Incorporation of phenolic-rich ingredients from integral valorization of Isabel grape improves the nutritional, functional and sensory characteristics of probiotic goat milk yogurt.

This study elaborated different probiotic goat milk yogurt formulations with addition of a low-calorie Isabel "Precoce" grape preparation and flour from derived solid by-products. Physicochemical characteristics, probiotic counts, phenolic and protein/peptide molecular weight profile, antioxidant capacity (AC) and sensory acceptance of different yogurt formulations were evaluated. Yogurts with Isabel grape ingredients (IGI) had high nutritional value, distinct phenolic profile and high AC. High counts of probiotic Lactobacillus acidophilus La-05 were found in yogurts during storage. AC of yogurts with IGI increased during a simulated gastrointestinal digestion with breakdown of high molecular weight proteins and release of protein-bound phenolics. AC of yogurts with IGI should be linked to goat milk peptides and Isabel grape phenolics. Yogurts with IGI had enhanced sensory acceptance. Incorporation of Isabel grape preparation and derived by-product flour into probiotic goat milk yogurt resulted in an added-value product with multifunctional characteristics and improved sensory characteristics.

Stingless bee honey: An overview of health benefits and main market challenges.

This review aimed to evaluate the nutraceutical and medicinal effects of stingless bee honey (SBH) by bringing a discussion focused on the main known in vitro/in vivo health-promoting effects. SBH has a high-water content, slight sweetness, acidic flavor, fluid texture, and slow crystallization. The type and concentration of phenolic compounds and consequent antioxidant activity were mainly associated with the floral sources, geographical location, bee species, and processing steps. SBH has anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial (against spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms), anti-diabetic, and skin aging delay activities in in vitro tests. It has also shown antioxidant and hypolipidemic effects, can protect from injuries caused by dyslipidemia, possess anti-inflammatory activity against chronic subclinical systemic inflammation and anti-diabetic properties, and can control and prevent Staphylococcus aureus infection on infected wound healings in in vivo tests (rats). However, clinical trials are crucial for the probation of the medicinal and nutraceutical properties of SBH. Despite this, there are still no general norms and/or quality standards for this type of honey. The information summarized in this review is important to add value to this little-consumed food, providing helpful information to spread knowledge about its benefits, assisting future studies, and raising perspectives for its recognition as a functional food. Furthermore, it may encourage the creation of standard quality for the production and marketing of SBH. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Previous studies have already summarized the chemical profile and physicochemical properties of stingless bee honey (SBH) and its potential health properties. However, no study has performed an overview of the potential nutraceutical and medicinal effects of SBH, presenting results from in vitro and in vivo investigations. Therefore, this review is the first study to overview the potential nutraceutical and medicinal effects of SBH, showing results of in vitro/in vivo health-promoting effects. The bioactivity of SBH is related to bee species and floral sources. The SBH has anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anti-diabetic, and antioxidant in vitro activity. It has also shown hypolipidemic effects and protection from injuries caused by dyslipidemia in rats.

Nutritional, physicochemical and sensorial acceptance of functional cookies enriched with xiquexique (Pilosocereus gounellei) flour.

The objective of this study was the production of innovative functional cookies enriched with two different sizes (100 and 28 mesh) xiquexique flour by substitution ratio 50% of wheat flour and monitoring the impact of these enrichments on the nutritional, physicochemical, texture characteristics and consumer acceptance. The physicochemical characteristics and sensorial properties of the xiquexique cookies were evaluated in a pursuit to identify an innovative bakery ingredient with high nutritional value and potential function that could be exploited by the food industry. The water activity and moisture values were low, which can provide greater stability during storage of food matrices, such as cookies. The xiquexique cookies had greater ash (2.47-2.74%), protein (0.94-1.36%), fiber (4.41-8.10%), and resistant starch (3.65-2.10%) contents than their respective controls with 100% wheat flour. The functional cookies were rich in minerals: mainly calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium and manganese and can be consumed by all individuals to help meet daily needs, especially those of people who have increased needs for these essential nutrients. In addition to the darker color of the xiquexique cookies, the hardness of these was higher than that of the control cookies, while the expansion index was smaller. The data from the Check All That Apply sensory method, which consists of a test used mainly for recipe adjustments and the development of ideal food products, confirmed that xiquexique flour have the potential for the development of bakery products such as cookies.

Biochemical and thermodynamic characteristics of a new serine protease from Mucor subtilissimus URM 4133.

A protease from the fungus Mucor subtilissimus URM 4133, capable of producing bioactive peptides from goat casein, was purified. SDS-PAGE and zymography showed a molecular mass of 30 kDa. The enzyme was active and stable in a wide pH range (6.0-10.5) and (5.0-10.5), respectively. Optimum temperature was at 45-50 °C and stability was above 80 % (40 °C/2 h). Activity was not influenced by ions or organic substances (Triton, Tween, SDS and DMSO), but was completely inhibited by PMSF, suggesting that it belongs to the serine protease family. The Km and Vmax were 2.35 mg azocasein.mL-1 and 333.33 U.mg protein-1, respectively. Thermodynamic parameters of irreversible denaturation (40-60 °C) were enthalpy 123.63 - 123.46 kJ.mol-1, entropy 120.24-122.28 kJ.mol-1 and Gibbs free energy 85.97 - 82.45 kJ.mol-1. Any peptide sequences compatible with this protease were found after analysis by MALDI-TOF, which suggests that it is a new serine protease.

Chitosan-citric acid edible coating to control Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and maintain quality parameters of fresh-cut guava.

This study aimed to verify the action of edible chitosan-citric acid (CHI-CA) coating to control Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and maintain quality parameters of fresh-cut guava. Chitosan was obtained from Litopenaeus vannamei shells using high temperature and short exposure times. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) of CHI-CA against C. gloeosporioides were determined by macrodilutions at 28 °C/120 h in the absence/presence of CHI-CA (0-10 mg/mL). Scanning electron microscopy was used to evaluate morphological changes in the fungus. Guava slices were coated with CHI-CA (MIC) or 5 mg/mL glycerol (control). Rot incidence and physicochemical, physical, and microbiological factors were determined at 0, 3, 7, and 14 days at 24 °C and 4 °C. Chitosan presented typical structural characterization, 64% deacetylation, and a molecular weight of 1.6 × 104 g/mol. CHI-CA exhibited MIC and MFC values of 5 mg/mL and 10 mg/mL, respectively, and promoted changes in the morphology and cell surface of fungal spores. The fresh-cut guava coated with CHI-CA maintained quality parameters during storage and preserved their sensorial characteristics. Therefore, the use of CHI-CA as a coating is a promising strategy for improving postharvest quality of fresh-cut fruits.

Maternal Supplementation With Avocado (Persea americana Mill.) Pulp and Oil Alters Reflex Maturation, Physical Development, and Offspring Memory in Rats.

Avocado (Persea americana Mill.) is an oleaginous fruit source of fatty acids with high levels of neuroprotective phytocomplexes. The objective of this study was to evaluate the development of reflex and somatic maturation, fatty acid profiles in the brain, and memory in different stages of life in the offspring of dams supplemented with avocado pulp and oil during gestation and lactation. The dams were randomly divided into three groups (n = 15 pups/group), and recieved by gavage supplementation: control group (CG)-distilled water; Avocado Oil (AO)-3,000 mg avocado oil/kg animal weight, and Avocado Pulp (AP)-3,000 mg avocado pulp/kg animal weight. We performed the following tests: Analysis of Somatic Development and Ontogeny of Postnatal Reflex (T0 to T21), the Open Field Habituation Test and the Object Recognition Test (ORT) in the adolescent (T45) and adult (T90) phases. The cerebral fatty acids content was evaluated at times T0, T21, T45, and T90. The results were analyzed using the statistical program GraphPad Prism and significant statistics were considered when p < 0.05. Acceleration of reflex maturation and reflex ontogeny was observed in the offspring of AO and AP fed dams, with the results being more pronounced in the pulp fed group (p < 0.05). All groups presented a decrease in the ambulation parameter in the second exposure to the Open Field Habituation Test, at T45 and T90 (p < 0.05). In the ORT, the AO and AP offspring presented memory improvements in the short and long term in the adult and adolescent phases (p < 0.05). The results of the brain fatty acid profiles presented higher polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) content in the AO and AP groups at T21, T45, and T90. The docosahexaenoic fatty acid (DHA) content was higher at T21 (AO and AP), at T45 (AO and AP), and at T90 (AP) (p < 0.05). The arachidonic acid (ARA) content was higher at T45 (AO and AP), and at T90 (AO) (p < 0.05). Maternal supplementation with avocado oil and pulp anticipates reflex maturation and somatic postnatal development, and improves memory during the adolescent and adult phases.

The effect of Isabel grape addition on the physicochemical, microbiological and sensory characteristics of probiotic goat milk yogurt.

Goat milk is an attractive food because of its nutritional properties, easy digestibility and hypoallergenicity. Goat milk yogurt is an appropriate matrix for the inclusion of new ingredients such as probiotic cultures, fruit and its derivatives. Grapes are rich in polyphenols and recognized for their health benefits. The aim of this study was to improve the quality characteristics of probiotic goat milk yogurt by the addition of an Isabel grape (Vitis labrusca L.) preparation (IGP). For this, the influence of the addition of IGP on the physicochemical, microbiological and sensory characteristics of goat milk yogurt containing the probiotic Lactobacillus acidophilus LA-05 was evaluated during 28 days of refrigerated storage (5 ± 0.5 °C). Four yogurt formulations were prepared, each varying in the added IGP amount, as follows: Y0 (not containing IGP), YG15 (containing 15 g per 100 mL of IGP), YG20 (containing 20 g per 100 mL of IGP), and YG25 (containing 25 g per 100 mL of IGP). All formulations showed probiotic counts ranging from 7 to 8 log CFU mL-1 over the assessed storage period. The addition of 20 g per 100 mL of IGP affected positively the colour, viscosity, and sensory acceptance of the yogurt formulations. The production of goat milk yogurt containing L. acidophilus LA-05 and IGP is an option for developing a new goat dairy product with added value due to the inclusion of components with potential functional properties.

Potential prebiotic properties of cashew apple (Anacardium occidentale L.) agro-industrial byproduct on Lactobacillus species.

BACKGROUND: The prebiotic effects of a cashew apple (Anacardium occidentale L.) agro-industrial byproduct powder (CAP) on different potentially probiotic Lactobacillus strains, namely Lactobacillus acidophilus LA-05, Lactobacillus casei L-26 and Lactobacillus paracasei L-10, were assessed using in vitro experimental models. Accordingly, the growth of the Lactobacillus strains when cultivated in a broth containing CAP (20 or 30 g L-1 ), glucose (20 g L-1 ) or fructooligosaccharides (FOS) (20 g L-1 ) was monitored over 48 h; the prebiotic activity scores of CAP were determined; and the changes in pH values, production of organic acids and consumption of sugars in growth media were verified. RESULTS: During the 48-h cultivation, similar viable cell counts were observed for the Lactobacillus strains grown in the different media tested. The CAP presented positive prebiotic activity scores toward all the tested Lactobacillus strains, indicating a desirable selective fermentable activity relative to enteric organisms. The cultivation of the Lactobacillus strains in broth containing glucose, FOS or CAP resulted in high viable cell counts, a decreased pH, the production of organic acids and the consumption of sugars over time, revealing intense bacterial metabolic activity. CONCLUSION: The CAP exerts potential prebiotic effects on different potentially probiotic Lactobacillus strains and should be an added-value ingredient for the food industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Goat whey ameliorates intestinal inflammation on acetic acid-induced colitis in rats.

Complementary or alternative medicine is of great interest for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease, with the aim of ameliorating the side effects of the drugs commonly used or improving their efficacy. In this study, we evaluated the ability of goat whey to prevent intestinal inflammation in the experimental model of acetic acid-induced rats and compared it to sulfasalazine. Pretreatment with goat whey (1, 2, and 4g/kg) and sulfasalazine (250mg/kg) on colitic rats improved colonic inflammatory markers, including myeloperoxidase activity, leukotriene B4 levels, as well as the production of proinflammatory cytokines IL-1ß and tumor necrosis factor-α. Furthermore, the administration of goat whey significantly reduced the colonic oxidative stress by reducing malondialdehyde levels and increased total glutathione content, a potent antioxidant peptide. The histological evaluation of the colonic specimens from colitic rats confirmed these beneficial effects, as goat whey preserved the colonic tissue, especially in those rats treated with the highest dose of goat whey or with sulfasalazine. The immunohistochemistry analysis of the colonic tissue evaluation also revealed a reduction in the expression of cyclooxygenase-2, inducible nitric oxide synthase, and matrix metalloproteinase-9, together with an increased expression of suppressor of cytokine signaling-1. These results suggest that goat whey exerted a preventive effect against the intestinal damage induced by acetic acid, showing a similar efficacy to that shown by sulfasalazine, therefore making it a potential treatment for human inflammatory bowel disease.

Effects of added Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium lactis probiotics on the quality characteristics of goat ricotta and their survival under simulated gastrointestinal conditions.

This study evaluated the effects of incorporating the probiotics Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis Bb-12 (B. lactis) or Lactobacillus acidophilus La-05 (L. acidophilus) into goat ricotta on the technological, physicochemical, physical and sensory parameters of this product during refrigerated storage, as well as the protective effects of the goat ricotta on the survival of the tested probiotics during exposure to simulated gastrointestinal conditions. Incorporating the tested probiotics did not affect the yield or syneresis of the obtained goat ricotta. The counts of L. acidophilus and B. lactis during the chosen storage period were approximately 6 log CFU/g. The ricotta samples containing a probiotic strain presented smaller and greater amounts of lactose and lactic acid, respectively, and exhibited greater hardness and lower brightness after storage compared with the samples lacking a probiotic. No differences were observed in the fatty acid profiles of the goat ricotta containing or not containing a probiotic. All of the ricotta samples were described as a soft cheese with a homogeneous texture; however, the goat ricotta cheeses containing L. acidophilus or B. lactis were described as having a more acidic flavor. At the end of a challenge using experimental human digestive conditions, the counts of each of the tested probiotic strains were approximately 6 log CFU/g if it had been incorporated into goat ricotta. These results demonstrated the feasibility of incorporating L. acidophilus or B. lactis into goat ricotta because these probiotics did not negatively affect the quality characteristics of this product and suggested that goat ricotta is an efficacious food matrix for maintaining the viability of these probiotics during storage and under the stressful conditions imposed by the human gastrointestinal tract.

Caracterização físico-química e sensorial de queijo de coalho produzido com mistura de leite de cabra e de leite de vaca / Quality and acceptance of goat milk coalho cheese with inclusion of cow milk

Nessa pesquisa objetivou-se avaliar o efeito da adição de leite bovino na fabricação de queijo coalho de leite de cabra nas características físico-químicas e sensoriais a fim de corroborar com a melhora da qualidade e aceitação do produto. Os queijos foram preparados com cinco proporções de mistura de leite caprino:bovino: Q1 (4:0); Q2 (3:1); Q3 (1:1); Q4 (1:3); Q5 (0:4), nas quais se utilizou um modelo estatístico inteiramente casualizado constando de cinco tratamentos e três repetições. As amostras foram submetidas às análises: microbiológicas, como controle de qualidade; físico-químicas: colorimétrica, derretimento, rendimento, umidade, gordura, proteína, extrato seco total, pH, atividade de água (Aw) e sensorial: teste de aceitabilidade e ordenação da preferência. Os valores médios mostraram-se significativos (p<0,05) para as análises de umidade, Extrato Seco Total (EST), proteína, cinzas, acidez e parâmetro colorimétrico b*. A avaliação global e a preferência dos consumidores, na análise sensorial, diferiram significativamente para o queijo elaborado com 100% de leite de cabra. A elaboração de queijos coalho a partir de misturas desses leites apresenta-se viável, tanto do ponto vista nutricional, quanto sensorial, representando uma potencial alternativa para a agroindústria de produtos lácteos.

Caracterização físico-química e sensorial de queijo de coalho produzido com mistura de leite de cabra e de leite de vaca / Quality and acceptance of goat milk coalho cheese with inclusion of cow milk

Nessa pesquisa objetivou-se avaliar o efeito da adição de leite bovino na fabricação de queijo coalho de leite de cabra nas características físico-químicas e sensoriais a fim de corroborar com a melhora da qualidade e aceitação do produto. Os queijos foram preparados com cinco proporções de mistura de leite caprino:bovino: Q1 (4:0); Q2 (3:1); Q3 (1:1); Q4 (1:3); Q5 (0:4), nas quais se utilizou um modelo estatístico inteiramente casualizado constando de cinco tratamentos e três repetições. As amostras foram submetidas às análises: microbiológicas, como controle de qualidade; físico-químicas: colorimétrica, derretimento, rendimento, umidade, gordura, proteína, extrato seco total, pH, atividade de água (Aw) e sensorial: teste de aceitabilidade e ordenação da preferência. Os valores médios mostraram-se significativos (p<0,05) para as análises de umidade, Extrato Seco Total (EST), proteína, cinzas, acidez e parâmetro colorimétrico b*. A avaliação global e a preferência dos consumidores, na análise sensorial, diferiram significativamente para o queijo elaborado com 100% de leite de cabra. A elaboração de queijos coalho a partir de misturas desses leites apresenta-se viável, tanto do ponto vista nutricional, quanto sensorial, representando uma potencial alternativa para a agroindústria de produtos lácteos. (AU)