Traceability: Perception and attitudes of artisanal cheese producers in Brazil.

This study aimed to evaluate the perceptions and attitudes of artisanal cheese producers (n = 40) in Brazil regarding the implementation of traceability. A questionnaire consisting of 16 statements using a 5-point Likert scale was applied, and descriptive statistics and factor analysis were used for data analysis. The implementation of a traceability system can reduce the number of consumer complaints and the loss of products, in addition to increasing supplier control and process safety, thus protecting health and increasing consumer confidence. However, we did not find consensus on the relationship between implementation of a traceability system and rapid recalls in crisis episodes, or on the reduction in recalls and their negative impact on consumers. Because of the costs that drive implementation of this technology, some artisanal cheese producers do not consider a traceability system as a current reality to monitor their production. We concluded that Brazilian artisanal cheese producers have limited awareness of the impact of traceability implementation, which restricts investments in the system.

Plants of the Cerrado with antimicrobial effects against Staphylococcus spp. and Escherichia coli from cattle.

BACKGROUND: Both diarrhea in calves and mastitis in cows limit cattle production. The bacteria involved in these diseases have shown multi-resistance to antimicrobials, however plant metabolites therefore can provide an alternative method of control. This study selected and characterized Cerrado plant extracts showing inhibitory effects against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus spp. from cattle. Thirteen leaf extracts were initially screened and diameters of inhibition zones produced against the pathogens were recorded using an agar disk diffusion method. Total condensed tannin contents were determined and antibacterial activities were analyzed after tannin removal from the five selected extracts. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBC) were evaluated by macro-dilution antimicrobial susceptibility tests, and the extracts were characterized by high performance liquid chromatography. RESULTS: Inter- and intra-specific bacterial variations in the susceptibility to the extracts were detected. The aqueous extract (AE) from Caryocar brasiliense Cambess. leaves produced larger inhibition zones against E. coli strains than did other selected extracts. However, the AE from Schinopsis brasiliensis was the most effective against Staphylococcus spp. strains (P < 0.001). The MIC of ethanolic extracts (EE) from C. brasiliense (0.27 mg/mL) and S. brasiliensis (0.17 mg/mL) were lower than those of other extracts. The MIC and MBC of the Annona crassiflora EE were 6.24 mg/mL for all bacteria. Flavonoids were the main metabolites detected in the A. crassiflora EE as well as in the AE and EE from C. brasiliense, while tannins were the main metabolites in the S. brasiliensis leaf extracts. CONCLUSION: The AE from C. brasiliense was more effective against Gram-negative bacteria, while the AE from S. brasiliensis was more effective against Gram-positive bacteria. A. crassiflora EE and S. brasiliensis extracts are potent bactericide. After removal of the tannins, no antimicrobial effects were observed, indicating that these metabolites are the main active antibacterial components.

Effects of nisin on Staphylococcus aureus count and physicochemical properties of Minas Frescal cheese.

The aim of this work was to evaluate the effects of nisin on in vitro and in situ Staphylococcus aureus counts. For in vitro experiment, milk was inoculated with 5.0 log cfu·mL(-1) of S. aureus and nisin was added at concentrations of 0, 100, 200, 400, and 500 IU mL(-1). The main effect of the bacteriocin was lag phase extension from 0h, for 0 and 100 IU·mL(-1) to 8h, when 200, 400, and 500 IU·mL(-1) of nisin were used; however, log phase was not affected. Microbial growth rate was found to be exponential and around 0.11 log cfu·mL(-1)·h(-1) for all treatments. For in situ experiments, 0, 400, and 500 IU·mL(-1) of nisin were directly added to pasteurized milk previously inoculated with 5.0 log cfu·g(-1) of S. aureus. Milk, curd, and whey were analyzed to S. aureus counts. Nisin at concentration of 500 IU·mL(-1) was able to reduce S. aureus count in curd and whey, demonstrating nisin partition between both phases. Throughout storage at 4°C, S. aureus count increased for all treatments, but the bacterial grew slower when nisin was added in both concentrations, maintaining S. aureus count about 1.5 log cycles lower than the control, despite abusive initial S. aureus count. Therefore, nisin seems to play an important role in reducing S. aureus initial count in cheese made with highly contaminated milk. Nisin showed potential to be used as an additional, important hurdle to improve Minas Frescal cheese safety, without replacing good manufacturing practices.

Influence of protein conformation and selected Hofmeister salts on bovine serum albumin/lutein complex formation.

Protein conformation and the 3D water structure play important roles in the ability of bovine serum albumin (BSA) to form stable nanostructures with bioactive molecules. We studied the influence of BSA unfolding and those of two Hofmeister salts, sodium chloride (NaCl) as kosmotrope and sodium thiocyanate (NaSCN) as chaotrope, on BSA/lutein binding at pH 7.4 using fluorescence spectroscopy. The BSA/lutein complex formation was entropically driven and lutein was preferentially bound to site III of BSA. The binding constant (104 L mol-1), complex stoichiometry (1:1), and thermodynamic potential for BSA/lutein binding were independent of protein conformation and Hofmeister salts. However, the enthalpic and entropic components of BSA/lutein binding in the presence of NaSCN decreased as the temperature increased. The opposite was observed for BSA/lutein binding in the presence of NaCl and for denatured BSA/lutein binding. Therefore, the BSA conformation and 3D water structure directly affected the BSA/lutein binding thermodynamics.