anova (first step) and a stepwise regression (second step). Temperature and pH significantly affected CSH: an increase in the temperature determined a significant increase in CSH, whereas the correlation pH vs. CSH was negative, as an increase in pH caused a significant decrease in CSH. Inulin played a significant role, but its effect could be influenced by temperature, pH and exposure time. This study is the first approach on the effects of some environmental factors on CSH and suggests that the culturing conditions and/or the exposure to some prebiotics could modify it with positive or negative effects.     

Microbiological and Sensorial Quality Assessment of Ready-to-Cook Seafood Products Packaged under Modified Atmosphere

ABSTRACT:  The effects of modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) (30:40:30 O₂:CO₂:N₂ and 5:95 O₂:CO₂) on the quality of 4 ready-to-cook seafood products were studied. In particular, the investigation was carried out on hake fillets, yellow gurnard fillets, chub mackerel fillets, and entire eviscerated cuttlefish. Quality assessment was based on microbiological and sensorial indices determination. Both packaging gas mixtures contributed to a considerable slowing down of the microbial and sensorial quality loss of the investigated seafood products. Results showed that sensorial quality was the subindex that limited their shelf life. In fact, based primarily on microbiological results, samples under MAP remained acceptable up to the end of storage (that is, 14 d), regardless of fish specie. On the other hand, results from sensory analyses showed that chub mackerel fillets in MAP were acceptable up to the 6th storage d, whilst hake fillets, yellow gurnard fillets, and entire cuttlefish became unacceptable after 10 to 11 d. However, compared to control samples, an increase in the sensorial shelf life of MAP samples (ranging from about 95% to 250%) was always recorded.
Practical Application: Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) is an inexpensive and uncomplicated method of extending shelf life of packed seafood. It could gain great attention from the fish industrial sector due to the fact that MAP is a practical and economic technique, realizable by small technical expedients. Moreover, there is great attention from the food industry and retailers to react to the growing demand for convenience food, thus promoting an increase in the assortments of ready-to-cook seafood products.     

Growth/no growth interfaces of Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella enteritidis in model systems based on water activity, pH, temperature and ethanol concentration

This study focuses its attention on the boundary between the growth and no growth of three strains ofSalmonella enteritidis , Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus in the presence of growth controlling factors such as temperature, pH, water activity (A_w) and ethanol concentration. Preliminarly, the minimal values of pH, A_wand temperature, and the maximum ethanol concentrations allowing the growth of the considered micro-organisms were determined. The calculation of these values enabled the use of logistic model to evaluate the growth/no growth boundary for the bacteria in relation to the considered independent variables. The location of the growth/no-growth boundaries for S. enteritidis and Staph. aureus were strongly affected, at the same ethanol concentration, by temperature, pH and A_w. Among the considered species, Staph. aureus was endowed with the highest sensitivity to low pH values whileB. cereus's growth/no growth interface, was quite unaffected by the combination of the stresses, when the physico–chemical conditions were above the minimum for growth. The effects of temperature, A_wand ethanol on the limitation of growth of the considered species were not merely additive. It was possible to identify the combinations of such factors preventing the growth of Salmonella enteritidis, Staph. aureus and B. cereus.     

Relationship between peptide selectivities of human transporters associated with antigen processing and HLA class I molecules

Efficiency of presentation of a peptide epitope by a MHC class I molecule depends on two parameters: its binding to the MHC molecule and its generation by intracellular Ag processing. In contrast to the former parameter, the mechanisms underlying peptide selection in Ag processing are poorly understood. Peptide translocation by the TAP transporter is required for presentation of most epitopes and may modulate peptide supply to MHC class I molecules. To study the role of human TAP for peptide presentation by individual HLA class I molecules, we generated artificial neural networks capable of predicting the affinity of TAP for random sequence 9-mer peptides. Using neural network-based predictions of TAP affinity, we found that peptides eluted from three different HLA class I molecules had higher TAP affinities than control peptides with equal binding affinities for the same HLA class I molecules, suggesting that human TAP may contribute to epitope selection. In simulated TAP binding experiments with 408 HLA class I binding peptides, HLA class I molecules differed significantly with respect to TAP affinities of their ligands. As a result, some class I molecules, especially HLA-B27, may be particularly efficient in presentation of cytosolic peptides with low concentrations, while most class I molecules may predominantly present abundant cytosolic peptides.     

Corrosion behaviour of the extruded and unidirectionally solidified AlAl4Ca eutectic alloy in a neutral sodium chloride solution

The corrosion behaviour of extruded and unidirectionally solidified AlAl₄Ca eutectic alloy in a neutral sodium chloride solution has been compared with the behaviour of commercially pure Al and AlCu alloy. From both anodic and cathodic cyclic linear potentiodynamic measurements and from S.E.M. observations it was possible to point out that the corrosion behaviour of unidirectionally solidified alloy is substantially equal to that of the extruded alloy, slightly different from that of commercially pure Al and better than AlCu alloy. Therefore, the use of this new lamellae-reinforced AlAl₄Ca composite is promising, even though from the corrosion point of view further studies involving different techniques and conditions (solutions, temperature, surface state, stress, etc.) should be undertaken.     

A study of the behaviour of titanium in acidic solution. Part 1 — Anodic behaviour and behaviour in “ababdoned” conditions

Despite numerous investigations into the corrosion behaviour of Ti and its alloys there are numerous discrepancies in literature with respect to the type of the tetravalent ion formed during the dissolution of titanium in aerated acid solutions; the same applies to the thermodynamical data concerning a possible redox reaction between titanium ions having different valencies. It is for this reason that the authors make an attempt at showing the importance of the formation of tetravalent titanium ions during the spontaneous passivation of titanium in acidic solutions. In this context they start by studying the anodic behaviour of titanium, in order to work out a basis for the evaluation of specimens of different origin. The studies are carried out in aerated and deoxygenated sulfuric acid, with and without external polarization. The anodic behaviour is then interpreted in terms of the mixed potential theory.     

Inactivation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Salmonella enterica</Emphasis> in a Rice Beverage by Ultrasound: Study of the Parameters Affecting the Antibacterial Effect

The topic of this paper is the investigation of the antibacterial effect of ultrasound (US) towards Salmonella enterica in a rice beverage. The beverage was inoculated at different levels (8 and 5 log CFU/mL) and US-treated; then, a challenge test under refrigeration was carried out. The maximum net power of the equipment was 130 W; the treatment was carried out at 40–100% of the net power, for 2–10 min; the pulse was set to 2–10 s. For both the inoculum levels, power and time were the most important factors for the antimicrobial effect towards S. enterica. The combinations resulting in the highest inactivation of the pathogen were tested during the challenge test at 4 °C, and in some combinations, S. enterica remained below the detection limit for 13 days.     

Modelling the survival of Enterobacter cloacae in a model olive cover brine solution

The main goal of this research was the evaluation of the survival of Enterobacter cloacae in a model olive brine. Two different assays were run; the first experiment assessed the viability of the target in brines containing NaCl (6–12%) and p‐coumaric acid (0.0–0.05%), adjusted to different pHs (4–10) and stored at 10–30 °C for 9 days. The death rate and cell levels at selected times were modelled with a polynomial equation to highlight the individual and interactive effects of NaCl/p‐coumaric acid/pH/temperature. Then, a second experiment was run for 3 months (temperature, 10 °C; pH, 4.5–5.5; NaCl, 6–8%). The survival of E. cloacae was affected mainly by pH, then by salt and temperature; however, the significance of the variables changed within the time, as salt and temperature acted in a significant way only after 1 day.