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The purposes of this study were to evaluate the inactivation effects of intense pulsed light (IPL) on indigenous and inoculated microorganisms in fresh and minimally processed foods and the industrial applicability of this nonthermal sterilization method. The samples were treated with IPL by varying the treatment time and voltage. The inactivation effect tended to increase as the treatment conditions increased. Further, indigenous microorganisms showed a lower inactivation level than inoculated microorganisms, E. coli ATCC 25922, due to the variability of indigenous microorganisms and their properties. Chopped garlic showed a higher E. coli inactivation effect (2.65 log reduction after 0.185 J/cm(2) of IPL) than peeled garlic (1.21 log reduction) due to its larger surface area. The manila clam showed a lower E. coli inactivation (0.93 log reduction) effect than squid (1.84 log reduction) due to its rougher surface. After the IPL treatment, there was no significant difference in temperature, moisture content, and color.

This study evaluated the microbiological contamination of fresh-cut produce in Korea. A total of 108 fresh-cut vegetables and fruits were surveyed for the aerobic mesophilic (AM) count, aerobic psychrophilic (AP) count, total coliform, generic Escherichia coli, yeast and mold, and foodborne pathogens. AM counts ranged from 1.00 to 7.36 log CFU/g, and AP counts showed very similar results as AM counts. For total coliform and generic E. coli, 53.7% and 9.3% of the samples were detected, respectively. For foodborne pathogens, none of the samples were identified as E. coli O157:H7 or Salmonella spp. However, S. aureus and B. cereus was detected in 5.6% and 6.5% of the samples, respectively. Although the contamination level has varied widely, samples with high bacterial counts, such as julienned green onion, bell pepper, carrot, and mixed sprout, should be implemented with strict control measures.

This article evaluates the effects of in-package atmospheric dielectric barrier discharge cold plasma (ADCP) treatment on microbial inactivation, nitrate and nitrite contents, oral toxicity, and storage quality of protein-coated boiled chicken breast cubes (CBCs). ADCP treatment at 24 kV for 3 min inactivated natural mesophilic aerobic bacteria, Salmonella, and Tulane virus in CBCs by 0.7 &plusmn, 0.2, 1.4 &plusmn, 0.1 log CFU/cube, and 1.1 &plusmn, 0.2 log PFU/cube, respectively. ADCP treatment did not affect the nitrite content of CBCs (p &gt, 0.05). Furthermore, the hematological and blood biochemical parameters from toxicity tests indicated the toxicological safety of ADCP-treated CBCs. Microbial counts of natural bacteria and Salmonella in ADCP-treated CBCs were lower than the ADCP-untreated CBCs by 0.7&ndash, 0.9 and 1.4&ndash, 1.7 log CFU/cube, respectively, throughout post-treatment storage at 4 &deg, C for 21 d. ADCP treatment did not alter the pH, color, total volatile basic nitrogen, lipid oxidation, and tenderness of CBCs during storage at 4 and 24 &deg, C, and did not change the sensory properties of CBCs following a 3 d storage period at 4 &deg, C (p &gt, 0.05). Thus, ADCP treatment has the potential to be applied as a method to increase the microbiological safety of packaged ready-to-eat chicken products, leading to overall toxicological safety.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the bactericidal effect of two types of pilot-scale intense pulsed light (IPL) devices constructed in our laboratory. Cassia seeds and glutinous millet, with initial microbial loads of 2.04 × 104 and 5.03 × 103 CFU/g, respectively, were treated by cyclone-type and belt-type IPL devices at total fluences of 3.89–54.43 J/cm2. The maximum microbial reductions of the cassia seeds and glutinous millet were 0.74, and 0.66 log/g, respectively, when using the cyclone-type IPL, and 2.63 and 0.55 log/g when using the belt-type IPL device. The geometric mean diameter of cassia seeds and glutinous millet was 0.25 and 0.13, respectively. The cassia seeds having larger particle size than glutinous millet showed a greater bactericidal effect when treated with the belt-type device. Therefore, the design of the treatment chamber can have an improved bactericidal effect on cassia seeds, demonstrating the importance of selecting a suitable IPL device according to the size of the sample to be treated.

This study investigated the microbial inactivation effects of intense pulsed light (IPL) treatment as an alternative to chemical treatment for decontaminating the radish and pak choi seeds. The f(R) values (which indicate the resistance to IPL treatment) for radish and pak choi seeds were 24.50, 20.81 J/cm(2), respectively. This resistance exhibited by seeds to IPL treatment is related to their surface roughness. Their Rq (the root-mean-square roughness), average surface roughness (Ra), and 10-point height roughness (Rz) values indicate that each crevice on a rough surface could shelter microorganisms from IPL. Viability tests of seeds exposed to IPL treatment indicated that the average germination rates of treated seeds exceeded 85% on day 3 of germination, which is considered as an acceptable criterion for germination. Also, on day 5 of germination the average shoot lengths of sprouts exposed to IPL did not differ significantly from those of untreated seeds.

Intense pulsed light (IPL) inactivation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa for different pulse repetition rates (2–15 Hz) and widths (0.15–1.5 ms) were described using the double Weibull model and their energy incidents were compared. The values of the regression coefficient (R2), RMSE (root mean sum of squared errors), accuracy factor (Af), and bias factor (Bf) strongly suggested that the model provided a good fit to the data, and they were coupled with the fluence for the first log reduction (FR) to compare the energy incidents of different treatments. The incident was higher for a lower pulse repetition rate or a longer pulse width. Moreover, in order to examine the effects of interrelated factors on the IPL fluence in terms of energy efficiency, we proposed several terms: the VF value is defined as the increase in the voltage required for a 1-J/cm2 increase in the fluence, and the zprr and zpw values are defined as the increases in repetition rate and width of the pulses, respectively, that result in one unit increase in the VF value. By using these terms, the effects of pulse repetition rate and width on the IPL fluence were analyzed and predicted for further investigation.

In order to investigate the utilization of the Omija (Schizandra chinensis Baillon) extract as a natural coagulant for manufacturing soybean curd, the quality characteristics of white (Baktae) and black (Seoritae) soybean curds, coagulated by the Omija extract or MgCl2, were evaluated. Crude protein (6.14±0.30 and 6.25±0.18%, respectively) and crude lipid (10.86±1.74 and 11.29±1.69%, respectively) contents of white and black soybean curds coagulated using the Omija extract were higher than those coagulated using MgCl2. Black soybean curds coagulated using the Omija extract showed higher L, a, and b values than those using MgCl2. The most abundant amino acid in white and black soybean curds coagulated using the Omija extract was arginine (3.74 and 3.71 mg/100 g, dry basis, respectively). The amounts of Ca, K, Mg, and Na were the highest in both soybean curds prepared with the Omija extract. The sensory evaluation (color, flavor, taste, texture, and overall preference) showed that white and black soybean curds coagulated using the Omija extract were more preferred than those produced using MgCl2. The results suggested that using the Omija extract as a natural coagulant agent could improve the quality and sensory characteristics of soybean curds.

This study determined the inactivation effects of the intense pulsed light (IPL) on Pseudomonas aeruginosa in various liquid foods and elucidated the relationship between microbial reduction and the optical properties of twelve liquid foods. In mineral water and isotonic beverage, 7.0 log reductions of P. aeruginosa were obtained with the IPL treatment at total fluence of 0.97 J/cm 2 . At 12.17–24.35 J/cm 2 , 7.0 log reductions were shown in five liquid samples (apple juice, carbonated beverages and plum juice), while only 0.5- to 2.0-log reductions were shown in the rest samples even after 29.21 J/cm 2 total fluence of the IPL treatment. High value of transmittance and low value of extinction coefficient have a decisive effect on the microbial inactivation because it allows the intensity of the IPL to be preserved as it penetrates into the sample. The best-fit regression kinetic which can explain the relationship between extinction coefficient and bactericidal effect was an exponential function. Industrial relevance Intense pulsed light (IPL) is one of the nonthermal processing technologies for ensuring safe foods with satisfactory qualities. Through this study, transparent liquids showed a high microbial reduction level after IPL treatment in a short time. So it can be concluded that IPL has a potential as an excellent alternative or complement to conventional thermal processing of transparent liquids. Also, inactivation kinetic equation deducted from this study can be used to predict the microbial reduction level of specific liquid before IPL treatment by using its extinction coefficient.

The subcritical-water extraction (SWE) of six kinds of flavanols from green tea leaves and the effect of extraction conditions were investigated by varying the temperature and time. The maximum yield of total flavanols, 71.36 ± 4.23 mg/g green tea leaves (mean ± SD), was obtained under extraction temperature/time conditions of 150 °C/5 min. The efficiency of SWE for total flavanols was slightly higher than that of the conventional extraction solvents such as methanol and ethanol. The extraction of flavanols via SWE was specifically adequate for epimer structures such as catechin, catechin gallate, and gallocatechin gallate due to the epimerization of epicatechins. The extraction efficiency of epimers was increased at temperatures up to 170 °C, whereas that of epicatechins was decreased. Thus, most epicatechins were converted to epimers during SWE, leading to some flavanol destruction at high temperatures, except when a short extraction time of 5 min was used.

The objective of this study was to measure the inactivation efficiencies of intense pulsed light (IPL) on six types of bacteria and determine how the efficiency values are related to the spectral transmittance of IPL. All of the microorganisms exhibited up to 7-log CFU/mL reductions, and the double-Weibull survival model provided the best fit to the inactivation curves. We obtained 4Dv values (which is the fluence required to inactivate 99.99% of viable cells) and zv values (which is the increase in lamp voltage required for a 1-log reduction of the 4Dv value) for lamp voltages ranging from 800 to 1800 V (corresponding to total fluences from 0.00 to 11.41 J/cm2). The 4Dv values for Bacillus cereus, Clostridium perfringens, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella Enteritidis, and Shigella sonnei for IPL treatment at 1800 V were 1.57, 0.66, 0.62, 0.79, 0.66, and 1.63 J/cm2, respectively, while the corresponding zv values were 5553, 3590, 3201, 3678, 3672, and 6440 V, respectively. The variations in the sensitivity to IPL were related to differences in the transmittance of the microorganisms. A practical model was developed to predict the 4Dv values of microorganisms based on their transmittance and the IPL lamp voltage.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the synergistic sporicidal effects of the ethanol extract from Torilis japonica fruit on inactivation of Bacillus subtilis spores induced by UV irradiation at a wavelength of 254 nm. UV254 exhibited the strongest inactivation effect, with the level of spores being reduced by approximately 3.6- and 4.7-log cycles, respectively, after 3 and 10 min of exposure at an irradiation distance of 15 cm. And an ethanol extract of T. japonica fruit at concentration of 1.0% reduced the spore counts by about 3.0-log cycles for 1 h of treatment. Furthermore, a combined treatment with UV254 irradiation and 1.0% ethanol extract of the fruit produced 4.2–5.0-log reductions of Bacillus spores at different growth stages for an exposure time of 3 min. The energy required from UV irradiation to inactivate the spores was 50% lower in the presence of 1% ethanol extract of the fruit than with UV irradiation alone. Practical Application Bacterial endospores, especially those of Bacillus and Clostridium genera, are the target of sterilization in various foods. The present study suggests that a combined treatment of UV irradiation and natural antimicrobial component, Torilis japonica fruit extract, can act synergistically and effectively to kill Bacillus spores and can be a potential nonthermal sterilization method for the decontamination of Bacillus spores in the food industry.

Flavanones including hesperidin and narirutin constitute the majority of the flavonoids that occur naturally in citrus fruits. The main purpose of this study was to extract valuable natural flavanones from agricultural by-products such as citrus peels using subcritical water extraction (SWE). Thus, the application of SWE to extraction of flavanones hesperidin and narirutin from Citrus unshiu peel was evaluated, and the effect of key operating conditions was determined by varying the extraction temperature (110–200 °C) and time (5–20 min) under high pressure (100 ± 10 atm). The maximum yields of hesperidin (72 ± 5 mg/g C. unshiu peel) and narirutin (11.7 ± 0.8 mg/g C. unshiu peel) were obtained at an extraction temperature of 160 °C for an extraction time of only 10 min. These yields accounted for approximately 99% of the total amount of these flavanones in the original material. The SWE was compared with three conventional extraction methods in terms of the extraction time and recovery yields for hesperidin and narirutin. The hesperidin yield by SWE was more than 1.9-, 3.2-, and 34.2-fold higher than those obtained by extraction methods using ethanol, methanol, or hot water, respectively, and the narirutin yield was more than 1.2-, 1.5-, and 3.7-fold higher.

The purpose of this study was to compare the degree of microbial inactivation and cell damage induced by intense pulsed light (IPL) and short-wavelength ultraviolet (UVC) in Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli O157:H7. The viability of the food-borne pathogens treated with IPL and UVC (254 nm) decreased exponentially with treatment time. Particularly dramatic reductions in L. monocytogenes and E. coli O157:H7 were observed for IPL treatments at energy densities of 376 and 455 W/m2, with an approximately 7-log reduction for a treatment time of 60–180 s. Also, a 4-log reduction of L. monocytogenes and a 5-log reduction of E. coli O157:H7 were achieved with UVC irradiation for 1200 s. The types and amounts of IPL- and UVC-induced DNA damage in both microorganisms were determined and compared. DNAs from cells irradiated with either IPL or UVC accumulated double-strand breaks (DSBs), single-strand breaks, and cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers, and with a similar pattern; however, more DSBs were detected following UVC than following IPL in both types of microorganism. Transmission electron microscopy observations of IPL- and UVC-induced cell damage clearly indicate that bacterial cell structures were destroyed by IPL treatment but not by UVC treatment.

Intense pulsed light(IPL) has been highlighted as an innovative nonthermal sterilization technology that can kill spoilage or pathogenic microorganisms by using short-duration pulses of intense broad-spectrum electromagnetic radiation. This paper examines the inactivation effects of IPL on Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa inoculated on seafood products such as salmon, flatfish, and shrimps and evaluates the possibility of extending the shelf-life of seafood products. The results indicate that the inactivation of microorganisms increased with an increase in IPL energy density(J/㎠) and a decrease in the distance between the sample surface and the lamp. In addition, temperature increases on the fish fillets during the treatments were well controlled within the range of 5.7～9.8℃. The IPL treatment had a significant positive effect on the storage stability of seafood products at the storage temperature of 4℃ for 12 days. These results suggest that the storage period for fish fillets can be extended from 4 days to 6～8 days through the IPL treatment.

This paper examines the effects of various methods of soft steaming(i.e., forced convection-boiler, forced convection-fan, and natural convection) on the quality of potatoes. In particular, the paper investigates the effects of cooking conditions (the steaming method, the treatment time, and the temperature) on the color(L, a, b), moisture content, texture profile, and ascorbic acid of potatoes. The results indicate that not only the cooking method, the treatment time, and the temperature but also the heat transfer mechanism had considerable influence on potato quality. In addition, natural convection steaming was superior to other treatment methods in terms of nutrient retention and texture maintenance. The results of this study should be useful for establishing commercial standards for processing potatoes and improving the quality of thermally processed foods.

Preventing latently infected or inadequately treated individuals from progressing to active disease could make a major impact on tuberculosis (TB) control worldwide. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a new approach to prevent reactivation and TB relapse that combines drug treatment and vaccination. Mycobacterium tuberculosis harbors a gene called mce1R that, in vivo, negatively regulates a 13-gene cluster called the mce1 operon. In a Cornell mouse model, BALB/c mice infected with M. tuberculosis H37Rv disrupted in mce1R consistently develop latent infection and reactivation disease. We used this new mouse model to test a recombinant M. tuberculosis cell wall protein (Mce1A), encoded by a gene in the mce1 operon, for its ability to prevent post-treatment TB. At 32 weeks of follow-up, a complete sterilizing protection was observed in lungs of the vaccinated mice. Mce1A but not phosphate-buffered saline administered intraperitoneally during the period of latent infection prevented disease progression and proliferation of M. tuberculosis mce1R mutant. The only visible lung lesions in vaccinated mice included small clusters of lymphocytes, while the unvaccinated mice showed progressively enlarging granulomas comprised of foamy macrophages surrounded by lymphocytes. The combination of anti-TB drugs and a vaccine may serve as a powerful treatment modality against TB reactivation and relapse.

Thermally processed vegetables have long been considered to have lower nutritional values compared to fresh produce. This consideration is based on the fact that ascorbic acid(vitamin C) or other thermolabile compounds may lose their activity due to oxidation or by consequence of leaching into the water during home cooking or industrial processing, such as by blanching. In this study, major agricultural products such as carrots, broccoli, and potatoes were exposed to steam treatments of different types. Then, changes in color and levels of ascorbic acid, carotene, and moisture in the fresh and steam processed vegetable samples were measured and evaluated. The results clearly showed that steam-processing using a natural convection type method was superior to the other treatments in terms of quality, including color and nutrient retention, among all the vegetables tested.

The effect of subcritical water for the extraction of total polyphenols and flavonoids from apple peel was investigated, and then the antioxidant activity of the extracts was estimated. Maximum yields of total polyphenolic compounds(36.4±1.9 mg quercetin equivalent(QE)/g dried material) and flavonoids(9.9±0.8 ㎎ QE/g dried material) were obtained by subcritical water extraction(SWE) with operating conditions of 190℃, 1,300 psi, and 20 min. Furthermore, the highest antioxidant activity(76.1±1.1%) was observed in the extract obtained from SWE using the same conditions. The flavonoids from the SWE of apple peel were compared to three conventional extraction methods in terms of their extraction efficiency and antioxidant activity. The SWE was significantly more effective than hot water (90℃), methanol, and ethanol extraction for flavonoid yield by 4.7-, 2.2-, and 1.3-fold, respectively, and for antioxidant activity by 11.0-, 4.9, and 2.8-fold, respectively.Key words: subcritical water extraction, SWE, apple peel, flavonoid, polyphenol

A low-resolution proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technique was used to characterize the quality of ramen soup powder during storage. The caking behavior of ramen soup powders was observed during 20 weeks of storage at different temperatures (30, 37, 45, and 55 °C) by monitoring changes in spin–spin relaxation times ( T 2 ) using a CPMG (Carr–Purcell–Meiboom–Gill) pulse sequence. Water in ramen soup powder was classified into two fractions based on two spin–spin relaxation times, T 21 and T 22 , and their respective proton intensities, A 1 and A 2 . Increases in T 21 and T 22 were observed during storage at 37, 45, and 55 °C, which indicated that the molecular mobility of water in ramen soup powder increased. The changes in A 1 and A 2 suggested that there was a redistribution of water from a lesser “bound” water state to more mobile state during storage. T 21 and A 1 were critical factors for explaining the caking characteristic of ramen soup powder during storage. Also, the results showed that sensory attributes of ramen soup powder deteriorated during storage, indicating that caking could accompany changes in organoleptic qualities and that these changes could be detected by monitoring changes in NMR parameters.

Subcritical water could be an excellent alternative to organic solvent as a medium for extracting flavonol quercetin, due to its temperature-dependent selectivity, safety, efficiency of recovery, and lower cost. This study investigated the application of subcritical water extraction (SWE) of quercetin from onion skin and evaluated the effect of key operation conditions by varying the temperature (100–190 °C), extraction time (5–30 min), and mixture ratio of onion skin and diatomaceous earth (DE) (0.5:3.5–2:2) under high pressure (90–131 bar). The maximum yield of quercetin (16.29 ± 0.75 mg/g onion skin) was obtained at extraction temperature of 165 °C, extraction time of 15 min, mixture ratio of 1.5:2.5 for onion skin and DE. The SWE was compared with three conventional extraction methods in terms of the efficiency. The quercetin yield by SWE was over eight-, six-, and fourfold greater than those obtained using the ethanol, methanol, and water-at-boiling-point extraction methods, respectively.

To enhance γ-amminobutyric acid (GABA) production using genetically engineered lactic acid bacteria, glutamate decarboxylase gene was isolated from Lactobacillus plantarum ATCC 14917 and cloned into Lactobacilli-E. coli shuttle-expression vector (pTRKH2) to yield pTRKH2GAD, which was expressed in L. sakei B2-16 isolated from Kimchi. The recombinant L. sakei B2-16 showed 1.35- and 1.42-fold higher GABA production compared to the untransformed strain in 500-mL flask and 5-L fermentor scale, respectively. The maximum GABA concentration was 265.3 mM.

Background The reactivation of tuberculosis arises in persons who are latently infected and in those who have been previously treated. The mechanism of the reactivation of tuberculosis in either situation is not well understood. A 13-gene mce1 operon of Mycobacterium tuberculosis was previously shown to be associated with latent infection in mice and may also play a role in reactivation. Methods We tested mce1 operon M. tuberculosis mutants in a Cornell mouse model to examine disease progression and reactivation. Results In BALB/c mice, the wild-type, mce1 operon mutant, and mce1R (negative transcriptional regulator of the mce1 operon) mutant M. tuberculosis strains were equally susceptible to orally administered isoniazid and pyrazinamide. However, after cessation of the treatment, the mce1R mutant rapidly and progressively proliferated in mouse lungs and spleens, whereas the other strains remained latent. The reactivation of the mce1R mutant was associated with disease progression in the mouse lungs. Conclusion This observation demonstrates that the constitutive expression of the mce1 genes by M. tuberculosis in the latent state can cause a reactivation of tuberculosis. The constitutive expression of the mce1 genes in the mce1R mutant may allow this mutant to maintain its lipid metabolism, enabling it to survive long-term and proliferate inside granulomas.

The purposes of this study were to determine the inactivation effects of intense pulsed light (IPL) on Listeria monocytogenes and the commercial feasibility of this sterilization method. The inactivation of L. monocytogenes at cultivated plates increased with increasing electric power and treatment time. Approximately 4–5 log reduction of the cell was achieved with IPL treatment for 5000, 600, 300, and 100 μs at 10, 15, 20, and 25 kV of voltage pulse, respectively. In the early stages of IPL treatments at 10, 15, and 20 kV, little inactivation was observed with a critical treatment time (tc) of 360.6, 95.5, and 32.2 μs, respectively, while an abrupt inactivation without a critical treatment time was observed at 25 kV. The sterilization effects on commercial infant foods inoculated with L. monocytogenes were investigated at 15 kV, which showed higher energy efficiency for the inactivation of L. monocytogenes.

Escherichia coli cells expressing L-arabinose isomerase from Thermotoga neapolitana (TNAI) were immobilized in calcium alginate beads. The resulting cell reactor (2.4 U, t (1/2) = 43 days at 70 degrees C) in a continuous recycling mode at 70 degrees C produced 49 and 38 g D-tagatose/l from 180 and 90 g D-galactose/l, respectively, within 12 h.

The sporicidal activities against Bacillus subtilis spores of surfactant components with hydrophilic and hydrophobic properties that can lead to the denaturation of various proteins comprising the spore structure were investigated. The reduction in spore numbers by each of the surfactant components bornyl acetate, geranyl acetate, pinene, p-cymene, camphene, citral, 2,3-dihydrobenzofuran, polylysine, and thiamine dilaurylsulfate at 1% was estimated at 1 to 2 log CFU/ml. The average hydrophilelipophile balance value of surfactants with sporicidal activity causing a reduction of 1 to 2 log CFU/ml was 9.3, with a range from 6.7 to 15.8, which is similar to the values of various chemical surfactants of 9.6 to 16.7. The results also showed that the surfactants that were hydrophobic were more effective than those that were hydrophilic in killing B. subtilis spores. Furthermore, the sporicidal effect of surfactants like geranyl acetate and γ-terpinene was significantly enhanced in the presence of a germinant, because L-alanine and synergistic cofactors (e.g., K(+) ions) trigger cortex hydrolysis in spores.

We have isolated a bacterium (TP-6) from the Indonesian fermented soybean, Tempeh, which produces a strong fibrinolytic protease and was identified as Bacillus subtilis. The protease (TPase) was purified to homogeneity by ammonium sulfate fractionation and octyl sepharose and SP sepharose chromatography. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the 27.5 kDa enzyme was determined, and the encoding gene was cloned and sequenced. The result demonstrates that TPase is a serine protease of the subtilisin family consisting of 275 amino acid residues in its mature form. Its apparent K m and V max for the synthetic substrate N-succinyl-Ala-Ala-Pro-Phe-pNA were 259 μM and 145 μmol mg−1 min−1, respectively. The fibrinogen degradation pattern generated by TPase as a function of time was similar to that obtained with plasmin. In addition, N-terminal amino acid sequence analysis of the fibrinogen degradation products demonstrated that TPase cleaves Glu (or Asp) near hydrophobic acids as a P1 site in the α- and β-chains of fibrinogen to generate fragments D′, E′, and D′ similar to those generated by plasmin. On plasminogen-rich fibrin plates, TPase did not seem to activate fibrin clot lysis. Moreover, the enzyme converted the active plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 to the latent form.

The antimicrobial peptide, nisin, produced by several strains of Lactococcus lactis, which belongs to the Class I bacteriocins called lantibiotics, is a small (3.4 kDa), 34-amino acid, cationic, hydrophobic peptide and has the five characteristic (beta-methyl)lanthionine rings formed by significant post-translational modification. A cluster of 11 genes has been involved in the biosynthesis of nisin and are proposed to be transcriptionally arranged as nisA(Z)BTCIP, nisRK, and nisFEG. The biosynthesis of nisin is regulated in a growth-phase-dependent manner including nisin-mediated induction which occurs via NisRK two-component regulatory system. This review outlines some of the more recent developments in the properties, regulation and applications of nisin biosynthesis.

Antimicrobial activity of seven bacteriocins produced by lactic acid bacteria against Helicobacter pylori strains (ATCC 43504, Deutsche Sammlung von Mikroorganismen und Zellkulturen GmbH [DSM] 4867, DSM 9691, and DSM 10242) was investigated in vitro using a broth microdilution assay. The bacteriocins chosen for the study were nisin A; lacticins A164, BH5, JW3, and NK24; pediocin PO2; and leucocin K. Antimicrobial activity of the bacteriocins varied among the H. pylori strains tested, of which strain ATCC 43504 was the most tolerant. Among the bacteriocins tested, lacticins A164 and BH5 produced by Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis A164 and L. lactis BH5, respectively, showed the strongest antibacterial activity against H. pylori strains. MICs of the lacticins against H. pylori strains, when assessed by the critical dilution micromethod, ranged from 0.097 to 0.390 mg/liter (DSM strains) or from 12.5 to 25 mg/liter (ATCC 43504), supporting the strain-dependent sensitivity of the pathogen. Pediocin PO2 was less active than the lacticins against four strains of H. pylori, and leucocin K was the least active peptide, with no inhibition toward H. pylori ATCC 43504. Anti-Helicobacter activity of lacticin A164 was dependent on initial inoculum size as well as concentration of the bacteriocin added.

The influence of growth parameters on the fermentative production of a nisin-like bacteriocin by Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis A164 isolated from kimchi was studied. The bacteriocin production was greatly affected by carbon and nitrogen sources. Strain A164 produced at least 4-fold greater bacteriocin in M17 broth supplemented with lactose than other carbon sources. The amount of 3% yeast extract was found to be the optimal organic nitrogen source. While the maximum biomass was obtained at 37 degrees C, the optimal temperature for the bacteriocin production was 30 degrees C. The bacteriocin production was also affected by pH of the culture broth. The optimal pH for growth and bacteriocin production was 6.0. Although the cell growth at pH 6.0 was nearly the same level at pH 5.5 and 6.5, the greater bacteriocin activity was observed at pH 6.0. Exponential growth took place only during an initial period of the cultivation, and then linear growth was observed. Linear growth rates increased from 0.160 g(DCW) x l(-1) x h(-1) to 0.245 g(DCW) x l(-1) x h(-1) with increases in lactose concentrations from 0.5 to 3.0%. Maximum biomass was also increased from 1.88 g(DCW) x l(-1) to 4.29 g(DCW) x l(-1). However, increase in lactose concentration did not prolong the active growth phase. After 20 h cultivation, cell growth stopped regardless of lactose concentration. Production of the bacteriocin showed primary metabolic kinetics. However, bacteriocin yield based on cell mass increased greatly during the late growth phase. A maximum activity of 131x10(3) AU x ml(-1) was obtained at early stationary growth phase (20 h) during the batch fermentation in M17L broth (3.0% lactose) at 30 degrees C and pH 6.0.

This study compared the efficiencies of using subcritical water, hot water, and organic solvents to extract flavonols from black tea, celery, and ginseng leaf. The effect of key operating conditions was determined by varying the temperature (110-200°C), extraction time (5-15min), and pressure (about 10MPa) and the extracts were analysed quantitatively using HPLC. The yields of myricetin, quercetin, and kaempferol from plants were maximal at extraction temperatures of 170°C, 170°C and 200°C, respectively, and they depend on the number of hydroxyl groups included in the chemical structure of the flavonols, with more of those with fewer hydroxyl (OH) groups attached being extracted at higher temperatures. The results also showed that the yields of flavonols by subcritical water extraction were 2.0- to 22.7- and 1.8- to 23.6-fold higher than those obtained using the ethanol and methanol as traditional extraction methods, respectively.

Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis A164 was isolated from Kimchi (Korean traditional fermented vegetables). The bacteriocin produced by strain A164 was active against closely related lactic acid bacteria and some food-borne pathogens including Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella typhimurium. The antimicrobial spectrum was nearly identical to that of nisin. Bacteriocin activity was not destroyed by exposure to elevated temperatures at low pH values, but the activity was lost at high pH values. This bacteriocin was inactivated by pronase E and alpha, beta-chymotrypsin, but not by trypsin, pepsin, and alpha-amylase. Cultures of L. lactis subsp. lactis A164 maintained at a constant pH of 6.0 exhibited maximum production of the bacteriocin. It was purified to homogeneity by ammonium sulphate precipitation, sequential ion exchange chromatography, and ultrafiltration. Tricine-SDS-PAGE of purified bacteriocin gave the same molecular weight of 3.5 kDa as that of nisin. The gene encoding this bacteriocin was amplified by PCR with nisin gene-specific primers and sequenced. It showed identical sequences to the nisin gene. These results indicate that bacteriocin produced by Lactococcus lactis A164 is a nisin-like bacteriocin.

Subcritical water (about 10MPa) is an excellent solvent for extracting non-polar flavonoids by varying the temperature-dependent dielectric constant. This study determined the optimum conditions for subcritical water extraction (SWE), such as the time and temperature, for extracting flavonoids from eight plants, and their dependence on the chemical structure of flavonoids (polarity of side chains and the presence of sugar, and double bonds). Flavonoids having an OH side chain (quercetin at 170°C/10min) were optimally extracted at lower temperatures than O-CH3 (isorhamnetin at 190°C/15min) and H (kaempferol at 190°C/15min) side chains. The optimal temperatures of the glycoside forms including sugar, such as quercitrin (110°C/5min), spiraeoside (150°C/15min), and isoquercitrin (150°C/15min), were lower than of the less-polar aglycones (170°C/10min and 190°C/15min). Apigenin, having double bonds, was extracted well at a higher temperature (190°C/15min) than naringenin (170°C/15min) in SWE.

The aim of this study was to determine the optimum sterilization conditions for short-rib patties in retort trays by considering microbiological safety, nutritive value, sensory characteristics, and textural properties. In total, 27 sterilization conditions with various temperatures, times, and processing methods were tested using a 33 factorial design. The response surface methodology (RSM) and contour analysis were applied to find the optimum sterilization conditions for the patties. Quality attributes were significantly affected by the sterilization temperature, time, and processing method. From RSM and contour analysis, the final optimum sterilization condition of the patties that simultaneously satisfied all specifications was determined to be 119.4 °C for 18.55 min using a water-cascading rotary mode. The findings of the present study suggest that using optimized sterilization conditions will improve the microbial safety, sensory attributes, and nutritional retention for retorted short-rib patties.

Polypropylene (PP)/clay nanocomposites based on PP, organic clay (montmorillonite; MMT), and maleated polypropylene (MAPP) were prepared by melt compounding. The mechanical, thermal, morphological, and gas barrier properties of the resulting PP/clay nanocomposites were investigated at varying concentrations of the components for food packaging. The results revealed that the mechanical strengths, including tensile, flexural, and Izod impact strength, were increased for PP/clay nanocomposites compared to neat PP. The thermal properties showed a tendency for the melting and degradation temperatures to increase with the clay concentration. The effect of the compatibilizer was observed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The X-ray diffraction pattern of the nanocomposites revealed increased d-spacing of the MMT layers, indicating that the compatibility of neat PP and clay was improved by the addition of MAPP, and the intercalation and partial exfoliation of the layers. The use of clay increased the mobility distance of the gas molecules, leading to the oxygen permeability of neat PP being reduced by 26% to 55%.

An efficient and simple fermentation process was developed for the production of gamma-amminobutyric acid (GABA) by Lactobacillus sakei B2-16. When the L. sakei B2-16 was cultivated in the rice bran extracts medium containing 4% sucrose, 1% yeast extract and 12% monosodium glutamate, the maximum GABA concentration reached 660.0 mM with 100% conversion yield, showing the 2.4-fold higher GABA concentration compared to the modified MRS medium without the rice bran extracts. The GABA production was scaled-up from a laboratory scale (5 L) to a pilot (300 L) and a plant scales (5,000 L) to investigate the application possibility of GABA production to industrial fields. The GABA production at the pilot and plant scales was similar to the laboratory scale using rice bran extracts medium which could be effective for the low-cost production of GABA.

A simple one-step purification method, using expanded bed, ion-exchange chromatography, for the fractionation of nisin Z produced by Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis A164 was developed. The highest dynamic binding capacity (0.92) of the adsorbent was obtained at a superficial velocity of 367 cm h−1, resulting in approx. 2.7-fold bed expansion. The range of pH for the maximum adsorption was 3–4. The isocratic elution with 0.15 m NaCl led to approx. >90% recovery. Single-step purification of nisin Z from unclarified A164 culture broth resulted in 31-fold purification with a 90% yield.

Nisin Z production in Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis A164 was improved by introducing multicopy genes, nisZ, nisRK, or nisFEG, involved in nisin biosynthesis into A164 strain. A similar growth profile was obtained from all strains tested. However, the cells expressing nisRK produced 25,000 AU nisin Z ml(-1) compared to 16,000 AU ml(-1) by the control strain. Northern blot analysis revealed that over-expression of nisRK promoted the transcription of the nisZ gene. The A164 strain expressing multicopy nisFEG also had an increased nisin Z production (25,000 AU ml (-1)) but produced the nisin more slowly than the cells expressing multicopy nisRK.