Heat resistance of spores of 18 strains of Geobacillus stearothermophilus and impact of culturing conditions.

In this study, different methods were evaluated for enumeration of spores of G. stearothermophilus, different sporulation methods were assessed for yields and wet heat resistances of obtained spores, and subsequently, the variation in heat resistances of spores was determined. Overall, tryptone soya agar (TSA) was the most suitable medium for enumeration of spores of this thermophilic bacterium. Sporulation on different media both at 55 and at 61 °C led to considerable variation in spore heat resistance. The heat resistance of spores was highest upon sporulation on medium supplemented with free ions of calcium, potassium, magnesium and manganese (CaKMgMn). For 18 different G. stearothermophilus strains that were isolated from various sources, spores were subsequently produced on nutrient agar supplemented with CaKMgMn at 55 °C. Strain ATCC 12980T, also known as 9A20, which is commonly used in steam sterilization tests was included. The survival of spores of all strains was assessed at 125 °C and 130 °C using two independent spore batches per strain. The mean D125°C for spores of the 18 strains was 1.1 min (95% PI 0.48-2.3 min) and the mean D130°C was 0.37 min (95% PI 0.17-0.82 min). For spore inactivation of these 18 strains, a z-value of 11.1 °C was estimated, resulting in an estimated D-value of 2.4 min (95% PI 1.1-5.2) at the reference temperature 121.1 °C. Based on the data sets obtained in this study, it was found that the variability in spore heat resistance could largely be attributed to strain variability and conditions used during sporulation (especially the sporulation medium); reproduction and experimental variabilities were much smaller. The established variabilities were compared with the overall variability in spore heat resistance of G. stearothermophilus based on a meta-analysis of reported D-values. The data presented indicate that strain variability and history of sporulation each account for approximately half of the overall variability observed with respect to the heat resistance of spores of G. stearothermophilus. The findings presented in this study allow for optimal recovery of G. stearothermophilus spores from foods and a better understanding of factors that determine the heat resistance properties of spores of G. stearothermophilus. Moreover, this study once more underlines the limited effects of heat treatments used in the food industry on inactivation of spores of this bacterium.

Synthesis of fused tricyclic systems by thermal Cope rearrangement of furan-substituted vinyl cyclopropanes.

A novel method for the stereoselective construction of hexahydroazuleno[4,5-b]furans from simple precursors has been developed. The route involves the use of our recently developed Brønsted acid catalysed cyclisation reaction of acyclic ynenones to prepare fused 1-furanyl-2-alkenylcyclopropanes that undergo highly stereoselective thermal Cope rearrangement to produce fused tricyclic products. Substrates possessing an E-alkene undergo smooth Cope rearrangement at 40 °C, whereas the corresponding Z-isomers do not react at this temperature. Computational studies have been performed to explain the difference in behaviour of the E- and Z-isomers in the Cope rearrangement reaction. The hexahydroazuleno[4,5-b]furans produced by Cope rearrangement have potential as advanced intermediates for the synthesis of members of the guaianolide family of natural products.

Bacillus thermoamylovorans Spores with Very-High-Level Heat Resistance Germinate Poorly in Rich Medium despite the Presence of ger Clusters but Efficiently upon Exposure to Calcium-Dipicolinic Acid.

High-level heat resistance of spores of Bacillus thermoamylovorans poses challenges to the food industry, as industrial sterilization processes may not inactivate such spores, resulting in food spoilage upon germination and outgrowth. In this study, the germination and heat resistance properties of spores of four food-spoiling isolates were determined. Flow cytometry counts of spores were much higher than their counts on rich medium (maximum, 5%). Microscopic analysis revealed inefficient nutrient-induced germination of spores of all four isolates despite the presence of most known germination-related genes, including two operons encoding nutrient germinant receptors (GRs), in their genomes. In contrast, exposure to nonnutrient germinant calcium-dipicolinic acid (Ca-DPA) resulted in efficient (50 to 98%) spore germination. All four strains harbored cwlJ and gerQ genes, which are known to be essential for Ca-DPA-induced germination in Bacillus subtilis. When determining spore survival upon heating, low viable counts can be due to spore inactivation and an inability to germinate. To dissect these two phenomena, the recoveries of spores upon heat treatment were determined on plates with and without preexposure to Ca-DPA. The high-level heat resistance of spores as observed in this study (D120°C, 1.9 ± 0.2 and 1.3 ± 0.1 min; z value, 12.2 ± 1.8°C) is in line with survival of sterilization processes in the food industry. The recovery of B. thermoamylovorans spores can be improved via nonnutrient germination, thereby avoiding gross underestimation of their levels in food ingredients.

Matrix-derived combination effect and risk assessment for estragole from basil-containing plant food supplements (PFS).

Basil-containing plant food supplements (PFS) can contain estragole which can be metabolised into a genotoxic and carcinogenic 1'-sulfoxymetabolite. This study describes the inhibition of sulfotransferase (SULT)-mediated bioactivation of estragole by compounds present in basil-containing PFS. Results reveal that PFS consisting of powdered basil material contain other compounds with considerable in vitro SULT-inhibiting activity, whereas the presence of such compounds in PFS consisting of basil essential oil was limited. The inhibitor in powdered basil PFS was identified as nevadensin. Physiologically based kinetic (PBK) modeling was performed to elucidate if the observed inhibitory effects can occur in vivo. Subsequently, risk assessment was performed using the Margin of Exposure (MOE) approach. Results suggest that the consequences of the in vivo matrix-derived combination effect are significant when estragole would be tested in rodent bioassays with nevadensin at ratios detected in PFS, thereby increasing MOE values. However, matrix-derived combination effects may be limited at lower dose levels, indicating that the importance of matrix-derived combination effects for risk assessment of individual compounds should be done on a case-by-case basis considering dose-dependent effects. Furthermore, this study illustrates how PBK modeling can be used in risk assessment of PFS, contributing to further reduction in the use of experimental animals.