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Two different species of yeast were isolated from a spontaneously fermented and barrel-aged ale, brewed in Styria (Austria). To achieve this, a simple and robust method was implemented to isolate the yeasts and to screen their most essential fermentation characteristics. Both species, which were identified as Pichia fermentans and Candida boidinii by MALDI-TOF analysis, were isolated and incubated successfully on Sabouraud Gentamicin Chloramphenicol 2 agar (SGC 2). In a fermentation experiment, which was repeated three times, the co-fermentation characteristics of both the yeast species were compared to batches with mixed fermentation, inoculated with the complete microbiome of the original wild ale. For this purpose, a wort based on 100 % Pilsener malt (Weyermann), with 10 °Plato original gravity, was produced and adjusted with one bittering hop addition of Herkules (16.2 % alpha acid) to a total of circa 20 IBU. The batches, containing 4 litres of inoculated wort each, were incubated for 28 days at a temperature of 25 °C and 70 % of relative Humidity in a constant climate chamber. Although the yeast fermented batches and the batches fermented with the complete microbiome showed a similar apparent degree of attenuation of approximately 70 % at the end of the experiment, the pH-value of the microbiome-fermented batches was lower. Additionally, the microbiome-fermented batches were more turbid than the yeast fermented batches, whereas the yeast fermented batches clarified remarkably in comparison. Taking into consideration that both P. fermentans and C. boidinii are ubiquitous yeast species and have not often been a focus of research on unconventional brewing yeasts, these results may offer new perspectives on possible future applications of these yeast species. Additionally, the introduced practical approach can be implemented by small-scale wild ale breweries with reasonable effort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the human population is continuously growing, sufficient food with low environmental impact is required. Especially, the challenge of providing proteins will deepen and insects can contribute to a more sustainable and efficient source of protein for human consumption. Tenebrio molitor larvae are highly nutritious and rearing mealworms is more environmentally friendly compared to the production of traditional livestock meat. To use T. molitor as a more sustainable alternative to conventional proteins, it is essential to apply diets from a local and sustainable source. Therefore, the objective of this study was to find local by-products or leftovers which can be used in mass production of larvae as a main substrate. Feeding trials investigating twenty-nine different substrates were conducted to evaluate larval growth performance and adult reproduction by determining development times, survival rates, biomass, and fecundity. Several suitable by-products were identified that can be used in high quantities as single component diet for T. molitor rearing, revealing a high survival rate, short development time, high mean total biomass, and successful breeding. The most successful substrate-malt residual pellets-was found to be an alternative to the most used substrate, wheat bran. Furthermore, corn germ meal, sweet chestnuts, bread remains, soybeans, sweet potatoes, and wheat germs have been discovered to be suitable diets for T. molitor . Moreover, the findings of this study contribute towards using several substrates as supplements.

As a result of the increasing focus on alternative protein sources which are ideally still sustainable, the yellow mealworm, Tenebrio molitor , has come into focus. To verify its suitability as a food source in relation to human health, an analysis of the microbiome of larvae of T. molitor is pertinent. Subsequently, the focus of this study was, on the one hand, to analyze the influence of the substrate on the microbial load of the larvae microbiome, and, on the other hand, to determine which processing methods ensure the risk-free consumption of mealworms. For this purpose, mealworms were grown on 10 different substrates derived from by-products of food production (malt residual pellets, corn germ meal, chestnut breakage and meal, wheat bran, bread remains, draff, nettle, hemp seed oil cake, oyster mushrooms with coffee grounds, pumpkin seed oil cake) and microbial loads were analyzed using different selective media. Further starvation/defecation and heating (850 W for 10 min) methods were used to investigate how the reduction of microorganisms is enabled by these methods. The results showed that there was no significant relationship between the microbial load of the substrate and the mealworm. Starvation and defecation led to a lower stock of microorganisms. Heating led to a significant microbial reduction in non-defecated mealworms. The group of defecated and heated mealworms showed no detectable microbial load. In conclusion, firstly, the choice of substrate showed no effect on the microbial load of larvae of Tenebrio molitor and secondly, heating and starvation allow risk-free consumption. This study makes an important contribution for evaluating the safety of mealworms as a sustainable protein source in human nutrition.

Purpose: This pilot project evaluated the feasibility of conducting a study describing parental characteristics associated with pediatric hospital falls., Design and Methods: This observational case-control study enrolled parent-child dyads of children who fell in the hospital and age-matched controls. Parents completed demographic, anxiety, depression, fatigue, sleep disturbance and stress questionnaires., Results: Four of 14 (28.6%) eligible faller dyads were recruited. Stress scores were correlated with anxiety and depression scores. Power calculations indicated a need for 392 fallers for a future study to identify associations of parent characteristics and pediatric hospital falls., Conclusions: Parents should be informed the ultimate goal of the research is to understand additional ways to prevent pediatric hospital falls. To decrease parental distraction during recruitment, researchers should engage volunteers or child life specialists to entertain younger children. Future studies should consider inclusion of non-English speaking subjects and children discharged within the post-fall eligibility time frame. To decrease multicollinearity concerns, the parent stress tool should be omitted. Due to the large number of fallers needed for an adequately powered sample, a multi-site study will be needed., Practice Implications: A parent is often present when their child falls in the hospital. Fall risk assessment focuses on patient characteristics, neglecting parental psychophysical characteristics which may be associated with risk of falling in the hospital. Associations of parent psychophysical characteristics and pediatric hospital falls needs to be studied further. This pilot study supports the feasibility of and provides recommendations for conducting a study to describe parent characteristics associated with pediatric hospital falls., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)