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Sublethal HPH treatments have been demonstrated to impact the technological properties and functions of treated microorganisms by inducing specific enzymes/genes or modulating membrane structures and inducing autolysis. In this work, the early effects of a 100 MPa HPH treatment on the winery starter Saccharomyces cerevisiae ALEAFERM AROM grown in synthetic must were assessed. While there were no differences in cell cultivability during the first 48 h between treated and untreated cells, a reduction in volatile metabolites released by HPH-treated cells during the first 2 h was observed. This reduction was only temporary since after 48 h, volatile molecules reached similar or even higher concentrations compared with the control. Moreover, the gene expression response of HPH-treated cells was evaluated after 1 h of incubation and compared with that of untreated cells. A massive rearrangement of gene expression was observed with the identification of 1220 differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Most of the genes related to energetic metabolic pathways and ribosome structure were downregulated, while genes involved in ribosome maturation, transcription, DNA repair, response to stimuli and stress were upregulated. These findings suggest that HPH induces or promotes an autolytic-like behaviour that can be exploited in winemaking., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This research is aimed to evaluate the suitability of Squacquerone cheese to support the viability of Lactobacillus crispatus BC4, a vaginal strain endowed with a strong antimicrobial activity against urogenital pathogens and foodborne microorganisms, in order to recommend a gender food for woman wellbeing. The viability of L. crispatus BC4, used as adjunct culture, was evaluated during the refrigerated storage of Squacquerone cheese, as well as when the cheese was subjected to simulated stomach-duodenum passage tested by the patented Simulator of the Human Intestinal Microbial Ecosystem (SHIME). Moreover, the effects of L. crispatus BC4 addition were evaluated on product hydrolytic patterns, in terms of proteolysis, lipolysis and volatile molecule profiles. The data showed that L. crispatus BC4 maintained high viability, also in presence of physiological stress conditions, until the end of the refrigerated storage. Moreover, the inclusion of L. crispatus BC4 gave rise to cheese product with higher score of overall acceptability when compared to control cheese. In addition, the survival of L. crispatus BC4, carried in test cheese, in gastro intestinal conditions was confirmed by SHIME. The results showed that the vaginal Lactobacillus strain was more affected by the low pH of the stomach, simulated by the SHIME reactor, rather than to bile salts and pancreatic juices. Although only in vivo trials will be able to confirm the functionality of the cheese in the vaginal environment, these data represent a first step towards the employment of the Squacquerone cheese as probiotic food able to promote the woman's health by preventing gynaecological infections., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

One of the emerging strategies proposed to prevent the presence and the growth of Listeria monocytogenes in food products is the use of natural antimicrobial compounds like essential oils (EOs) or their components alone or in combination with other mild hurdles. The aim of this study was to explore the gene expression mechanisms of L. monocytogenes Scott A exposed for 1 h to different sub-lethal antimicrobial concentrations of (E)-2-hexenal, citral, carvarcol and thyme EO in order to understand the impact of these molecules on the main metabolic pathways of this pathogenic strain. RT-qPCR has been performed on L. monocytogenes cells exposed to the target antimicrobials. The presence of the antimicrobials induced a clear unbalance in the catabolic processes, suggesting a shift from oxidation to fermentation metabolism (pdhD, pgm). Moreover, the results highlighted how antimicrobials belonged to the same chemical class induced different stress response mechanisms on L. monocytogenes Scott A. The information about the cell responses to the exposure to the natural antimicrobials selected is crucial to understand which cell target(s) can be affected, and consequently how the inhibition of pathogens survival can be further enhanced., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is part of the natural microflora of estuarine and coastal marine waters and can be also present in seafood, especially shellfish and bivalve molluscs. In this study we compared the reference cultural method ISO 6887-3 with two molecular methods, multiplex PCR and real-time PCR, for the detection of two distinct genetic markers ( tlh species-specific gene and tdh virulence gene) of V. parahaemolyticus in bivalve mollusc. The analyses were performed on clams inoculated with V. parahaemolyticus ATCC 43996 at T0 and after a 3 and 6 h of pre-enrichment in alkaline saline peptone water. Counts on agar plates were largely inaccurate, probably due to other Vibrio species grown on the TCBS selective agar. Multiplex PCR assays, performed using primers pairs for tdh and tlh genes, showed a detection limit of 10 4  CFU/g of shell stock within 6 h of pre-enrichment, respecting however the action level indicated by the National Seafood Sanitation Program guideline. Detection by tdh gene in real-time PCR reached the definitely highest sensitivity in shorter times, 10 1  CFU/g after 3 h of pre-enrichment, while the sensitivity for the tlh gene was not promising, detecting between 10 5 and 10 6  CFU/g after 6 h of pre-enrichment. Our findings provide a rapid routine method of detection of V. parahaemolyticus based on tdh gene by real-time PCR for commercial seafood analysis to identify the risk of gastrointestinal diseases.

The aim of this work was to study the interaction of corrugated and plastic materials with pathogenic and spoiling microorganisms frequently associated to fresh produce. The effect of the two packaging materials on the survival during the storage of microorganisms belonging to the species Escherichia coli , Listeria monocytogenes , Salmonella enteritidis , Saccharomyces cerevisiae , Lactobacillus plantarum , Pseudomonas fluorescens , and Aspergillus flavus was studied through traditional plate counting and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results obtained showed that cardboard materials, if correctly stored, reduced the potential of packaging to cross-contaminate food due to a faster viability loss by spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms compared to the plastic ones. In fact, the cell loads of the pathogenic species considered decreased over time independently on the inoculation level and packaging material used. However, the superficial viability losses were significantly faster in cardboard compared to plastic materials. The same behavior was observed for the spoilage microorganisms considered. The SEM microphotographs indicate that the reduction of superficial contamination on cardboard surfaces was due to the entrapping of the microbial cells within the fibers and the pores of this material. In addition, SEM data showed that the entrapped cells were subjected to more or less rapid lyses, depending on the species, due to the absence of water and nutrients, with the exception of molds. The latter spoilers were able to proliferate inside the cardboard fibers only when the absorption of water was not prevented during the storage. In conclusion, the findings of this work showed the reduction of cross-contamination potential of corrugated compared to plastic packaging materials used in fruit and vegetable sector. However, the findings outlined the importance of hygiene and low humidity during cardboard storage to prevent the mold growth on packaging.

The main aim of this work was to evaluate, at pilot scale in an industrial environment, the effects of the biocontrol agent Lactococcus lactis CBM21 and thyme essential oil compared to chlorine, used in the washing step of fresh-cut lamb's lettuce, on the microbiota and its changes in relation to the time of storage. The modification of the microbial population was studied through pyrosequencing in addition to the traditional plate counts. In addition, the volatile molecule and sensory profiles were evaluated during the storage. The results showed no significant differences in terms of total aerobic mesophilic cell loads in relation to the washing solution adopted. However, the pyrosequencing data permitted to identify the genera and species able to dominate the spoilage associations over storage in relation to the treatment applied. Also, the analyses of the volatile molecule profiles of the samples during storage allowed the identification of specific molecules as markers of the spoilage for each different treatment. The sensory analyses after 3 and 5 days of storage showed the preference of the panelists for samples washed with the combination thyme EO and the biocontrol agent. These samples were preferred for attributes such as flavor, acceptability and overall quality. These results highlighted the effect of the innovative washing solutions on the quality of lettuce through the shift of microbiota towards genera and species with lower potential in decreasing the sensory properties of the product., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Fifty-seven control points of waters (sinking streams, rivers in caves, and resurgences) hosted in gypsum karst areas in Emilia Romagna region (N-Italy) were sampled in the framework of a Project LIFE+08NAT/IT/000369 "Gypsum" in the period 2010-2014. The microbiology and chemistry of these waters have been analyzed to evaluate the impact of human activities or natural factors, in the gypsum karst systems. Waters have been analyzed for major chemistry (Ca, Mg, Na, K, SO 4 , HCO 3 , Cl, NO 3 ) and some minor constituents (F, Br, NH 4 and PO 4 ), measuring pH, electric conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS) and temperature (T) in situ. The same samples have been analyzed with traditional microbiology techniques focused on total microbial count and on fecal microbiota, as index of human and/or animal contamination, and molecular biology techniques (sequencing of 16S rRNA segment and PCR-DGGE), focused on the characterization of microbial populations in the different sampling sites and determination of their variations and/or changes during the five years of the project. As expected, waters tend to be increasingly mineralized from sinking streams to resurgences, with only local and temporarily high contents in nitrates and ammonium, often related to the presence of bat colonies. PCR-DGGE revealed ecological changes, in terms of microbial populations present in the bulk water samples, in different sampling sites within the same cave. Although the impact of fecal microorganisms only rarely exceeded 2 log UFC/ml, the results evidenced fluctuations of these microorganisms mainly correlated to the season and to the biological activity of bats., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

This study was aimed to evaluate the potential of high pressure homogenization for the microencapsulation of two probiotic lactic acid bacteria, Lactobacillus paracasei A13 and Lactobacillus salivarius subsp. salivarius CET 4063 to produce functional fermented milks. Microcapsules of the considered functional microorganisms were obtained by HPH treatments at 50MPa in the presence of sodium alginate and vegetable oil. The microencapsulated microorganisms were then inoculated as adjuncts to produce fermented milks. As controls were used fermented milks in which the two probiotic lactobacilli were inoculated without encapsulation. The viability of the strains was monitored during almost 2months of refrigerated storage. The survival of lactic acid bacteria after the gastric-duodenal simulated test was determined. Fermented milk texture parameters, the presence of exo-polysaccharides and the production of volatile molecules were also evaluated over storage. The microcapsules, for both the considered probiotic strains, were homogeneous and with a size<100μM and therefore did not adversely affect the sensory properties of the fermented milks. The encapsulation decreased the hyperacidity phenomena generally related to the inclusion of probiotic microorganisms in fermented milks. The lower acidity of the products due to the microencapsulation was fundamental for the improvement of the viability of the starter culture and the sensory characteristics of the products. The microencapsulation conditions increased the resistance to the simulated digestion processes, although the strain Lb. paracasei A13 generally showed a higher resistance to the gastric barrier respect to Lb. salivarius CECT 4063. By contrast, the data obtained showed a reduction of EPS production by the microencapsulation. The volatile profiles showed specific profiles in relation to the probiotic strain used and microencapsulation process. In conclusion, the results of this study underlined the applicative potential of HPH microencapsulation of probiotic microorganisms to produce fermented milk with improved functionality and with enhanced sensory properties., (Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Functional foods could differently affect human health in relation to the gender. Recent studies have highlighted the anti- Candida and anti- Chlamydia activities of some Lactobacillus strains isolated from the vagina of healthy women. Considering these important beneficial activities on women's health, the preparation of functional food containing active vaginal lactobacilli can represent a great scientific challenge for the female gender. In this context, the aim of this work was to study some functional and technological properties of 17 vaginal strains belonging to the species Lactobacillus crispatus, Lactobacillus gasseri , and Lactobacillus vaginalis in the perspective to include them in dairy products. The antagonistic activities against the pathogenic and spoilage species associated to food products and against the principal etiological agents of the genitourinary tract infections were evaluated. Moreover, the vaginal lactobacilli were characterized for their antibiotic resistance, and for their fermentation kinetics and viability during the refrigerated storage in milk. Finally, the volatile molecule profiles of the obtained fermented milks were determined. The results showed that several strains, mainly belonging to the species Lactobacillus crispatus , exhibited a significant antagonistic activity against spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms of food interest, as well as against urogenital pathogens. All the vaginal lactobacilli showed antimicrobial activity against strains belonging to the foodborne pathogenic species Listeria monocytogenes, Listeria innocua, Eenterococcus faecalis and Escherichia coli . In addition, most of the Lactobacillus strains were active toward the main pathogens responsible of vaginal and urinary tract infections including Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecium, Gardnerella vaginalis , and Proteus mirabilis . The antimicrobial activity can be attributed to the high production of organic acids. The fermentation kinetics in milk indicated the unsuitability of these lactobacilli as fermentation starters for the industrial production of dairy products. However, some strains, belonging to the species Lactobacillus crispatus and Lactobacillus gasseri , maintained a high viability in pasteurized milk at 4°C for over a month, showing their potential application as adjunct cultures for the production of female gender foods. These data represent a first step for the set-up of a new functional dairy product, directed to the women well-being, contributing also to innovate the dairy sector.

Objectives: Habitual diet plays a major role in shaping the composition of the gut microbiota, and also determines the repertoire of microbial metabolites that can influence the host. The typical Western diet corresponds to that of an omnivore; however, the Mediterranean diet (MD), common in the Western Mediterranean culture, is to date a nutritionally recommended dietary pattern that includes high-level consumption of cereals, fruit, vegetables and legumes. To investigate the potential benefits of the MD in this cross-sectional survey, we assessed the gut microbiota and metabolome in a cohort of Italian individuals in relation to their habitual diets., Design and Results: We retrieved daily dietary information and assessed gut microbiota and metabolome in 153 individuals habitually following omnivore, vegetarian or vegan diets. The majority of vegan and vegetarian subjects and 30% of omnivore subjects had a high adherence to the MD. We were able to stratify individuals according to both diet type and adherence to the MD on the basis of their dietary patterns and associated microbiota. We detected significant associations between consumption of vegetable-based diets and increased levels of faecal short-chain fatty acids, Prevotella and some fibre-degrading Firmicutes, whose role in human gut warrants further research. Conversely, we detected higher urinary trimethylamine oxide levels in individuals with lower adherence to the MD., Conclusions: High-level consumption of plant foodstuffs consistent with an MD is associated with beneficial microbiome-related metabolomic profiles in subjects ostensibly consuming a Western diet., Trial Registration Number: This study was registered at clinical trials.gov as NCT02118857., (Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.)

The aim of this work was to evaluate the effects of microbial transglutaminase (mTG) and sourdough on gluten-free (GF) flours. Besides deamidation and incorporation of amines, mTG catalyses protein cross-links, modifying dough structure. Sourdough from lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and yeast modifies dough protein composition, determining proteolysis, which induce the formation of aroma precursor metabolites. The chemical-physical interactions of volatile molecules with various constituents of the matrix affect the retention of aroma compounds. Here, the effect on volatile molecule profiles and on protein networks formation after mTG treatment in sourdoughs obtained with four GF flours belonging to cereals, pseudo-cereals and legumes (rice, corn, amaranth and lentil) was investigated. Sourdough was prepared with a two-step fermentation using Lactobacillus sanfrancisciensis (LSCE1) and Candida milleri (PFL44), then mTG was added after 21 h of fermentation at increasing levels. The results showed that mTG had the capacity to modify GF flour proteins and improve protein networks formation, involving mainly the prolamin protein fraction. This is particularly relevant for the production of GF backed goods generally lacking of technological, structural and sensorial features compared with products obtained with wheat flour sourdough fermentation. Interestingly, mTG treatment of sourdough affected also the volatile composition and indeed possibly the final organoleptic properties of the products.

In wines, the presence of sulfur compounds is the resulting of several contributions among which yeast metabolism. The characterization of the starter Saccharomyces cerevisiae needs to be performed also taking into account this ability even if evaluated together with the overall metabolic profile. In this perspective, principal aim of this experimental research was the evaluation of the volatile profiles, throughout GC/MS technique coupled with solid phase micro extraction, of wines obtained throughout the fermentation of 10 strains of S. cerevisiae. In addition, the production of sulfur compounds was further evaluated by using a gas-chromatograph coupled with a Flame Photometric Detector. Specifically, the 10 strains were inoculated in Trebbiano musts and the fermentations were monitored for 19 days. In the produced wines, volatile and sulfur compounds as well as amino acid concentrations were investigated. Also the physico-chemical characteristics of the wines and their electronic nose profiles were evaluated.

Aims: The aim of this work was to study the responses of Saccharomyces bayanus cells exposed to sub-lethal high-pressure homogenization (HPH) and determine whether the plasmatic membrane can sense HPH in the presence, or absence, of exogenous unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs) in the growth medium., Methods and Results: High-pressure homogenization damaged and caused the collapse of cell walls and membranes of a portion of cells; however, HPH did not significantly affect S. bayanus cell viability (less than 0.3 Log CFU ml(-1)). HPH strongly affected the membrane fatty acid (FA) composition by increasing the percentage of total UFA when compared with saturated fatty acids. The gene expression showed that the transcription of OLE1, ERG3, and ERG11 increased after HPH. The presence of exogenous UFA abolished HPH-induced effects on the OLE1 and ERG3 genes, increased the percentage of membrane lipids and decreased the expression of OLE1 and ERG3 within 30 min of treatment., Conclusion: The results suggest a key role for UFA in the microbial cell response to sub-lethal stress. In addition, these data provide insight into the molecular basis of the response of S. bayanus to this innovative technology., Significance and Impact of the Study: Elucidation of the mechanism of action for sub-lethal HPH will enable the utilization of this technology to modulate the starter performance at the industrial scale.

Outbreaks of food-borne disease associated with the consumption of fresh and minimally processed fruits and vegetables have increased dramatically over the last few years. Traditional chemical sanitizers are unable to completely eradicate or kill the microorganisms on fresh produce. These conditions have stimulated research to alternative methods for increasing food safety. The use of protective cultures, particularly lactic acid bacteria (LAB), has been proposed for minimally processed products. However, the application of bioprotective cultures has been limited at the industrial level. From this perspective, the main aims of this study were to select LAB from minimally processed fruits and vegetables to be used as biocontrol agents and then to evaluate the effects of the selected strains, alone or in combination with natural antimicrobials (2-(E)-hexenal/hexanal, 2-(E)-hexenal/citral for apples and thyme for lamb's lettuce), on the shelf-life and safety characteristics of minimally processed apples and lamb's lettuce. The results indicated that applying the Lactobacillus plantarum strains CIT3 and V7B3 to apples and lettuce, respectively, increased both the safety and shelf-life. Moreover, combining the selected strains with natural antimicrobials produced a further increase in the shelf-life of these products without detrimental effects on the organoleptic qualities., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The salivary microbiota has been linked to both oral and non-oral diseases. Scant knowledge is available on the effect of environmental factors such as long-term dietary choices on the salivary microbiota and metabolome. This study analyzed the microbial diversity and metabolomic profiles of the saliva of 161 healthy individuals who followed an omnivore or ovo-lacto-vegetarian or vegan diet. A large core microbiota was identified, including 12 bacterial genera, found in >98% of the individuals. The subjects could be stratified into three "salivary types" that differed on the basis of the relative abundance of the core genera Prevotella, Streptococcus/Gemella and Fusobacterium/Neisseria. Statistical analysis indicated no effect of dietary habit on the salivary microbiota. Phylogenetic beta-diversity analysis consistently showed no differences between omnivore, ovo-lacto-vegetarian and vegan individuals. Metabolomic profiling of saliva using (1)H-NMR and GC-MS/SPME identified diet-related biomarkers that enabled a significant discrimination between the 3 groups of individuals on the basis of their diet. Formate, urea, uridine and 5-methyl-3-hexanone could discriminate samples from omnivores, whereas 1-propanol, hexanoic acid and proline were characteristic of non-omnivore diets. Although the salivary metabolome can be discriminating for diet, the microbiota has a remarkable inter-individual stability and did not vary with dietary habits. Microbial homeostasis might be perturbed with sub-standard oral hygiene or other environmental factors, but there is no current indication that a choice of an omnivore, ovo-lacto-vegetarian or vegan diet can lead to a specific composition of the oral microbiota with consequences on the oral homeostasis.

Small peptides show higher antioxidant capacity than native proteins and may be absorbed in the intestine without further digestion. In our study, a protein by-product from rice starch industry was hydrolyzed with commercial proteolytic enzymes (Alcalase, Neutrase, Flavourzyme) and microbial whole cells of Bacillus spp. and the released peptides were tested for antioxidant activity. Among enzymes, Alcalase was the most performing, while microbial proteolytic activity was less efficient. Conversely, the antioxidant activity was higher in the samples obtained by microbial hydrolysis and particularly with Bacillus pumilus AG1. The sequences of low molecular weight antioxidant peptides were determined and analyzed for aminoacidic composition. The results obtained so far suggest that the hydrolytic treatment of this industrial by-product, with selected enzymes and microbial systems, can allow its exploitation for the production of functional additives and supplements rich in antioxidant peptides, to be used in new food formulas for human consumption., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This study aimed to investigate the salivary microbiota and metabolome of 13 children with celiac disease (CD) under a gluten-free diet (treated celiac disease [T-CD]). The same number of healthy children (HC) was used as controls. The salivary microbiota was analyzed by an integrated approach using culture-dependent and -independent methods. Metabolome analysis was carried out by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry-solid-phase microextraction. Compared to HC, the number of some cultivable bacterial groups (e.g., total anaerobes) significantly (P < 0.05) differed in the saliva samples of the T-CD children. As shown by community-level catabolic profiles, the highest Shannon's diversity and substrate richness were found in HC. Pyrosequencing data showed the highest richness estimator and diversity index values for HC. Levels of Lachnospiraceae, Gemellaceae, and Streptococcus sanguinis were highest for the T-CD children. Streptococcus thermophilus levels were markedly decreased in T-CD children. The saliva of T-CD children showed the largest amount of Bacteroidetes (e.g., Porphyromonas sp., Porphyromonas endodontalis, and Prevotella nanceiensis), together with the smallest amount of Actinobacteria. T-CD children were also characterized by decreased levels of some Actinomyces species, Atopobium species, and Corynebacterium durum. Rothia mucilaginosa was the only Actinobacteria species found at the highest level in T-CD children. As shown by multivariate statistical analyses, the levels of organic volatile compounds markedly differentiated T-CD children. Some compounds (e.g., ethyl-acetate, nonanal, and 2-hexanone) were found to be associated with T-CD children. Correlations (false discovery rate [FDR], <0.05) were found between the relative abundances of bacteria and some volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The findings of this study indicated that CD is associated with oral dysbiosis that could affect the oral metabolome.

Aims: Oxylipins are regarded as unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs) oxidation products, whose accumulation in plants and fungi is associated with stress. The aim of this study was to investigate if a metabolic pathway from UFAs to oxylipins was present also in lactic acid bacteria (LAB)., Methods and Results: A strain of Lactobacillus helveticus, incubated in the presence of oleic, linoleic and linolenic acids released, after 2 h, fatty acid oxidation products, mainly C6 , C8 , C9 aldehydes and alcohols. An experiment with total carbon labelled linoleic acid, in the presence or not of an oxidative stress, demonstrated that oxylipins, such as hexanal, octanal, nonanal, 2-octenal, 2-octanal, originated mainly from the oxidation of this fatty acid., Conclusions: Since lipoxygenase, dioxygenase and cytochrome P450 genes have never been found in L. helveticus, a possible pathway for linoleic conversion and oxylipins formation could include, as a first step, the transient formation of hydroxylated linoleic acids by fatty acids hydratases. However, the sequence of steps from the linoleic acid to the C6 and C8 aldehydes needs to be more deeply investigated., Significance and Impact of the Study: Due to the multiple role of oxylipins which are flavouring agents, antimicrobial compounds and interspecific signalling molecules, the knowledge of the mechanisms involved in their biosynthesis in food related bacteria could have an important biotechnological impact, also allowing the overproduction of selected bioactive molecules., (© 2013 The Society for Applied Microbiology.)

Bacteria colonizing the human intestinal tract exhibit a high phylogenetic diversity that reflects their immense metabolic potentials. The catalytic activity of gut microbes has an important impact on gastrointestinal (GI) functions and host health. The microbial conversion of carbohydrates and other food components leads to the formation of a large number of compounds that affect the host metabolome and have beneficial or adverse effects on human health. Metabolomics is a metabolic-biology system approach focused on the metabolic responses understanding of living systems to physio-pathological stimuli by using multivariate statistical data on human body fluids obtained by different instrumental techniques. A metabolomic approach based on an analytical platform could be able to separate, detect, characterize and quantify a wide range of metabolites and its metabolic pathways. This approach has been recently applied to study the metabolic changes triggered in the gut microbiota by specific diet components and diet variations, specific diseases, probiotic and synbiotic food intake. This review describes the metabolomic data obtained by analyzing human fluids by using different techniques and particularly Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry Solid-phase Micro Extraction (GC-MS/SPME), Proton Nuclear Magnetic Resonance ((1)H-NMR) Spectroscopy and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy. This instrumental approach has a good potential in the identification and detection of specific food intake and diseases biomarkers.

The aim of this work was to evaluate the suitability of four strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae endowed with in vitro β-glucosidase activity to improve the Sangiovese wine aroma profiles. In particular the effects of the strains on fermentation kinetics, wine sugar and acid concentrations, volatile molecule profiles and colour parameters were evaluated. Moreover their effects on anthocyanins, anthocyanidins and poliphenols were evaluated. These four strains of S. cerevisiae were tested in comparison with one commercial strain and with a spontaneous fermentation in the presence and in the absence of paraffin oil. The results showed that the four wild strains had high fermentation rates and an efficient conversion of grape sugars to alcohol. However, each strain imparted specific features to the wine. AS11 and AS15 gave rise to wine having low volatile acidity values associated to high levels of linalool and nerolidol. They provoked decrease of anthocyanins accompanied by the increase of some anthocyanidins. S. cerevisiae BV12 and BV14 showed the best performances producing wines with the lowest residual sugar contents and volatile acidity values, high levels of nerolidol and citronellol without detrimental effects on wine colour.

Lactobacillus sanfranciscensis LSCE1 was selected as a target organism originating from recurrently refreshed sourdough to study the metabolic rerouting associated with the acid stress exposure during sourdough fermentation. In particular, the acid stress induced a metabolic shift toward overproduction of 3-methylbutanoic and 2-methylbutanoic acids accompanied by reduced sugar consumption and primary carbohydrate metabolite production. The fate of labeled leucine, the role of different nutrients and precursors, and the expression of the genes involved in branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) catabolism were evaluated at pH 3.6 and 5.8. The novel application of the program XCMS to the solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (SPME-GC-MS) data allowed accurate separation and quantification of 2-methylbutanoic and 3-methylbutanoic acids, generally reported as a cumulative datum. The metabolites coming from BCAA catabolism increased up to seven times under acid stress. The gene expression analysis confirmed that some genes associated with BCAA catabolism were overexpressed under acid conditions. The experiment with labeled leucine showed that 2-methylbutanoic acid originated also from leucine. While the overproduction of 3-methylbutanoic acid under acid stress can be attributed to the need to maintain redox balance, the rationale for the production of 2-methylbutanoic acid from leucine can be found in a newly proposed biosynthesis pathway leading to 2-methylbutanoic acid and 3 mol of ATP per mol of leucine. Leucine catabolism to 3-methylbutanoic and 2-methylbutanoic acids suggests that the switch from sugar to amino acid catabolism supports growth in L. sanfranciscensis in restricted environments such as sourdough characterized by acid stress and recurrent carbon starvation.

The reduced risk of chronic diseases related to whole grain consumption is in part attributed to their high antioxidant content. Many studies have been performed on the in vitro antioxidant capacity of cereals, but in vivo studies are necessary. We have evaluated and compared the effect of whole grain durum wheat bread and whole grain Kamut khorasan bread on the oxidative status in rats. Two different bread-making processes were used for whole grain Kamut khorasan, sourdough and baker's yeast. After 7 weeks on the experimental diets rats were divided into two subgroups, one receiving an oxidative stress by doxorubicin injection. Our results evidenced both wheat durum and Kamut khorasan as good sources of antioxidants, and a lower oxidative state in rats fed the cereal-based diets. Furthermore, Kamut khorasan bread fed animals had a better response to stress than wheat durum fed, especially when a sourdough bread was supplied. Although further studies are needed, data herein reported suggest whole grains, particularly whole ancient grains, as a safe and convenient way of increasing antioxidant protection.

An implemented GC method to separate and quantify the cell cyclopropane fatty acids lactobacillic (C19cyc11) and dehydrosterculic (C19cyc9) was used to study the adaptive response to sublethal acid and cold stresses in Lactobacillus helveticus and Lactobacillus sanfranciscensis. The comparison of the composition of cellular fatty acids of the two strains and their changes after 2 h of stress exposure under micro-aerobic and anaerobic conditions indicated that the aerobic biosynthetic pathway for unsaturated fatty acids is prevalent in L. sanfranciscensis, while the anaerobic pathway is prevalent in L. helveticus. Indeed in the latter strain, in the presence of a source of oleic acid and under micro-aerobic conditions, C18:1n11 and its post-synthetic derivative C19cyc11 accounted for overall proportion ranging from 52 to 28% of the total FAs. On the other hand L. sanfranciscensis synthesizes by aerobic pathway C18:1n9 and transforms it to C19cyc9. However in this species the cumulative level of these two FAs did not exceed 30%. The relevant proportion of dodecanoic acid in the latter species suggests that carbon chain shortening is the principal strategy of L. sanfranciscensis to modulate fluidity or chemico-physical properties of the membranes., (2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are a functionally related group of organisms known primarily for their bioprocessing roles in food and beverages. The largest variety of metabolic properties is found in the group of lactobacilli the vast majority of which has been isolated in cereal environments, namely sourdoughs, in which their role ranges from sporadic contaminants to major fermentative flora. Growth or survival in each of these environmental niches depends on the ability of the organism to sense and respond to varying conditions such as temperature, pH, nutrients availability and cell population density. Fermentation process conditions, including temperature range, dough yield, oxygen, pH as well as the amount and composition of starter cultures, determine the cells' metabolic response. In fact, the exposure of microbial cells to stressful conditions during fermentation involves a broad transcriptional response with many induced or repressed genes. The complex network of such responses, involving several metabolic activities will reflect upon the metabolome of the fermentative flora, and thus on the composition and organoleptic properties of the final products. This review shall provide insight into stress response mechanisms and delineate the vast potential residing in the exploitation of the stress dependent metabolome of LAB focusing on bacteria of the sourdough environment as one of the richest sources of lactobacilli.