Physicochemical and microbiological parameters during the manufacturing of a beer-type fermented beverage using selenized Saccharomycesboulardii.

Selenium is an essential trace element in human health. However, it has been considered a widespread selenium deficiency worldwide, although the recommended daily intake is very low (55 µg per day). Strategies have been implemented to comply with the recommended doses, for example, through bioavailable selenium such as selenoamino acids. Thus, this research aimed to elaborate on a beer-type fermented beverage produced with previously selenized Saccharomyces boulardii. For this, the yeast was selenized by adding a minimum inhibitory concentration of Na2SeO3 (74 ppm) to YPD media. Subsequently, barley must fermentations were carried out for 120 h. Kinetic parameters of the fermentation and physicochemical parameters and selenium content of the beverage were measured. The yeast accumulated up to 25.12 mg/g of dry cell. Furthermore, selenization affected the fermentation rate, but the beverage's physicochemical parameters were not different from those of the control. Due to the final concentration of selenium in the beverage (0.378 mg/kg), it is considered a process that confers advantages for the safe intake of selenium with bioavailable potential. In conclusion, fermented beverages enriched with organic selenium could be produced through cell selenization to produce functional beverages and food.

Bioactive peptides of whey: obtaining, activity, mechanism of action, and further applications.

Bioactive peptides derived from diverse food proteins have been part of diverse investigations. Whey is a rich source of proteins and components related to biological activity. It is known that proteins have effects that promote health benefits. Peptides derived from whey proteins are currently widely studied. These bioactive peptides are amino acid sequences that are encrypted within the first structure of proteins, which required hydrolysis for their release. The hydrolysis could be through in vitro or in vivo enzymatic digestion and using microorganisms in fermented systems. The biological activities associated with bio-peptides include immunomodulatory properties, antibacterial, antihypertensive, antioxidant and opioid, etc. These functions are related to general conditions of health or reduced risk of certain chronic illnesses. To determine the suitability of these peptides/ingredients for applications in food technology, clinical studies are required to evaluate their bioavailability, health claims, and safety of them. This review aimed to describe the biological importance of whey proteins according to the incidence in human health, their role as bioactive peptides source, describing methods, and obtaining technics. In addition, the paper exposes biochemical mechanisms during the activity exerted by biopeptides of whey, and their application trends.

Serine-enriched minimal medium enhances conversion of selenium into selenocysteine by Streptococcus thermophilus.

Selenium is included in selenoprotein sequences, which participate in enzymatic processes necessary to preserve optimal health. Some lactic acid bacteria carry out the biotransformation of inorganic selenium in their metabolism. The complete biochemical mechanism of selenium biotransformation is still unknown; however, it is known that both the selenocysteine synthesis process and its subsequent incorporation into selenoproteins include serine as part of the action of seryl-RNAt synthetase. Therefore, the aim of this work was to determine the effect of serine during the biotransformation of selenium and the subsequence growth of Streptococcus thermophilus in a minimal medium. Two culture media were prepared, one enriched with the minimum inhibitory concentration of selenite (as Na2SeO3) and the other as a mixture of the minimum inhibitory concentration of selenite and serine. The absorbed selenium concentration was measured by inductively coupled plasma, and the selenocysteine identification was performed by reverse-phase HPLC. In the second culture medium, decreases in both times, the adaptation and the logarithmic phase, were observed. According to the results, it was possible to establish that the presence of serine allowed the biotransformation of selenite into selenocysteine by Strep. thermophilus.

Rotational and translational mobility of small molecules in sucrose plus polysaccharide solutions.

The effect of different polysaccharides on the rotational (D(rot)) and translational diffusion (D(trans)) coefficients of small molecules in concentrated systems (sucrose solutions) was investigated. Dextran (1 or 10% w/w) with different molecular masses (from 10(4) to 2 x 10(6) Da), gum arabic, or pullulan was added to solutions of sucrose (57.5% w/w). Viscosity measurements of the diffusion medium studied (sucrose and sucrose plus polysaccharide) were made using a Rheometric Scientific viscometer in a temperature range from 20 to -10 degrees C. The rotational mobility of nitroxide radicals (Tempol) dispersed in the concentrated systems was measured by electron spin resonance. The translational diffusion coefficient of fluorescein was determined by the fluorescence recovery after photobleaching method. The studied temperature range for the latter two techniques was from 20 to -16 degrees C. For these conditions of concentration and temperature, there was no ice formation in the samples. No effect of the molecular mass of dextran on D(rot) and D(trans) was observed when solutions with the same dry matter content were compared. Only pullulan and gum arabic, at 10%, had a significant effect on D(trans)( )()of fluorescein. Temperature and total dry matter content were observed to be the most important factors controlling D(rot) and D(trans) in these concentrated systems.