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A significant amount of waste is annually generated worldwide by the supply chain of the food industry. Considering the population growth, the environmental concerns, and the economic opportunities, waste recovery is a promising solution to produce valuable and innovative ingredients for food and nonfood industries. Indeed, plant-based wastes are rich in dietary fibers (DF), which have relevant technical functionalities such as water/oil holding capacity, swelling capacity, viscosity, texture, and physiological properties such as antioxidant activity, cholesterol, and glucose adsorption capacities. Different drying technologies could be applied to extend the shelf life of fresh DF. However, inappropriate drying technologies or process conditions could adversely affect the functionalities of DF via the hornification phenomenon. Hornification is related to the formation of irreversible hydrogen bindings, van der Waals interactions, and covalent lactone bridges between cellulose fibrils during drying. This review aims to capitalize on the knowledge developed in the wood industry to tackle the hornification phenomenon occurring in the food industry. The mechanisms and the parameters affecting hornification as well as the mitigation strategies used in the wood industry that could be successfully applied to foods are summarized. The application of conventional drying technologies such as air or spray-drying increased the occurrence of hornification. In contrast, solvent exchange, supercritical drying, freeze-drying, and spray-freeze-drying approaches were considered effective strategies to limit the consequences of this phenomenon. In addition, incorporating capping agents before drying attenuated the hornification. The knowledge summarized in this review can be used as a basis for process design in the valorization of plant-based wastes and the production of functional DF that present relevant features for the food and packaging industries.

Plant food wastes generated through the food chain have attracted increasing attention over the last few years not only due to critical environmental and economic issues but also as an available source of valuable components such as dietary fibers. However, the exploitation of plant waste remains limited due to the lack of appropriate processing technologies to recover and tailor fiber functionalities. Among the different technologies developed for waste valorization, mechanical techniques were suggested to be a promising and sustainable strategy to extract fibers with improved functionalities. In this context, the present review describes different mechanical technologies (conventional and innovative) with potential applications to produce micro/nanofibers from various plant residues, highlighting the operating principle as well as the main advantages and pitfalls. The impact on the structural, technological, and functional properties of fibrous materials is comprehensively discussed. The extent of fiber modification not only highly depended on the technology and operation conditions used but also on fiber composition and the application of posttreatments such as dehydration. Other variables, including economic and environmental issues such as equipment cost, energy demand, and eco-friendly features, are also reviewed. The outputs of this review can be used by both the industrial sector and academia to select a suitable combination of fiber and processing technology for designing novel foods with improved functionalities that fulfill market trends and consumer needs.

Zein as a hydrophobic plant protein has high tendency to form nanofibers. In this research, needle-less electrospinning with rotating spiked-like spinneret was applied for pilot-scale production of zein nanofibers and then produced fibers were used for improvement of properties of gelatin edible films. The properties of zein solutions were analyzed to investigate their effects on features of nanofibers. With increasing of zein concentration and decreasing applied voltage, the diameters of the fibers raised. FTIR data revealed that the second structure of zein did not change during needle-less electrospinning. Thermal gravimetric analysis showed an important increase in thermal stability of zein nanofiber in comparison to the pure zein. The prepared nanofibers under optimum criteria (zein concentration of 13% (W/V) and voltage of 21 kV) had mean diameter of 334 ± 139 nm and were used as scaffolds for gelatin film. With applying zein nanofiber in gelatin films, moisture content, water solubility, swelling percentage, vapor permeability, elongation at breaking point and transparency decreased while thickness, tensile strength and elastic modulus increased. An enhancement in hydrophobicity of gelatin films were observed with increasing of zein concentration in nanofiber. The results indicated that this novel needle-less electrospinning can be applied for large-scale production of nanofibers and enhancement of properties of gelatin films.

Background Consumption of Spirulina-based functionalized food is usually unpleasant due to its specific sensorial properties. Therefore, Spirulina was encapsulated using alginate and whey protein concentrate (WPC) by emulsification method, and the effect of adding free and microencapsulated Spirulina (MS) to non-fat stirred yogurt was investigated during storage. Results Scanning electron microscope investigated microcapsules morphology and their mean particle size that was 52 μm, and electrostatic interaction between wall materials was illustrated by Fourier- transform infrared spectroscopy. The microspheres had appropriate encapsulation efficiency (44.54 ± 0.06%). Complete release of Spirulina from the microcapsules was observed in simulated intestinal fluid, which is favorable for Lactobacillus growth in human intestinal tract. Encapsulation caused meaningful differences in colorimetric factors, markedly in L*. Moreover, free and MS were added to yogurt samples, and the results showed that the physicochemical properties (pH, color, viscosity, water holding capacity and susceptibility to syneresis) and sensorial assessment of MS yogurt were positively affected. During the storage, MS yogurt had higher pH value than the others; furthermore, it showed the lowest syneresis and a constant increase in viscosity. Finally, the sensory evaluation results of MS yogurt, in comparison with the free form of Spirulina utilization, indicated improved acceptance of the produced functional food. Conclusion Results showed an obvious impact of encapsulation on the physicochemical properties of yogurt containing MS. The sensory evaluation showed that encapsulation could generally enhance the customer's satisfaction. It can be stated that masking microalgae color and flavor by microencapsulation could be used for dairy products fortification by microalgae. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

Every year, agrifood activities generate a large amount of plant byproducts, which have a low economical value. However, the valorization of these byproducts can contribute to increasing the intake of dietary fibers and reducing the environmental pollution. This review presents an overview of a wide variety of agricultural wastes applied in the formulation of different food products and sustainable packaging. In general, the incorporation of fibers into bakery, meat, and dairy products was successful, especially at a level of 10% or less. Fibers from a variety of crops improved the consistency, texture, and stability of sauce formulations without affecting sensory quality. In addition, fiber fortification (0.01-6.4%) presented considerable advantages in terms of rheology, texture, melting behavior, and fat replacement of ice cream, but in some cases had a negative impact on color and mouthfeel. In the case of beverages, promising effects on texture, viscosity, stability, and appetite control were obtained by the addition of soluble dietary fibers from grains and fruits with small particle size. Biocomposites used in packaging benefited from reinforcing effects of various plant fiber sources, but the extent of modification depended on the matrix type, fiber pretreatment, and concentration. The information synthesized in this contribution can be used as a tool to screen and select the most promising fiber source, fiber concentration, and pretreatment for specific food applications and sustainable packaging.

Application of natural preservatives, such as essential oils, has attracted increasing attentions. Shirazi thyme essence with different phenolic compounds has antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. While it is sensitive to light, oxygen, humidity and high temperature. In this study, nanofibers were prepared by gelatin/chitosan in ratios of 1:6, 1:8 and 1:10 and thyme concentrations of 20 and 40% using nozzle-less electrospinning. Solution properties (i.e. viscosity and electrical conductivity) were measured. Results showed that encapsulation efficiency values were higher than 92% and loading capacity enhanced with increasing essence concentration. Diameter and morphology of fibers were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The nanofibers fabricated by gelatin/chitosan ratio of 1:6 containing 40% essences were the best samples with diameters in the range of 97–343 nm. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) indicated that not any chemical interaction was occurred between ingredients during electrospinning and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) data demonstrated that thermal stability of the essential oil enhanced by encapsulation. Antioxidant activity and antimicrobial property of pure and encapsulated essential oils against Clostridium perfringens were examined and approved the efficiency of encapsulation for protection of antioxidant activity. The nanofibers containing thyme essential oil were then used for reducing nitrite in sausages and their microbial properties, moisture content, pH, color and sensory features were evaluated. The results indicated that the encapsulated thyme essence had bactericidal effect against C. perfringens, did not have significant adverse impact on color and sensory properties of sausages in comparison to sample containing 120 ppm nitrite. The data showed that nanofiber containing thyme essential oil could be a suitable nitrite substitute for meat products.

In this study, the ability of 19 strains of local Lactic acid bacteria in reducing Cd (II) and Pb (II) has been evaluated, in vitro. The average uptake of metal ions was determined per cell and the effect of dead and live cells, metal concentration, pH and contact time were analyzed for the selected LAB with highest heavy metal biosorption. All tested Lactobacillus strains adsorbed cadmium and lead, and among them Lactobacillus plantarum subsp. plantarum PTCC 1896 showed the highest uptake in a fast and pH-dependent process. The qmax for Cd (II) and Pb (II) removal by L. plantarum PTCC 1896 using a Langmuir isotherm were 122.7 ± 37.3 mg/L and 34.5 ± 2.9 mg/L, respectively. Conclusively, both live and dead cells of L. plantarum PTCC 1896 are efficient cadmium and lead biosorbent to decrease heavy metal contamination in aqueous media.

Role of gut microbiome in obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D) became apparent from several independent studies, indicating that gut microbiome modulators like prebiotics may improve microbiome perturbations (dysbiosis) to ameliorate metabolic derangements. We herein isolate water soluble, non-digestible polysaccharides from five plant based foods (acorn, quinoa, sunflower, pumpkin and sago seeds) and assess their impact on human fecal microbiome and amelioration of high fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity/T2D in mice. During polysaccharide isolation, purification, biochemical and digestion resistance characterization, and fermentation pattern by human fecal microbiome, we select acorn- and sago- derived prebiotics (on the basis of relatively higher purity and yield and lower protein contamination) and examine their effects in comparison to inulin. Prebiotics treatments in human fecal microbiome culture system not only preserve microbial diversity but also appear to foster beneficial bacteria and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). Feeding of acorn- and sago-derived prebiotics ameliorates HFD-induced glucose intolerance and insulin resistance in mice, with effects comparatively superior to those seen in inulin-fed mice. Feeding of both of novel prebiotics as well as inulin increases SCFAs levels in the mouse gut. Interestingly, gut hyperpermeability and mucosal inflammatory markers were significantly reduced upon prebiotics feeding in HFD-fed mice. Hypothalamic energy signaling in terms of increased expression of pro-opiomelanocortin, was also modulated by prebiotics administration. Results demonstrate that these (and/or such) novel prebiotics can ameliorate HFD-induced defects in glucose metabolism via positive modulation of gut-microbiome-brain axis and hence could be useful in preventing/ treating diet-induced obesity/T2D.

Yogurt contained phycocyanin, owes its consumer satisfaction to their health benefits. Phycocyanin may have inhibitory effects on yogurt cultures duo to its antibacterial properties and also affects its physicochemical properties. It was the objective of study to evaluate the effects of phycocyanin on the antibacterial and physicochemical properties of yogurt. To prepare phycocyanin-enriched yogurt, when yogurt pH reached 4.5, purified phycocyanin was added, mixed and stored at 4 °C. Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus counts decreased significantly on days 21 and 14, respectively, in all the treatments. Pathogens were detected in none of the treatments. The phycocyanin enriched-yogurts was found to have a higher pH than the plain control and they showed increased viscosity with increasing phycocyanin concentration. The control yogurt showed a higher syneresis, which increased by day 14 but decreased on day 21 due to increases in the hydrophilicity of yogurt proteins. This is while the b* index did not decline significantly by day 14. PE-yogurt 4% (W/W) was not significantly different in overall acceptability from the plain yogurt. Because of positive effects of phycocyanin on yogurt such as decreasing syneresis, increasing firmness, color stability, and no pathogen growth it might be recommended as a bioactive colorant.

The aim of this study was to investigate the antimicrobial properties of aqueous and methanolic extracts, as well as essential oils of red beet leaves. The leaves were purchased from local farms in Isfahan province, Iran. After drying the leaves, their extracts were obtained by water and methanol as solvent, and also essential oils of the leaves were extracted through the hydro-distillation method. Antibacterial activity of the extracts and essential oils was determined against five foodborne bacteria by disc-diffusion assay and minimum inhibitory concentration method. Moreover, the antifungal activity of the samples was examined by the contact phase method against five fungi species. The aqueous extract of red beet leaves did not show any antimicrobial activity against the studied species, whereas the methanolic extract inhibited the growth of four strains of the bacteria, including Escherichia coli, Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella enteritidis. Essential oil had an inhibitory effect against B. cereus, S. enteritidis, and S. aureus. Furthermore, the aqueous and methanolic extracts and essential oils had a variable degree of antifungal activity against all tested fungi. However, the methanolic extract and essential oils had a stronger antifungal effect than the aqueous extract.

The development of lipid-based delivery systems has attracted much attention over the last years and a wide variety of strategies and formulations are currently available to encapsulate, protect, and target delivery of bioactive and functional lipophilic constituents within the food and pharmaceutical industries. Waxes are crystalline lipid material, consisting of a complex mixture of long-chain fatty acids and fatty alcohols, hydrocarbons, aldehydes, and ketones and show great promises as constituents of carrier systems. Most of waxes are classified under food-grade category and show high availability at a low cost. This review article has provided a comprehensive summary of research on major carriers containing wax as one of the main constituents, including solid lipid nanoparticles, nanostructured lipid carriers, oleogels, and Pickering emulsions, with a focus on their food applications. The physical and chemical nature of natural waxes are described in the first while the second part deals with the structure, formulation, main methods of preparation, characterization, and finally utilization of each type of wax-based delivery system for specific food applications.

Effects of Spirulina (Arthrospira platensis) addition were evaluated on probiotic Lactobacillus casei growth in bacteriologically acidified feta-type (BAF) cheese. The chemical, textural, and sensorial characteristics of cheese were measured. After 60 days of storage, there were significantly higher viable counts of Lb. casei (9.10–9.35 log CFU g−1) in Spirulina samples in comparison with the control (8.68 log CFU g−1). The viable counts of Lb. casei were maintained more successfully in the probiotic BAF cheese which contained Spirulina. The values of titratable acidity, dry matter, and protein contents of Spirulina samples were higher than the control. Furthermore, samples with Spirulina exhibited softer textures which led to an easier disintegration and chewing of the BAF cheese. Based on the results of the sensorial evaluation, no significant difference was observed between the control and the samples with 0.5 or 1.0% Spirulina. In conclusion, Spirulina is deemed a satisfactory nutritional source which can be added to BAF cheese without having any adverse effects on its characteristics.

Preparation and characterization of novel functional nanostructured lipid carriers containing β sitosterol has been studied. The nanostructured lipid carrires (NLCs) were formulated with propolis wax (PW) alone or in mixture (1:1 w/w) with glyceryl behenate (GB), and pomegranate seed oil (PSO) and produced by a hot melt emulsification method. Response surface methodology was used to optimize formulations with respect to β sitosterol concentration, liquid lipid content and solid lipid composition. The NLCs formulated with less oil and higher drug content showed higher size and lower encapsulation efficiency. Solid state analysis exhibited lower crystallinity of optimal formulations compared to raw lipids and a drug amorphization into the NLC matrix. The compatibility between drug and encapsulating materials was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Transmission electron microscopy showed spherical particles ranged around 100 nm confirming the applicability of such formulations for the production of functional foods.

The aim of this study was evaluation of the Aloe vera gel powder (AGP) as a natural and functional preservative for extension of the shelf-life of cold stored semi-cooked chicken nugget. For this purpose, amounts of 0, 1.5, 2.5 and 3.5% AGP were added to the chicken batter and semi-cooked nugget, and then the minimum inhibitory concentration of AGP on Salmonella enteritidis and E. coli O157:H7 were determined. Total count, coliform, yeast, mold, and pH of chicken nugget batter, as well as total count, coliform count, textural and sensorial properties of semi-cooked nugget were evaluated at 4 °C. Results showed that the AGP can reduce microbial growth both in the cold stored chicken nugget batter and semi-cooked nugget. However, AGP did not have negative effects on textural and sensorial properties of the products. Addition of 3.5% AGP to chicken nugget reduced microbial count compared to the control during 14 days of storage at 4 °C (P

The objective of this study was to develop functional nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) using beeswax (BW), propolis wax (PW) and pomegranate seed oil (PSO). NLCs were prepared by a melt emulsification-ultra sonication technique. The influences of solid lipid composition, surfactant blend concentration (2, 4, and 6% of formulation) and PSO content (10, 30 and 50% of total lipid phase) were investigated. Statistical evaluations revealed that the formulation variables had significant effects on physical properties of NLC. The developed nanocarriers presented particle sizes ranging from 71 to 366 nm, leading to excellent physical stability. The optimum formulations with minimum particle size and high zeta potential value were PW and BW + glycerol behenate samples, containing 10% oil and 6% surfactant. DSC and XRD studies indicated that the addition of oil to the lipid phase could disturb the crystalline order and form lattice defects. TEM observations exhibited spherical morphology of the NLCs.

We isolated and characterized pistachio hull polysaccharides (PHP). The PHP was a heteropolysaccharide mainly contained 75.50% (w/w) total sugar and 9.51% (w/w) uronic acid. As determined by GPC analysis, the polysaccharide with a molecular weight of 3.71×106 D (83.2%) was the most dominant fraction. Moreover, HPLC analysis indicated that PHP was predominantly composed of xylose, glucose, arabinose, and fructose with a molar ratio of 1.00:2.50:19.67:28.81. FT-IR and NMR analysis also confirmed the results obtained by HPLC and characterized preliminary structure features of the PHP. Functional properties of the PHP including water holding capacity (WHC: 2.44±0.05g water/g DM), and oil holding capacity (OHC: 11.53±0.04g oil/g DM) were significant compared to inulin used as reference prebiotic (p

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the protective effects of Persian gum and gum Arabic on the survival of Lactobacillus plantarum subsp. plantarum PTCC 1896, Escherichia coli, Xanthomonas axonopodis, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae during freeze drying. Design/methodology/approach Cultures were harvested from the early stationary phase and enumerated after dilution according to the Milse Misra method. Bacterial suspensions were mixed with protective agents and frozen at –80°C before drying in a freeze dryer. Survival rates were determined both immediately during freeze drying and after 14 days of cold storage (at 4°C). Findings Compared to gum Arabic 5 and 10 percent (W/V) or skim milk 10 percent (W/V), Persian gum 1 percent (W/V) showed no significantly different effects on the survival of Lactobacillus plantarum subsp. plantarum PTCC 1896 (ppEscherichia coli. Skim milk 10 percent (W/V) was, however, found to have significant (pXanthomonas axonopodis and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Statistically significant (pEscherichia coli and by gum Arabic 6 percent (W/V) on the survival of Xanthomonas axonopodis and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. It was concluded that protective agents could be replaced by Persian gum for its effect on the survival rate of Escherichia coli and by skim milk for its effects on the survival of Xanthomonas axonopodis and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Persian gum 6 percent (W/V) seemed to be the best protective agent for Escherichia coli during 14 days of its storage as gum Arabic 6 percent (W/V) seemed to have the same performance for Xanthomonas axonopodis and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Persian gum 1 percent (W/V) was also found an alternative protective agent for the freeze drying of Lactobacillus plantarum subsp. plantarum PTCC 1896. Originality/value As Iranian Persian gum is cheap due to its wide availability and seems to have effects similar to those of gum Arabic and skim milk at low concentrations, it may be considered a good candidate for industrial applications.

Prebiotics are regarded as the non-digestible food constituents that are selectively consumed by health-promoting bacteria (probiotics). In fact, a number of active metabolites is released due to intensive interaction between prebiotics and probiotics in the gut which exert local and systemic beneficial effects including regulation of intestinal disorders and modulation of host immunity. Turmeric is one of the most important medicinal herbaceous that is derived from Curcuma longa rhizome. Curcumin is a well-recognized component of turmeric which contributes to the prevention of multiple inflammatory diseases. Despite curcumin as a well-known compound, few researches have focused on the turmeric extract (TE) and its potential as prebiotic and anti-inflammatory compound. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prebiotic potential and some functional-structural properties of TE. The Fourier-transform-infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectrum of TE showed identical peaks that belonged to β configuration in pyranose and glycosidic bonds. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis revealed the presence of potent phenolic and flavonoid anti-oxidants and curcuminoids, and some functional monosaccharides. TE demonstrated excellent resistance to artificial human gastric and intestine juice compared to the standard prebiotic (inulin) (p ≤ 0.05). Interestingly, our time course experiment showed that TE not only is digested by probiotics including Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) and Bifidobacterium animalis BB12, but also supports the growth of these bacteria even after 72 h (p ≤ 0.05). To our knowledge, this is the first report evaluating prebiotic potential of TE and exploring its suppressive effects on LPS induced IL-8 production in HT29-19A cell line.

In this study, the effect of pasteurization and use of starter cultures on physicochemical, microbiological and functional properties of a traditional Iranian semi-hard cheese (Lighvan cheese) was evaluated during stages of ripening (1, 60, 120 days). Profiles of polar metabolites were analyzed by gas-chromatography mass-spectrometry (GC–MS). Considerable free amino acids such as gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) were found in samples that have higher microbial communities i.e. raw sheep's milk without use of starter cultures and pasteurized sheep's milk cheese with co-culture. However, GABA was not found in pasteurized sheep's milk cheese without starter culture during ripening. Conclusively, the application of the starter culture could reduce the ripening time of sheep's milk cheese and could be an appropriate approach to increase the functionality of the sheep's milk cheese.

Cinnamic aldehyde is a natural antioxidant that is sensitive to humidity, oxygen, light, and high temperature. In this study, encapsulation of cinnamic aldehyde in different concentrations (10, 20, 30 and 40%) using zein nanofibers was investigated by needle-less electrospinning for large scale production. With increasing cinnamic aldehyde concentration, viscosity and electrical conductivity of solution, and diameter, encapsulation efficiency, loading capacity and antioxidant activity of nanofibers increased. Based on nanofiber morphology, encapsulation efficiency and loading capacity data, treatment with 40% cinnamic aldehyde was selected as the best sample. Release kinetics of cinnamic aldehyde were measured and mathematically modeled in saliva, gastric, intestinal and food simulated buffer media. The best models for gastric media were Kopcha and Ritger- Peppas and for saliva and intestinal media was Kopcha. Nanofibers were used for reduction of nitrite in sausages. The data showed that encapsulated cinnamic aldehyde had bactericidal effects against E. coli O157:H7 and S. aureus PTCC 1337 and did not have important adverse effect on color, texture and sensory characteristics of sausages. The results demonstrated that needle-less electrospinning can effectively encapsulate cinnamic aldehyde and preserve it from environmental conditions and the encapsulated fibers may be used for reducing of nitrite in meat products.

In this study, effect of the 4-day germination on the chemical composition, antioxidant activity and fatty acids profile of Persian clover seeds ( Trifolium resupinatum ) was investigated. In addition, clover sprouts was immersed in 0.5, 1 and 2% thyme ( Thymus vulgaris ) essential oil (EO) solutions, packaged in polyethylene containers and stored at refrigerated temperature (4 °C) for 10 days. As seedling progressed, the moisture, protein, crude fibre and ash content increased, whilst fat and carbohydrate reduced. After 4-day germination, ascorbic acid, total phenolic content and antioxidant activity indicated 1.3, 2 and 1.5 fold increase, respectively. Sprouting caused significantly (p 10 unit reduction, just after treatment. During storage, the population of natural microflora increased significantly (p

Summary This study examined the effect of nisin alone or in combination with pasteurisation or ethylene diamine tetra-acetate (EDTA), on the shelf life of unpasteurised liquid whole egg (LWE) stored at refrigerator temperature for a period of 21 days. The shelf life of samples was determined by counting total mesophilic bacteria, yeast and mould and also pH changes. It was observed that addition of 3 ppm nisin to pasteurised LWE was effective enough to extend the shelf life of this product from about 7 days to at least 21 days. However, for unpasteurised LWE nisin alone had no significant effect on shelf life while treatment of LWE with nisin in combination with EDTA showed a significant antibacterial and antifungal activity leading to extended shelf life of unpasteurised LWE from 1 to 4 days to at least 21 days.

In the present study, the profile of bioactive metabolites in Lighvan cheese, a traditional Iranian semi-hard cheese produced with non-pasteurized ewes' milk and non-starter culture, was investigated during the ripening period to characterize the potential neurotransmitters. Lighvan cheese was prepared according to the local recipe and sampling was done at four stages of ripening (1, 60, 120 and 180 days). The metabolomics was monitored using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) method and the obtained data were elaborated by principal component analysis (PCA). The results revealed that the content of gamma amino-butyric acid (GABA), glutamate, dopamine, and tyramine known as dietary neurotransmitters were elevated during the ripening process in Lighvan cheese mainly produced by Enterococci and Lactobacilli. Thus, the profile of metabolites of Lighvan cheese exhibited that Lighvan cheese could be a considerable source of dietary neurotransmitters. These compounds may indirectly affect human mood and health through the enteric neuron system.

The present study investigates the catalytic activity of a trypsin-like protease (TLP1) and its production management from probiotic bacterium Lactobacillus plantarum subsp. plantarum PTCC 1896. Different culture media were screened for the production of TLP1 at 37 °C. TLP1 was only produced in skimmed milk broth (SMB) medium with the maximal activity of 1.377 ± 0.026 mU/mL following 14 h of fermentation. The optimum temperature and pH for hydrolyzing the trypsin specific substrate N-benzoyl- dl -arginine-p-nitroanilide (BAPNA) were found to be 39 °C and 7.5, respectively. Heat stability of the secreted TLP1 from the bacterium was more than 37 °C, within the pH ranges of 7.0–9.0. The Michaelis–Menten constant (Km) of the filtered TLP1 for BAPNA was 0.8 mM and the maximum velocity was 1.53 pmol/min. The crude TLP1 was purified from SDS-PAGE using the electroelution method. The purified TLP1 showed a single protein band of approximately 25 kDa on SDS-PAGE and 93.3% similar amino acid composition to standard trypsin. Generally, we showed that optimized fermentation conditions can provide sufficient amounts of active and safe TLP1 from the bacterium. The produced TLP1 has great potential to be used for the production of bioactive peptides from natural sources for diabetes prevention.

To optimize the exopolysaccharide (EPS) production by Lactobacillus rhamnosus 519, fermentation experiments using response surface methodology (RSM) were carried out. Studying the effect of different carbon and nitrogen sources on EPS production in skimmed milk (SM) resulted in selecting of sucrose and yeast nitrogen base (YNB) for the optimization experiments. The effect of pH, incubation time, YNB concentration and sucrose concentration on EPS production in SM was studied. The results showed that pH, incubation time and sucrose concentration have significant effect on EPS production ( P ≤0.05). Maximum EPS production was 256 mg/L and the optimum pH, incubation time, YNB concentration and sucrose concentration for EPS production were found to be 5.7, 49 h, 9.8 g/L and 25.8 g/L, respectively.

Purpose – The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficiency of low temperature fractional crystallization to increase polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) content of fish oil. Effects of temperature, stages of crystallization, rate of cooling, agitation and addition of primary nucleus on separation efficiency were evaluated. Low temperature crystallization of triacylglycerols (TAGs) was used to increase PUFA content of fish oil (initial PUFA content ∼30 g/100 g oil). Design/methodology/approach – To optimize the fractionation process, the effect of fractionation temperature (7, 5, 0 and −5°C), crystallization procedures, cooling rate, agitation and addition of primary nucleus on PUFA content was evaluated. Findings – The best relationship between PUFA concentration (45.8 g/100 g oil) and PUFA yield (51.5 per cent) was attained by performing two-stage crystallization of TAGs at the final temperatures of 5 and 0°C under slow cooling rate (3°C h−1 for first fractionation procedure and 0.7°C h−1 for second stage, until the final fractionation temperature, 0°C, was reached) and slow agitation (3 rpm) and in the presence of primary nucleus, which resulted in 50 per cent increase in PUFA content over the original fish oil. Practical implications – Determination of iodine and saponification values, refractive index, solid fat content, melting point, cholesterol content of original oil and final fractionated product with the highest PUFA ratio showed that fractionation significantly alters physical and chemical properties of the fraction. Originality/value – Comparison of iodine value, saponification value, refractive index, solid fat content, melting point and cholesterol content of original oil and the final fractionated product (with the highest PUFA ratio) showed that the fractionation process significantly alters mentioned properties of the initial oil.

Immunochromatographic assays (ICAs) are considered as a suitable diagnostic tool for the detection of mycotoxins. Mycotoxins and especially, ochratoxin A are analytes with more demanding sensitivity requirements. To enhance the sensitivity of current immunochromatographic assays for ochratoxin A (OTA), a novel sensitive ICA was developed in this study. In the assay, microspheres enclosing fluorescent europium (III) [Eu(III)] nanoparticles (EuNPs) were used as a label for OTA monoclonal antibody (OTA-mAb) conjugation. Accordingly, assay was called time-resolved fluorescent immunochromatographic assay (TRFICA). The test strip was composed of three parts: a sample pad, nitrocellulose membrane and an absorbent pad. As for detection, a proper concentration of conjugated microspheres was pipetted into the microtube and sample extract was added to it. Then the strip was inserted into the tube and the fluid flow along the strip. The TRFICA results were obtained in 8 min and read by a portable TRFICA strip reader. The established method allows quantitative determination of OTA with limit of detection as low as 1.0 μg kg−1 in the samples. For validation, spiked samples including wheat, maize, soybean and rice were respectively assayed by TRFICA and a standard high performance liquid chromatography equipped with a fluorescence detector (HPLC-FLD), and good agreement of results was obtained between two methods.

This study mainly focuses on a strategy for reducing acrylamide content in whole-wheat bread by combining lactobacilli and yeast in sourdough breadmaking. Combinations of sourdough (fermented dough using different Lactobacillus strains including Lactobacillus plantarum PTCC 1896 [probiotic], L. sakei DSM 20,017, L. rhamnosus DSM 20,021, and L. delbrueckii DSM 20,081) and yeast, in comparison with yeast alone, were used for breadmaking. The results showed that acrylamide levels in breads fermented using sourdough+yeast were in all cases much lower (6.9-20 μg/kg on a dry weight basis [d.b.]) than those in the yeast-only fermented bread (47.6 μg/kg d.b.). Significant (p

Chemical fungicides have been intensively used in the control of postharvest decay in fruit in postharvest conditions; nevertheless, continuous use of these fungicides has faced two major obstacles: development of pathogen resistance to many key fungicides, and public knowledge on the health and environmental hazards of these compounds. This study evaluated the efficacy of Lactobacillus plantarum A7, thyme ( Thymus vulgaris L.) and cumin ( Cuminum cyminum L.) essential oils and the combination of these three elements as postharvest biocontrol agents against Botrytis spp. on strawberry fruit. Thyme oil had a remarkable antifungal effect against Botrytis spp. in vitro , whereas an inhibitory effect of cumin oil was achieved in higher concentrations. With thyme oil (2 h after artificial inoculation of the fruit), among three tested concentrations, only the 200 μL/L concentration showed an inhibitory effect on strawberries against Botrytis spp. (91.97%), while higher concentrations of cumin oil were required to prevent decay significantly. Both combinations of L. plantarum + cumin oil and L. plantarum + thyme oil completely inhibited the mycelia growth of the pathogens in vitro . Results showed that the combined treatments of strawberry fruit with L. plantarum + cumin oil (50 μL/L) and L. plantarum + thyme oil (100 μL/L) resulted in remarkably improved control of Botrytis infections, in comparison to the stand-alone application of L. plantarum A7 or essential oils. Quality ( i.e . pH, acidity and ascorbic acid content) and sensory attributes of the strawberry fruit were better in the case of using cumin compared to thyme oil, when a combination of L. plantarum A7 and essential oils was used. This study has demonstrated that the integration of L. plantarum A7 with thyme and cumin essential oils is a potential biocontrol tool as a biofungicide in postharvest stage.

Two strains of slow and normal acid-producing Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus, mixed separately with Streptococcus thermophilus, were used in the preparation of yoghurt with or without Lactobacillus plantarum A7. Viable cell counts of lactic bacteria, pH, lactic acid and acetic acid concentrations, soluble nitrogen content, spontaneous syneresis, viscosity and firmness were studied at selected points during the refrigerated storage period. Results showed that survival of L. plantarum A7 in yoghurt was independent of the acidification capability of L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus strains which had already been characterised in their pure culture. Thus, in the preparation of probiotic yoghurt, using slow acid-producing L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus strain in combination with nondairy lactobacilli postfermentation acidification is not restricted but instability in other physicochemical properties of the yoghurt may be expected.

Summary In the current study, the effect of frozen storage at −18°C was evaluated on fatty acid composition of different body parts (liver, muscle tissue, and viscera) of narrow-barred Spanish mackerel (Scomberomorus commerson, Lacepede, 1800), longtail tuna (Thunnus tonggol, Bleeker, 1851), kawakawa (Euthynnus affinis, Cantor, 1849), king mackerel (Scomberomorus guttatus, Bloch & Schneider, 1801), and rainbow sardine (Dussumieria acuta, Valenciennes, 1847) caught in the Persian Gulf. Changes in saturated fatty acids (SFAs), monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), eicosapentaenoic acid plus docosahexaenoic acid/palmitic acid (EPA+DHA/C16), ω3 PUFA/ω6 PUFA (ω3/ω6), and polyunsaturated fatty acids/saturated fatty acids (PUFA/SFA) were investigated during a 6-month period. A decrease in unsaturated fatty acids, particularly PUFAs (60–100%) as well as ω3/ω6, EPA+DHA/C16 (polyene index) and PUFA/SFA ratios, indicated a decrease in the nutritional values of the samples.

Prebiotics are regarded as the non-digestible food constituents that are selectively consumed by health-promoting bacteria (probiotics). In fact, a number of active metabolites is released due to intensive interaction between prebiotics and probiotics in the gut which exert local and systemic beneficial effects including regulation of intestinal disorders and modulation of host immunity. Turmeric is one of the most important medicinal herbaceous that is derived from Curcuma longa rhizome. Curcumin is a well-recognized component of turmeric which contributes to the prevention of multiple inflammatory diseases. Despite curcumin as a well-known compound, few researches have focused on the turmeric extract (TE) and its potential as prebiotic and anti-inflammatory compound. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prebiotic potential and some functional-structural properties of TE. The Fourier-transform-infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectrum of TE showed identical peaks that belonged to β configuration in pyranose and glycosidic bonds. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis revealed the presence of potent phenolic and flavonoid anti-oxidants and curcuminoids, and some functional monosaccharides. TE demonstrated excellent resistance to artificial human gastric and intestine juice compared to the standard prebiotic (inulin) (p ≤ 0.05). Interestingly, our time course experiment showed that TE not only is digested by probiotics including Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) and Bifidobacterium animalis BB12, but also supports the growth of these bacteria even after 72 h (p ≤ 0.05). To our knowledge, this is the first report evaluating prebiotic potential of TE and exploring its suppressive effects on LPS induced IL-8 production in HT29-19A cell line.

Forty-two strains of Lactobacillus bulgaricus isolated from locally made yogurts were examined and compared for bacteriocin producing ability using spot on lawn assay which improved by taking photo and image processing. Lb. bulgaricus K41 exhibited the highest inhibition level against indicators. K41 Bacteriocin-like inhibitory substance is sensitive to proteolytic enzymes (proteinase K, pepsin, and trypsin) but α-amylase makes slight reduction in its activity and it is resistant to lipase. This antibacterial peptide is extremely heat-stable (121 °C for 15 min) and remains active over a wide pH range (pH = 2 to 10); also nonionic detergents (Tween-20, Tween-80, and Triton X100) showed no effect on its activity. The inhibitory spectrum is against Gram-positive bacteria (except Staphylococcus aureus) with extremely antilisterial activity and it is almost ineffective against Gram-negative bacteria. The mode of its action was identified as bactericidal against Listeria monocytogenes. The properties of K41 bacteriocin-like inhibitory substance add to its safety as a biopreservative produced by a generally recognized as safe (GRAS) bacterium suggesting it can be used in hurdle technology for ready-to-eat foods as one of the main sources of Listeria contaminations. Practical Application Antimicrobial substance, which is produced by Lb. bulgaricus K41, can be used as a biopreservative for controlling Listeria in processed foods. Also Lb. bulgaricus K41 can be added as an adjunct flora to cheeses and some ready-to-eat foods.

Rice straw was hydrolyzed and fermented to acetone, butanol, and ethanol by Clostridium acetobutylicum bacterium. Concentrated phosphoric acid and alkaline treatment with NaOH were used for pretreatment of the straw prior to enzymatic hydrolysis using commercial cellulase and β-glucosidase. The enzymatic hydrolysates were then anaerobically fermented by C. acetobutylicum . Hydrolysis of the alkaline pretreated straw resulted in production of 163.5 g glucose from each kg of untreated rice straw which was then fermented to 45.2 g butanol, 17.7 g acetone, and 1.2 g ethanol. Additionally, concentrated phosphoric acid pretreatment and subsequent hydrolysis resulted in production of 192.3 g glucose from each kg straw from which 44.2 g butanol, 18.2 g acetone, and 0.6 g ethanol were produced after 72 h fermentation. Increasing the produced ABE from less than 10 g to higher than 62 g from each kg straw by the treatments suggested the alkaline and phosphoric acid pretreatments as promising processes for efficient production of ABE from rice straw.

This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of the Lactobacillus plantarum A7 (L. Plantarum), ajwain and cinnamon essential oils (AO and CO, respectively) in suppressing gray mold rot in strawberry fruit. AO and CO showed over 90% inhibition of radial mycelia growth with lower concentration of the oils per plate for all tested pathogens. Combined application of L. plantarum with AO and CO was tested to assess the possible synergistic effects of these 3 elements on the control of tested plant pathogens. In this case both combinations of L. plantarum + AO and L. plantarum + CO inhibited the mycelia growth of the pathogens completely. Results showed that the combined treatment of strawberry fruits with L. plantarum + AO (50 μL) and L. plantarum + CO (100 μL) resulted in remarkably improved control of Botrytis infections, in comparison with application of L. plantarum or essential oils alone. Quality attributes (that is pH, acidity, vitamin C, and total soluble solid) of the strawberry fruits did not change significantly (P < 0.01) when combination of Lactobacillus and essential oils was used. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the effects of combination of a Lactobacillus as an antagonist bacterium with essential oils to increase the shelf life of strawberry.

Summary Exopolysaccharide (EPS) production by Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus SZ2 was optimised in modified MRS (M-MRS) using the response surface methodology (RSM). Maximum EPS production was 74.3 ± 2 mg/L, and the optimised values of the three variables predicted for maximum EPS production included a temperature of 38.7 °C, Bacto-casitone and glucose concentrations of 24.5 and 29.6 g/L, respectively. To compare EPS production in MRS and skimmed milk (SM), the kinetics of EPS formation and growth were monitored in M-MRS, SM, skimmed milk plus 2% additional sucrose (Suc-SM) and skimmed milk containing Bacto-casitone (20 g/L) and yeast nitrogen base (5 g/L) (BY-SM). EPS production in all the media tested seemed to be growth-related. The EPS/cell ratios were determined to be 3.12 × 10−10, 1.43 × 10−10, 4.42 × 10−11 and 3.16 × 10−11 mg/cell, in Suc-SM, SM, M-MRS and BY-SM, respectively, clearly indicating the greater effect of C/N ratio when cell behaviour in EPS production is considered.

Nanocomposite LDPE films containing Ag and ZnO nanoparticles were prepared by melt mixing in a twin-screw extruder. Orange juice was sterilized and was inoculated with 8.5 log cfu/mL of lactobacillus plantarum. Packages prepared from nanocomposite films were then filled with this orange juice and then stored at 4 °C. Microbial stability of the juice was evaluated after 7, 28, 56, 84, and 112 days of storage. The results showed that microbial growth rate significantly reduced as a result of using this nanocomposite packaging material. Reduced numbers of L. plantarum were observed (p < 0.05) in nanocomposite packages of orange juice containing nanosilver and nano-ZnO. Moreover, packaging made from nanocomposite film containing nanosilver showed a more pronounced antimicrobial effects, as compared with nano-ZnO during 112 days storage of inoculated orange juice. However, LDPE + 5% P105 packages, showed a significant antimicrobial activity compared with others.

Summary Efficiency of a nonfermented ice cream for delivering Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus rhamnosus to consumers was evaluated. Both of the microorganisms survived at the populations of greater than 107 CFU g−1 during 12 weeks of storage at −19 °C. Addition of the microorganisms had no significant effect on the overrun, viscosity, firmness and melting behaviour; it changed the acidity, pH and sensory properties of the finished product. Resistance to acid and sensitivity to bile of both bacteria were tested separately on fresh harvested cells before inoculation to ice cream and then on the frozen-thawed cells after 12 weeks of cold storage in ice cream. Ice cream processing followed by cold storage reduced acid resistance of both bacteria at pH 2.5. Resistance to bile in L. rhamnosus was not affected in frozen-thawed ice cream when compared to fresh cell, whereas resistance to bile in L. acidophilus appeared to be more susceptible to the process and cold storage.

The β‐sitosterol‐loaded nanostructured lipid carrier (NLC) is formulated using propolis wax (PW) alone or in the mixture (1:1 w/w) with glyceryl behenate (GB), and pomegranate seed oil stabilized with Tween 80 and lecithin. The influence of thermal treatment (60‐90 °C, pH 7, 20 min), pH (2, 4, 6, and 8) and ionic strength (0–200 mM NaCl, pH 7) on physical stability, structure, and β‐sitosterol degradation is evaluated. The NLCs are physically and chemically stable during heating at low temperatures (≤70 °C) while thermal treatment at 80–90 °C leads to an increase in size and a slight decrease in β‐sitosterol content. The particle size of PW and PW + GB NLCs increases from 96 and 105 nm at pH 7 to 108 and 114 nm at pH 2, respectively, which may limit NLC long‐term stability in highly acidic products. On the other hand, there is no significant difference in particle size and PDI with respect to electrolyte concentration. The NLC does not undergo polymorphic transitions by changes in pH and ionic strength. However, crystallinity decreases with increasing electrolyte concentration which is further confirmed by differential scanning calorimetry results. The β‐sitosterol NLC relatively showed a suitable potential for industrial applications. Practical Applications: β‐sitosterol has many valuable physiological functions in humans which has made it an attractive nutraceutical ingredient for food fortifications. Nevertheless, incorporation of β‐sitosterol in food and beverages is rather challenging since it is almost insoluble in water and only slightly soluble in oils. NLC based on PW and PSO offer a promising means for delivery of β‐sitosterol to aqueous‐based foods and developing functional health promoting products by virtue of supplementary health benefits in addition to those of β‐sitosterol. However, functionality and dispersibility of formulations could be affected by environmental stresses typically experienced by foods during production and storage. Thus, behavior of emulsions at different conditions should be examined. NLC with relatively good physical and chemical stability to thermal processing, pH, and salt can be created using Tween 80 and lecithin as interfacial coating and PW as lipid matrix which ensures the successful delivery of β sitosterol to various food formats. Nanostructured lipid carriers made with propolis wax (PW) alone or in the mixture with glyceryl behenate (GB) and pomegranate seed oil and loaded with β‐sitosterol. Influence of environmental stresses typically encountered by food products on stability.

Exopolysaccharides (EPS) are exogenous microbial metabolites which are secreted mainly by bacteria and microalgae during growth. In addition to natural polysaccharides present in cereal grains flour and dough, microbial flora is usually involved in production of polysaccharide on sourdough fermentation. Total polysaccharides (microbial and flour) were extracted from sourdough and dough samples dehydrated and were added at the rate of 0%, 0.25%, 0.5%, 1%, 1.5%, 2% and 2.5% (w/w flour based) on the dough to investigate its effects on the rheological properties of the dough. Addition of polysaccharides to the dough increased the water absorption and decreased the dough softening after 20 min. Resistance to extension after 45, 90 and 135 min resting time was decreased by increasing the percentage of the added polysaccharides. Longer fermentation time for each level of polysaccharides led to greater stability. No significant differences were observed in the extensibility of dough. The overall effects of different levels of added polysaccharides resulted in a decrease in resistance to extension ratio of the samples. Energy input decreased in all cases. It seems therefore that addition of polysaccharides may be useful when bread is to be made with stronger flour and longer fermentation time is needed.

Regarding the importance of the presence of intestinal lactobacilli and their population in infants, four different treatments were evaluated for Lactobacillus isolation efficiency via reduction in the growth of other groups of bacteria capable of growing on de-Man Rogosa Sharpe (MRS) medium from fecal samples of 11 Iranian infants. MRS-Vancomycin (1 mg L(-l)) was used as a base medium and application of lactic acid and aerobic incubation of inoculated plates were performed as selective factors. Each fecal sample was cultivated as duplicate on to the base medium with or without lactic acid to reduce the pH to 5.4 +/- 0.2. Half of the plates were incubated aerobically and the rest of them incubated under 10% CO2 concentration. Total count and Lactobacillus count of all samples were recorded according to the age differences of infants. The counts of false positive colonies were recorded with respect to their cell morphology and gram reaction in all treatments. Anaerobic incubation of lactic acid modified MRS-Vancomycin gave the most Lactobacillus percentage coverage, about 93% among the Lactobacillus positive samples. Using this treatment, the median Lactobacillus count yielded 8.29 log10 cfu g(-1) in the younger and 5.70 log10 cfu g(-1) in the elder group. It could be concluded that lactic acid might be a proper pH reducing agent when enumeration of lactobacilli from fecal samples is of interest.