Binding and removal of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in cold smoked sausage and beef using probiotic strains.

The aim of this study is to bio-monitor the levels of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in cold smoked beef and sausages. The ability of probiotics to remove PAHs was also investigated as function of the cell viability (viable, non-viable and acid-treated cells), bacterial counts (107, 108, and 109 CFU/mL), pH (3, 5, and 7), and incubation time (6, 12, and 24 h). The results indicated a significant difference (p < 0.05) among the analyzed sausages and beef samples for the PAHs concentration. Non-viable probiotics achieved the highest PAHs reduction rates. Limosilactobacillus fermentum EMCC 1346 presented the lowest binding activity value (i.e. 41.10-56.80 %) for all PAHs, followed by Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus EMCC 1105 with binding percentage of 50.40-65.80 %. On the other hand, the highest removal for all PAHs was achieved by Lactobacillus bulgaricus EMCC 1102 with binding rate of 60.50-76.80 %, at 109 CFU/mL, pH 7, after incubation for 24 h. The fortified sausages results revealed that L. bulgaricus EMCC 1102 cultures exhibited the maximum and significant reduction (p < 0.05) of PAHs with values of 44.71 µg/kg for the center part, compared to control non treated sausages (82.65 µg/kg). Regarding the sensorial profile, treated samples with probiotics led to a preference from the panelists, compared to control. Consequently, the results confirm that fermented probiotic suspension is a feasible future strategy to control PAHs levels in cold smoked meat stuffs.

Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Charcoal, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae as Aflatoxin Adsorbents in Chocolate.

The high incidence of aflatoxins (AFs) in chocolates suggests the necessity to create a practical and cost-effective processing strategy for eliminating mycotoxins. The present study aimed to assess the adsorption abilities of activated charcoal (A. charcoal), yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), and the probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus as AFs adsorbents in three forms-sole, di- and tri-mix-in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) through an in vitro approach, simulated to mimic the conditions present in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) based on pH, time and AFs concentration. In addition, the novel fortification of chocolate with A. charcoal, probiotic, and yeast (tri-mix adsorbents) was evaluated for its effects on the sensory properties. Using HPLC, 60 samples of dark, milk, bitter, couverture, powder, and wafer chocolates were examined for the presence of AFs. Results showed that all the examined samples contained AFs, with maximum concentrations of 2.32, 1.81, and 1.66 µg/kg for powder, milk, and dark chocolates, respectively. The combined treatment demonstrated the highest adsorption efficiency (96.8%) among all tested compounds. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis revealed the tested adsorbents to be effective AF-binding agents. Moreover, the novel combination of tri-mix fortified chocolate had a minor cytotoxicity impact on the adsorptive abilities, with the highest binding at pH 6.8 for 4 h, in addition to inducing an insignificant effect on the sensory attributes of dark chocolate. Tri-mix is thus recommended in the manufacturing of dark chocolate in order to enhance the safety of the newly developed product.