Investigating the Effect of Melittin Peptide in Preventing Biofilm Formation, Adhesion and Expression of Virulence Genes in Listeria monocytogenes.

Listeria monocytogenes is a notable food-borne pathogen that has the ability to create biofilms on different food processing surfaces, making it more resilient to disinfectants and posing a greater risk to human health. This study assessed melittin peptide's anti-biofilm and anti-pathogenicity effects on L. monocytogenes ATCC 19115. Melittin showed minimum inhibitory concenteration (MIC) of 100 µg/mL against this strain and scanning electron microscopy images confirmed its antimicrobial efficacy. The OD measurement demonstrated that melittin exhibited a strong proficiency in inhibiting biofilms and disrupting pre-formed biofilms at concentrations ranging from 1/8MIC to 2MIC and this amount was 92.59 ± 1.01% to 7.17 ± 0.31% and 100% to 11.50 ± 0.53%, respectively. Peptide also reduced hydrophobicity and self-aggregation of L. monocytogenes by 35.25% and 14.38% at MIC. Melittin also significantly reduced adhesion to HT-29 and Caco-2 cells by 61.33% and 59%, and inhibited invasion of HT-29 and Caco-2 cells by 49.33% and 40.66% for L. monocytogenes at the MIC value. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) revealed melittin's impact on gene expression, notably decreasing inlB (44%) and agrA (45%) gene expression in L. monocytogenes. flaA and hly genes also exhibited reduced expression. Also, significant changes were observed in sigB and prfA gene expression. These results underscore melittin's potential in combating bacterial infections and biofilm-related challenges in the food industry.

Garlic bioactive substances and their therapeutic applications for improving human health: a comprehensive review.

Garlic (Allium sativum L.) is a widely abundant spice, known for its aroma and pungent flavor. It contains several bioactive compounds and offers a wide range of health benefits to humans, including those pertaining to nutrition, physiology, and medicine. Therefore, garlic is considered as one of the most effective disease-preventive diets. Many in vitro and in vivo studies have reported the sulfur-containing compounds, allicin and ajoene, for their effective anticancer, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, immune-boosting, and cardioprotective properties. As a rich natural source of bioactive compounds, including polysaccharides, saponins, tannins, linalool, geraniol, phellandrene, ß-phellandrene, ajoene, alliin, S-allyl-mercapto cysteine, and ß-phellandrene, garlic has many therapeutic applications and may play a role in drug development against various human diseases. In the current review, garlic and its major bioactive components along with their biological function and mechanisms of action for their role in disease prevention and therapy are discussed.

Social, ethical, environmental, economic and technological aspects of rabbit meat production - A critical review.

Rabbit (RM) has become a valuable source of nutrients since the 1970s, helping to transform the European food industry into the largest RM producer in the world. However, the RM industry is experiencing a critical period of ethical imbalance. This trend, described as feed conversion ratio, impacts the environmental and financial performance of RM farms, which could lead to an increase production of industrial waste. In addition, the loss of corporate ethical responsibility and sustainable development by RM-oriented companies has further exacerbated the situation. Our objective was to summarize current trends in the RM industry and markets, highlighting possible strengths and weaknesses. This review shows current approaches in sustainable techniques in RM production processes, ethical issue, environmental and processing responsibility of RM producers, as well as social responsibilities and ethical practices of slaughterhouses and RM producers, sustainable environmental practices of slaughterhouses, technological aspects and safety of RM and social drivers in RM market. The analysis of reviewed literature revealed the potential strategies for sustainable RM production.

Properties of modified chitosan-based films and coatings and their application in the preservation of edible mushrooms: A review.

Edible mushrooms are prone to deteriorate during storage. A Single chitosan film or coating has limitations in preservation. Therefore, this article focused on the improvement of modified chitosan-based films and coatings on properties related to storage quality of edible mushrooms (e.g.: safety, barrier, mechanical, antioxidant and antibacterial properties). Besides, the application of chitosan-based materials in the preservation of mushrooms was also discussed. The modified chitosan film and coating can slow down the respiration of mushrooms, inhibit the growth of microorganisms, protect antioxidant compositions, and regulate the activity of related enzymes, thus improving the quality and prolonging the shelf life of mushrooms. Meanwhile, the added ingredients improve the water and gas barrier properties of chitosan through volume and group occupation, and reduce the light transmittance of chitosan through light transmission, scattering and absorption. Essential oils and polyphenolic compounds had a better enhancement of antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of chitosan.

Quality and antioxidant potential of goat's milk paneer prepared from different citrus juices and its whey.

The experiments reported in this research paper aimed to evaluate the physico-chemical and sensory characteristics, microbial quality and antioxidant potential of goat's milk paneer during storage (0-12 d, 4 ± 1°C). The juices from five different citrus fruits were used as coagulant (treatments) to make goat's milk paneer. The pH of all paneer samples decreased during storage whereas titratable acidity increased. Ash (%) fat (%) and protein (%) of paneer increased slightly during storage, whereas sensory perception decreased. The juices from all the citrus fruit varieties showed high contents of total phenolics and total flavonoids which ultimately influenced ferric reducing antioxidant power, total antioxidant capacity and radical scavenging activities. As the contents of different juices were also retained in the paneer matrix, so paneer coagulated with citrus juices also showed encouraging results in terms of total phenolic and flavonoid contents, ferric reducing antioxidant power and radical scavenging activities. Amongst all the paneers, the most promising was that coagulated by kinnow juice. In addition, the whey obtained from paneer coagulated by citrus juices also showed appreciable quantities of total phenolic and flavonoid contents, thereby beneficially influencing ferric reducing antioxidant power andradical scavenging activities. It is concluded that citrus juices improve the sensorial quality and antioxidant potential of goat's milk paneer and its whey.

The Effect of Plasma-Activated Water Combined with Rosemary Extract (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) on the Physicochemical Properties of Frankfurter Sausage during Storage.

This study investigated the impact of plasma-activated water (PAW) and rosemary extract on the bacterial inactivation and quality attributes of Frankfurter sausages during a 6-day storage period. The antibacterial activity, total phenol content (TPC), and total flavonoid content (TFC) of the rosemary extract were evaluated. The TPC of the rosemary extract was 89.45 mg gallic acid/g dry weight, while the TFC was 102.3 mg QE/g dry weight. Even at low concentrations, the rosemary extract effectively inhibited the growth of all the tested pathogens using the Well Diffusion Agar method (WDA). The sausages were treated with different concentrations of PAW and rosemary extract and stored for 1 and 6 days. Sample B (100% rosemary extract + PAW treatment) showed the greatest reduction in microbial load and was selected for further analysis. Throughout the storage period, Sample B exhibited no significant changes in pH, moisture content, textural parameters, or sensory evaluation compared to the control group. However, the hardness and color parameters (L*, a*) of Sample B decreased, while the TBARS value increased after 6 days of storage. The combination of PAW and rosemary extract, particularly Sample B, effectively inhibited bacterial growth in the Frankfurter sausages without compromising most quality attributes. Some changes in hardness, color, and lipid oxidation were observed over the extended storage period.

Regulation of Tumor Apoptosis of Poriae cutis-Derived Lanostane Triterpenes by AKT/PI3K and MAPK Signaling Pathways In Vitro.

Poria cocos is traditionally used as both food and medicine. Triterpenoids in Poria cocos have a wide range of pharmacological activities, such as diuretic, sedative and tonic properties. In this study, the anti-tumor activities of poricoic acid A (PAA) and poricoic acid B (PAB), purified by high-speed counter-current chromatography, as well as their mechanisms and signaling pathways, were investigated using a HepG2 cell model. After treatment with PAA and PAB on HepG2 cells, the apoptosis was obviously increased (p < 0.05), and the cell cycle arrested in the G2/M phase. Studies showed that PAA and PAB can also inhibit the occurrence and development of tumor cells by stimulating the generation of ROS in tumor cells and inhibiting tumor migration and invasion. Combined Polymerase Chain Reaction and computer simulation of molecular docking were employed to explore the mechanism of tumor proliferation inhibition by PAA and PAB. By interfering with phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase/protein kinase B, Mitogen-activated protein kinases and p53 signaling pathways; and further affecting the expression of downstream caspases; matrix metalloproteinase family, cyclin-dependent kinase -cyclin, Intercellular adhesion molecules-1, Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 and Cyclooxygenase -2, may be responsible for their anti-tumor activity. Overall, the results suggested that PAA and PAB induced apoptosis, halted the cell cycle, and inhibited tumor migration and invasion through multi-pathway interactions, which may serve as a potential therapeutic agent against cancer.

Oxidative Stress Response of Probiotic Strain Bifidobacterium longum subsp. longum GT15.

Bifidobacterium is a predominant and important genus in the bacterial population of the human gut microbiota. Despite the increasing number of studies on the beneficial functionality of bifidobacteria for human health, knowledge about their antioxidant potential is still insufficient. Several in vivo and in vitro studies of Bifidobacterium strains and their cellular components have shown good antioxidant capacity that provided a certain protection of their own and the host's cells. Our work presents the data of transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic analyses of the growing and stationary culture of the probiotic strain B. longum subsp. longum GT15 after exposure to hydrogen peroxide for 2 h and oxygen for 2 and 4 h. The results of the analysis of the sequenced genome of B. longum GT15 showed the presence of 16 gene-encoding proteins with known antioxidant functions. The results of the full transcriptomic analysis demonstrated a more than two-fold increase of levels of transcripts for eleven genes, encoding proteins with antioxidant functions. Proteomic data analysis showed an increased level of more than two times for glutaredoxin and thioredoxin after the exposure to oxygen, which indicates that the thioredoxin-dependent antioxidant system may be the major redox homeostasis system in B. longum bacteria. We also found that the levels of proteins presumably involved in global stress, amino acid metabolism, nucleotide and carbohydrate metabolism, and transport had significantly increased in response to oxidative stress. The metabolic fingerprint analysis also showed good discrimination between cells responding to oxidative stress and the untreated controls. Our results provide a greater understanding of the mechanism of oxidative stress response in B. longum and the factors that contribute to its survival in functional food products.

Avian campylobacteriosis, prevalence, sources, hazards, antibiotic resistance, poultry meat contamination, and control measures: a comprehensive review.

Avian campylobacteriosis is a vandal infection that poses human health hazards. Campylobacter is usually colonized in the avian gut revealing mild signs in the infected birds, but retail chicken carcasses have high contamination levels of Campylobacter spp. Consequently, the contaminated avian products constitute the main source of human infection with campylobacteriosis and result in severe clinical symptoms such as diarrhea, abdominal pain, spasm, and deaths in sensitive cases. Thus, the current review aims to shed light on the prevalence of Campylobacter in broiler chickens, Campylobacter colonization, bird immunity against Campylobacter, sources of poultry infection, antibiotic resistance, poultry meat contamination, human health hazard, and the use of standard antimicrobial technology during the chicken processing of possible control strategies to overcome such problems.

Effects of degradation on the physicochemical and antioxidant properties of carboxymethyl pachymaran.

Poria cocos (Schw.) Wolf is a well-known edible and medicinal fungus. The polysaccharide in the sclerotium of P. cocos was extracted and prepared into carboxymethyl pachymaran (CMP). Three different degradation treatments including high temperature (HT), high pressure (HP) and gamma irradiation (GI) were used to process CMP. The changes in physicochemical properties and antioxidant activities of CMP were then comparatively investigated. We found that the molecular weights of HT-CMP, HP-CMP, and GI-CMP decreased from 787.9 kDa to 429.8, 569.5 and 6.0 kDa, respectively. Degradation treatments had no effect on the main chains of →3-ß-D-Glcp-(1 â†’ while changed the branched sugar residues. The polysaccharide chains of CMP were depolymerized after high pressure and gamma irradiation treatments. The three degradation methods improved the stability of CMP solution while decreased the thermal stability of CMP. In addition, we found that the GI-CMP with lowest molecular weight had the best antioxidant activity. Our results suggest that gamma irradiation treatment could degrade CMP as functional foods with strong antioxidant activity.

Spray-Dried Plasma Promotes Broiler Chick Growth by Enhancing Immune Surveillance.

Spray-dried plasma (SDP) contain a variety of functional proteins that play an immunomodulatory role. To evaluate the potential of SDP to stimulate the immune system, day-old Ross 708 male broiler chicks (200) were allocated randomly to five dietary treatments. Treatment 1 (CX) comprised chicks fed basal unmedicated corn-soybean meal (SBM) without the addition of SDP. Treatment 2 (MX) includes chicks fed unmedicated corn-SBM basal containing Bacitracin methylene disalicylate (BMD) at 0.055 g/kg diet. Treatments 3 (SDP1), 4 (SDP2), and 5 (SDP3) contained chicks given unmedicated corn-SBM basal, into which SDP was included at 10, 20, and 30 g/kg diet, respectively. On d 7, 14, and 21, chicks' body weight and FCR were calculated. Additionally, leucocyte counts, oxidative status, and IgY concentrations were determined in blood. On d 23, fecal populations of selected indicator bacteria species were determined. Results showed that FCR for SP3 was superior (p < 0.05) to other treatments. Likewise, heterophil numbers decreased in MX and SDP treatments compared to CX. Circulating IgY concentration was higher for SDP dietary treatments (p < 0.05) compared to MX. In conclusion, dietary SDP at 30 g/kg enhanced immune surveillance by increasing circulating IgY levels, maintaining a normal oxidative state, and increasing gut Bifidobacteria, thereby improving chick growth performance.

Evaluation of the Adsorption Efficacy of Bentonite on Aflatoxin M1 Levels in Contaminated Milk.

The existence of aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) in raw milk results in economic losses and public health risks. This research aims to examine the capability of bentonite to adsorb and/or eliminate AFM1 from various raw milk types. In addition, the effects of numerous bentonites (HAFR 1, 2, 3 and 4) on the nutritional characteristics of the milk were studied. Our findings revealed that goat milk had the highest value of AFM1 (490.30 ng/L) in comparison to other milks. AFM1 adsorption was influenced by applying bentonite (0.5 and 1 g) in a concentration-dependent manner for different time intervals (from 0 to 12 h). The percentage of AFM1 reached the maximum adsorption level after 12 h to 100, 98.5 and 98% for bentonites HAFR 3, 1 and 2, respectively. HAFR 3 (1 g bentonite) presented higher adsorption efficiency than other bentonites used in the phosphate buffer saline (PBS) and milk. Residual levels of AFM1 reached their lowest values of 0 and 1.5 ng/L while using HAFR 3 in PBS and milk, respectively. With regard to the influence of bentonite on the nutritional characteristics of milk, there was an increase in fat, protein and solid non-fat ratio while using HAFR 3 and 4, yet decreased lactose in comparison with the control. Scanning Electron Microscopy and Fourier Transform-Infrared Spectroscopy both identified bentonites as superior AFM1 binders. The results demonstrated that bentonite, particularly HAFR 3, was the most effective adsorbent and could thus be a promising candidate for the decontamination of AFM1 in milk.

Exploring the Amino-Acid Composition, Secondary Structure, and Physicochemical and Functional Properties of Chickpea Protein Isolates.

This study examined the amino-acid profile, secondary structure, and physicochemical and functional properties of proteins isolated from Anatolian chickpea landraces. Secondary objective of the study was to determine whether a relationship exists between the amino-acid composition and physicochemical and functional properties. Aspartic acid and glutamic acid were the dominant amino acids, while the isolates were deficient in methionine. Secondary structures were determined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, where the ß-sheet was shown to be dominant. The denaturation temperature of the isolates was between 87 and 145 °C, and the highest net surface charge (≃28.6 mV) and solubility (∼95.0%) were observed at pH 9.0-10.0. The isolates' water-holding capacity varied between 2.1 and 2.7 g water/g protein, whereas their oil-holding capacity ranged between 3.4 and 4.4 g oil/g protein. Emulsion capacity, emulsifying activity, and the stability indices of isolates were found to be between 401.2 and 469.1 g oil/g protein, 14.5 and 25.7 m2/g, and 45.7 and 146.9 min, respectively. Isolates of Hisar and Erzincan chickpeas exhibited good emulsifying properties. The Yasa isolate had a relatively high hydrophobic amino-acid content and delivered the best gelation performance. Overall, significant differences in the characteristics of proteins were observed among the different chickpea landraces studied.

Additional advances related to the health benefits associated with kombucha consumption.

Kombucha is a fermented, acidic beverage that dates back thousands of years as a remedy for various health problems in East Asia. Due to its health benefits, kombucha has gained popularity and attracted the attention of both consumers and researchers. The health benefits of kombucha are predominantly attributed to its bioactive compounds that have antioxidant, antimicrobial, probiotic, and other positive effects owing to fermentation. Many factors such as the type of the substrate used, the symbiotic culture of the bacterial yeast composition, and fermentation conditions influence the extent of these properties. This review focuses on recent developments regarding the bioactive constituents of kombucha and its potential health benefits (antimicrobial, antioxidant, antidiabetic, hepatoprotective effects) as well as its impact on multiple sclerosis, nephrotoxicity, gastric ulceration and gut microbiota. Additionally, the composition of kombucha, alternative uses of its biofilm, and potential toxicity are also discussed. Kombucha is a healthy and safe beverage with multiple health benefits that are primarily related to the presence of bacteria, yeasts, and other bioactive constituents. Moreover, kombucha has been suggested as a potential source of probiotics and eco-friendly materials (kombucha-derived bacterial cellulose) for several industries including food and textile.

Design and Volatile Compound Profiling of Starter Cultures for Yogurt Preparation.

Stable symbiotic starter cultures were created using selected strains of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and Streptococcus salivarius subsp. thermophilus with antimicrobial activity against pathogens and necessary antibiotic sensitivity, growth kinetic parameters, and metabolic profiles. The volatile compound profiles of the obtained starter cultures were determined and their specificity was proven depending on the ratio of monocultures in each combination. The influence of the freeze-drying process on the starter cultures in relation to the production of aromatic components was investigated and it was demonstrated that this process had a significant effect on the content of the aroma-forming substances in the fermented milk. However, the influence of the pre-cooling process and crude fat content from 1.5 to 3.0% did not notably affect the levels of volatile compounds synthesized by the selected starter cultures. Comprehensive data for all volatile aromatic metabolites in the fermented milk were also obtained. These designed symbiotic starter cultures can be used to produce traditional Bulgarian yogurt with increased functional and probiotic properties.

Influence of baking and frying conditions on acrylamide formation in various prepared bakery, snack, and fried products.

The core objective of the present study was to evaluate the influence of baking/frying times and temperatures on the formation of acrylamide in bakery, snack, and fried products such as biscuits, muffins, pizza, cakes, samosa, paratha rolls, nuggets, and potato cutlets during baking/frying at different times and temperature conditions. First of all, the raw material, especially flour, was tested for its proximate composition and rheological characteristics. The quantification of acrylamide produced during the processing of different products was carried out through the HPLC method. A sensory evaluation of these food samples was also carried out to find out the acceptability differences. The raw material was found to have good rheological properties and proximate composition. The results revealed that different times and temperature regimes influenced the formation of acrylamide in those products. Among the bakery products, the highest concentrations of acrylamide were observed in biscuits (126.52 µg/kg) followed by muffins (84.24 µg/kg), cake (71.21 µg/kg), and pizza (62.42 µg/kg). The higher contents of acrylamide were found in paratha roll (165.92 µg/kg) compared to samosa (100.43 µg/kg), whereas among snacks, potato cutlets (135.71 µg/kg) showed higher concentrations than nuggets (43.04 µg/kg). It was observed that baking or frying all the investigated products at higher temperatures produced slightly more acrylamide concentrations. The prepared products in the present study were also accepted sensorially by the panel of judges. So, it was concluded that baking or frying at higher temperatures resulted in higher concentrations of acrylamide compounds in different products in the present study.

An insight into bisphenol A, food exposure and its adverse effects on health: A review.

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a synthetic chemical widely employed to synthesize epoxy resins, polymer materials, and polycarbonate plastics. BPA is abundant in the environment, i.e., in food containers, water bottles, thermal papers, toys, medical devices, etc., and is incorporated into soil/water through leaching. Being a potent endocrine disrupter, and has the potential to alter several body mechanisms. Studies confirmed its anti-androgen action and estrogen-like effects, which impart many negative health impacts, especially on the immune system, neuroendocrine process, and reproductive mechanism. Moreover, it can also induce mutagenesis and carcinogenesis, as per recent scientific research. This review focuses on BPA's presence and concentrations in different environments, food sources and the basic mechanisms of BPA-induced toxicity and health disruptions. It is a unique review of its type because it focuses on the association of cancer, hormonal disruption, immunosuppression, and infertility with BPA. These issues are widespread today, and BPA significantly contributes to their incidence because of its wide usage in daily life utensils and other accessories. The review also discusses researched-based measures to cope with the toxic chemical.

The Influence of Prebiotics on Wheat Flour, Dough, and Bread Properties; Resistant Starch, Polydextrose, and Inulin.

The addition of prebiotics to bread is one of the most important ways to improve its techno-functional properties. In this study, the effects of resistant starch, polydextrose, and inulin on wheat flour, dough, and bread properties were investigated. The farinography results showed that resistant starch significantly increased the development time (2:18) via a boosting effect; however, polydextrose (1:48) and inulin (1:36) weakened the dough (p < 0.05). Inulin, polydextrose, and resistant starch had the greatest effect on reducing water absorption (40, 43.2, and 48.9), respectively, (p < 0.05). According to extensography data, the addition of inulin produced the best result in baking compared to other polysaccharides. In terms of baked breads, the samples containing resistant starch had high moisture content that could be due to starch gelatinization and moisture-retention, which delays the staling process of the bread. Inulin, polydextrose, and resistant starch prebiotic ingredients affected the rheological properties of the dough, overall bread quality and organoleptic characteristics; however, resistant starch was the best prebiotic used in this study.

Potential impact of ultrasound, pulsed electric field, high-pressure processing and microfludization against thermal treatments preservation regarding sugarcane juice (Saccharum officinarum).

Sugarcane juice (Saccharum officinarum) is a proven nutritious beverage with high levels of antioxidants, polyphenols, and other beneficial nutrients. It has recently gained consumer interest due to its high nutritional profile and alkaline nature. Still, high polyphenolic and sugar content start the fermentation in juice, resulting in dark coloration. Lately, some novel techniques have been introduced to extend shelf life and improve the nutritional value of sugarcane juice. The introduction of such processing technologies is beneficial over conventional processes and essential for producing chemical-free, high-quality, fresh juices. The synergistic impact of these novel technologies is also advantageous for preserving sugarcane juice. In literature, novel thermal, non-thermal and hurdle technologies have been executed to preserve sugarcane juice. These technologies include high hydrostatic pressure (HHP), ultrasound (US), pulsed electric field (PEF), ultraviolet irradiation (UV), ohmic heating (OH), microwave (MW), microfludization and ozone treatment. This review manifests the impact of novel thermal, non-thermal, and synergistic technologies on sugarcane juice processing and preservation characteristics. Non-thermal techniques have been successfully proved effective and showed better results than novel thermal treatments. Because they reduced microbial load and retained nutritional content, while thermal treatments degraded nutrients and flavor of sugarcane juice. Among non-thermal treatments, HHP is the most efficient technique for the preservation of sugarcane juice while OH is preferable in thermal techniques due to less nutritional loss.

Loading of fish oil into ß-cyclodextrin nanocomplexes for the production of a functional yogurt.

Omega-3 fatty acids play a role in achieving optimal health and in protection against diseases. Although instability and oxidation of its essential fatty acids has limited its use in food products. Among the strategies used to prevent these challenges, the encapsulation technique has been the most successful method. Therefore, in this study, ß-cyclodextrin (BCD) inclusion complexes were applied for encapsulation of fish oil and its addition into yogurt for fortification. Physicochemical properties of produced yogurt as well as sensory tests were investigated during 21 days of storage at 4 °C. The results showed that encapsulation of fish oil with BCD significantly reduced the acidity, peroxide value, and syneresis of yogurt while increasing docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). In conclusion, the results demonstrated that yoghurt fortified with encapsulated fish oil has similar sensory qualities to the control sample than yoghurt fortified with free fish oil.