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Seventy-five samples of selected meat products, including luncheon, beef burger, sausage, basterma, and kofta, were collected from Alexandria and New Borg El-Arab cities (Egypt). The samples were subjected to mycological examination as well as for detection of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and ochratoxin A (OTA) residues. Besides, the study evaluated the effect of aqueous leaf extracts from mealycup sage (Salvia farinacea) and neem (Azadirachta indica), individually and in combination, on the growth of human pathogens Aspergillus parasiticus and Aspergillus flavus producing AFB1, as well as Aspergillus ochraceus and Aspergillus niger which produce OTA. The obtained results revealed that sausage samples had the highest mould count with a mean value of 13.20×102/g, followed by basterma samples 12.05×102/g, then beef burger 7.39×102/g. In contrast, luncheon and kofta samples had the lowest count with a mean value of 5.51×102/g and 2.82×102/g. The findings revealed the antifungal potential of tested extracts. The total inhibition of A. parasitcus and A. niger growth was observed at 2 mg/mL of the combined extract. Salvia farinacea extract had the highest total phenolic content and total flavonoid content with a value of 174.1 and 52.6 mg g-1, respectively. Rutin was the major phenolic component in neem and combined extracts, accounting for 19123 and 8882 μg/g, respectively. Besides, the study investigated detoxification of AFB1 and OTA using combined extract in albino rats. The results confirmed the convenient and safe use of Salvia farinacea and Azadirachta indica extract and their combination as natural antifungal and antioxidant agents. The combined extract could be used as a natural preservative in food processing to control or prevent contamination.

Recently, consumers are paying much more attention to natural products from plants, mainly because of the general feeling that natural components are safe. The present research was undertaken in order to evaluate the potential application of licorice roots extract as a nutritional plant used in food industry. Chemical compositions, antimicrobial potency, and the potential antioxidant capacities of licorice root extract were determined. Furthermore, phytochemical, identification of bioactive compounds and antitumor potentials on breast cancer cell MDA-MB-361 was also carried out. The results revealed that the most licorice root contents were sugars and fiber (40.47 and 38.41 g/100g, respectively), and calcium was the main element (112.2 mg/100g). The licorice aqueous and ethanol extracts showed broad spectrum against tested microorganisms Gram positive and negative bacteria, yeast and fungi. Licorice aqueous extract showed strong antioxidant potential with IC50 (29.92±2.43 mg/g) and exhibited considerable proapoptotic property on breast cancer cell, due to its high concentration of total phenolic compounds in the extract. Gallic acid was observed to be the most abundant phenolic component in licorice root aqueous extract. The sensory evaluation revealed that the fortified licorice yoghurt was preferred. Obtained results indicate that the tested licorice extract could have pharmaceutical potential in prevention of breast cancer and can be recommended as natural antioxidant and antimicrobial agent to be used in food industrial.

Objectives: Cassia fistula and Ocimum basilicum which are assumed to contain the active components and which are renewable source in fighting infections of microorganisms. The aim of this study was to investigate the antimicrobial activity, the antioxidant activity and anti-inflammatory properties of Cassia fistula and Ocimum basilicum and their mix. Methods and Materials: Cassia fistula and Ocimum basilicum exhibited antimicrobial activity against all of the tested bacteria and yeasts except for Asperigillus spp. that showed high resistance. Results and Discussion: The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values for bacteria and yeast ranged from 3.1 to 6.2 mg/ mL. The antioxidant activity of the Cassia fistula and Ocimum basilicum was evaluated by using DPPH radical scavenging assay. In addition, the amount of total phenolic content (TPC) of Cassia fistula, Ocimum basilicum and their mix was 64.71, 96.42 and 113.07 mg/g, while total flavonoids content was 16.33, 32.66 and 79 mg/g respectively. Vanillin, quercetin and cinnamic acid marked the phenolic profile of the mix. Cytotoxicity results indicated high safety use of the two plants. Conclusion: Our data confirmed convenient and safe use of C. fistula, O. basilicum and their mix as natural antimicrobial and antioxidant. The mix of both extracts can be recommended as natural preservative to be used in food processing to control and prevent food contamination.

This study reports on the exploitation of keratinous hydrolysate by keratinase enzymes to produce vitamin B-complex. Toward this end, keratinase enzyme was produced by Bacillus thuringiensis strain MT1, newly isolated from cattle-yard utilising donkey hairs. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometer (FTIR) analyses demonstrated hairs disintegration and the disruption of the disulphide bonds of the keratin structure, respectively. The biochemical characterisation of the produced enzyme exhibited optimal activity of 422 U/ml at 50 °C and pH 9 with a molecular mass of 80 kDa. The enzyme activity was entirely deactivated by Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), implying the existence of a metallokeratinase group. Donkey hairs were thus treated with metallokeratinase, emancipating eight essential and eight more non-essential amino acids, which were identified employing amino acid analyser. These amino acids were subsequently utilised by Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain ATCC 64712, at different concentrations, to produce vitamin B-complex. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis revealed the synthesis of vitamins B1, B2, and B12 at various levels associated with concentrations of supplemented amino acids. This report thus highlights the feasible application of keratinase enzyme as an eco-friendly approach to managing hair waste, and concurrently promotes the implementation of hair-based hydrolysate in vitamin B-complex biosynthesis.

Aflatoxins could be detoxify by microbes to reduce their toxic effect in contaminated food. Cerelac is the common baby food in Egypt. This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of both probiotics bacteria and yeasts on aflatoxins B1 and B2 dtoxification. Bacteria (heat acid inactivated); S. thermophilus TH-4, B. bifidum and yeasts; k. lactis, S. cerevisiae were used to detoxify these aflatoxins. In PBS each bacterial strain, reduced AFB1 and AFB2 by 28-29% and great reduction of 55% was achieved using both bacterial strains in combination. Similarly, yeast strains were able to reduce AFB1 and AFB2; 54% with S. cerevisiae and 42% with K. lactis, with higher reduction of 66.6% using both yeast strains in combination. Using the probiotic combination with Cerelac exhibited higher level of B1 and B2 reduction by 94.1%, 94.5%, respectively. Scanning Eectron Microscopy confirmed the ability of these probiotics to adsorb the toxins particles. Practical applications Probiotic and yeast mixtures could be the best materials used to reduce and/or eliminate mycotoxins especially aflatoxins from foods. Moreover, it can be used as food additives in infants food (Cerelac) to reduce the bioavailability of the aflatoxins in synthesized food.