Companilactobacillus alimentarius: An extensive characterization of strains isolated from spontaneous fermented sausages.

Companilactobacillus alimentarius is a facultatively heterofermentative lactic acid bacterium (LAB) that is a significant constituent within the microbiota of various traditional fermented foods exerting several functions in fermentative or ripening processes. This species has been isolated from Spanish fermented sausages, where its frequency of isolation was comparable to those of Latilactobacillus sakei and Latilactobacillus curvatus. Despite to its presence in several niches, ecological information on this species is still scarce and only few publications report information about its safety features (i.e. antibiotic resistance). Since studies on C. alimentarius concern the analysis of a few individual traits regarding this species, a more extensive work on a larger number of isolates from the same matrix have been performed to allow a clearer interpretation of their phenotypic and technological characteristics. Specifically, 14 strains of C. alimentarius isolated from Mediterranean spontaneously fermented sausages, have been screened for their safety and technological characteristics (such as antibiotic resistance, biogenic amine production, inhibiting potential, growth at different temperatures and NaCl concentrations) and with phenotype microarrays with the aim to elucidate their potential role and contribution to sausage fermentation and ripening. In general, a wide variability was observed in relation to the parameters considered. Several of the tested strains were able to produce histamine, tyramine and putrescine while the antibiotic resistance greatly varied according to the strains, with the exception of vancomycin. In addition, C. alimentarius strains showed a relevant potential to grow in conditions of salt and temperature mimicking those found in fermented foods. In particular, the growth at 10 °C and in the presence of salt can explain the presence of C. alimentarius in sausages and its adaptation to fermented meat environment in which low temperature can be applied during ripening. The differentiation of the phenotypic profile reflected the environmental conditions that influenced the isolation source, including those derived by the raw materials. Given the species frequent association with spontaneous fermentations or the ripening microbiota of various products, despite not being intentionally used as starter cultures, the data presented in this study contribute to a deeper comprehension of their role, both advantageous and detrimental, in numerous significant fermented foods.

Genome engineering of Stx1-and Stx2-converting bacteriophages unveils the virulence of the dairy isolate Escherichia coli O174:H2 strain UC4224.

The past decade witnessed the emergence in Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infections linked to the consumption of unpasteurized milk and raw milk cheese. The virulence of STEC is primarily attributed to the presence of Shiga toxin genes (stx1 and stx2) carried by Stx-converting bacteriophages, along with the intimin gene eae. Most of the available information pertains to the "Top 7" serotypes associated with STEC infections. The objectives of this study were to characterize and investigate the pathogenicity potential of E. coli UC4224, a STEC O174:H2 strain isolated from semi-hard raw milk cheese and to develop surrogate strains with reduced virulence for use in food-related studies. Complete genome sequence analysis of E. coli UC4224 unveiled the presence of a Stx1a bacteriophage, a Stx2a bacteriophage, the Locus of Adhesion and Autoaggregation (LAA) pathogenicity island, plasmid-encoded virulence genes, and other colonization facilitators. In the Galleria mellonella animal model, E. coli UC4224 demonstrated high pathogenicity potential with an LD50 of 6 CFU/10 µL. Upon engineering E. coli UC4224 to generate single and double mutant derivatives by inactivating stx1a and/or stx2a genes, the LD50 increased by approximately 1 Log-dose in the single mutants and 2 Log-doses in the double mutants. However, infectivity was not completely abolished, suggesting the involvement of other virulence factors contributing to the pathogenicity of STEC O174:H2. Considering the possibility of raw milk cheese serving as a reservoir for STEC, cheesemaking model was developed to evaluate the survival of UC4224 and the adequacy of the respective mutants as reduced-virulence surrogates. All tested strains exhibited the ability to survive the curd cooking step at 48°C and multiplied (3.4 Log CFU) in cheese within the subsequent 24 h. These findings indicate that genomic engineering did not exert any unintended effect on the double stx1-stx2 mutant behaviour, making it as a suitable less-virulent surrogate for conducting studies during food processing.

Clostridium tyrobutyricum occurrence in silages and cattle feed: Use of molecular and simulation data to optimize predictive models.

Introduction: Poor quality silage can derive from the presence of deleterious microorganisms such as clostridia. Their dissemination along the food chain, especially in milk, causes issues such as the cheese late-blowing defect, particularly triggered by Clostridium tyrobutyricum. The scope of our study was to determine the C. tyrobutyricum occurrence in three different farms across four time periods in relation to the animal diets, specifically the Total Mixed Ration (TMR), by using real-time PCR. Methods: For this purpose, molecular-derived data were exploited to optimize a predictive model that simulated the farm conditions favoring the growth of butyric acid bacteria such as C. tyrobutyricum. Results: Our results showed that the originally utilized predictive model strongly underestimated the growth of C. tyrobutyricum in comparison to the molecular data. At the same time, our findings uncovered an additional source of contamination in the TMR related to silage and dietary residues that represent a reservoir of microbial contamination during successive TMR preparation. Based on these findings, the optimization of the model parameters such as growth rate range and the inclusion of the residues in the model, allowed a more accurate prediction of the contamination levels. Therefore, this study revealed that proper hygiene practices such as the removal of silage and TMR residues within the farm environment is essential to control the contamination by C. tyrobutyricum and avoid food waste and economic losses.

Taxonomical Identification and Safety Characterization of Lactobacillaceae from Mediterranean Natural Fermented Sausages.

Fermented meat products represent an important industrial sector in Europe, particularly in the Mediterranean Countries (MC), where the presence of numerous local productions, still obtained through spontaneous fermentation, is recognized as a formidable treasure chest of unexplored microbial biodiversity. Lactobacillaceae naturally occurring in fifteen spontaneously fermented sausages from MC (Italy, Spain, Croatia, and Slovenia) were isolated and taxonomically characterized using molecular techniques. Additionally, a safety assessment for the presence of antibiotic resistances and biogenic amine (BA) production was performed to determine their suitability as autochthonous starter cultures. Molecular typing, performed using REP-PCR, discriminated 151 strains belonging to Latilactobacillus sakei (59.6%), Latilactobacillus curvatus (26.5%) and Companilactobacillus alimentarius (13.9%). The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of eight different antibiotics revealed a high resistance to streptomycin (27%), tetracycline (16%), followed by gentamycin (14%) and kanamycin (13%). Interestingly, the results showed a geographical distribution of resistant biotypes. tetM/tetS or ermB genes were identified in only six strains. The amino-biogenic potential of the strains was assessed, confirming the absence of this trait among L. sakei, while a high number of producer strains was found among L. curvatus. On the 151 analyzed strains, 45 demonstrated safety traits for their future use as starter food cultures. These results open the way to further studies on the technological properties of these promising autochthonous strains, strongly linked to the Mediterranean environment.

Effects of Rubus fruticosus and Juniperus oxycedrus derivatives on culturability and viability of Listeria monocytogenes.

The consumers' demand for safe foods without chemical additives increased the research for green solutions, based on natural antimicrobials. Plants can be an important source of bioactive compounds able to prevent the development of foodborne pathogens and spoilage microflora. This paper aimed to characterize phenolic extracts (PEs) and essential oils (EOs) obtained from Mediterranean Rubus fruticosus leaves and Juniperus oxycedrus needles and to evaluate their antimicrobial effects against Listeria monocytogenes Scott A. The growth dynamics with sub-lethal concentrations of plant derivatives were modeled and flow cytometry was used to better evidence the effect on cell viability and culturability. The results showed that these plant derivatives affected the growth of L. monocytogenes, increasing lag phase (about 40 h in the presence of PEs vs. 8 h in the control) and decreasing the final cell load of at least 1 log cycle with respect to the control. R. fruticosus EO was the most effective, determining an initial decrease of cell counts of about 6 log cycles, followed by a restart of growth after 10 h, with rate similar to the control (0.08 with R. fruticosus EO vs. 0.09 ((log CFU/ml)/h in the control) but significantly lower final cell load (7.33 vs. 8.92 log CFU/ml). According to flow cytometry, only R. fruticosus EO induced a relevant increase of dead cells, while the other plant derivatives determined different extent of sub-lethal cell injury. The discrepancy observed in some cases between viability and culturability could indicate the presence of cells not able to grow in culture media, whose fate needs to be further investigated to assess their potential recovery, thus bringing to an overestimation of the antimicrobial effect of these substances. This research contributed to increase the knowledge of these underused raw materials such as blackberry leaves and juniper needles that can be exploited in food and other industries.

Genomic Insights of Enterococcus faecium UC7251, a Multi-Drug Resistant Strain From Ready-to-Eat Food, Highlight the Risk of Antimicrobial Resistance in the Food Chain.

The presence of multi-drug resistant (MDR) bacteria in ready-to-eat foods comprises a threat for public health due to their ability to acquire and transfer antibiotic-resistant determinants that could settle in the microbiome of the human digestive tract. In this study, Enterococcus faecium UC7251 isolated from a fermented dry sausage was characterized phenotypically and genotypically to hold resistance to multiple antibiotics including aminoglycosides, macrolides, ß-lactams, and tetracyclines. We further investigated this strain following a hybrid sequencing and assembly approach (short and long reads) and determined the presence of various mobile genetic elements (MGEs) responsible of horizontal gene transfer (HGT). On the chromosome of UC7251, we found one integrative and conjugative element (ICE) and a conjugative transposon Tn916-carrying tetracycline resistance. UC7251 carries two plasmids: one small plasmid harboring a rolling circle replication and one MDR megaplasmid. The latter was identified as mobilizable and containing a putative integrative and conjugative element-like region, prophage sequences, insertion sequences, heavy-metal resistance genes, and several antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes, confirming the phenotypic resistance characteristics. The transmissibility potential of AMR markers was observed through mating experiments, where Tn916-carried tetracycline resistance was transferred at intra- and inter-species levels. This work highlights the significance of constant monitoring of products of animal origin, especially RTE foodstuffs, to stimulate the development of novel strategies in the race for constraining the spread of antibiotic resistance.

COVID-19 seen from a syndemic perspective: Impact of unhealthy habits and future perspectives to combat these negative interactions in Latin America.

COVID-19 has to this point led to more than 5 million deaths and has imposed numerous measures restricting populations worldwide, including Latin America (LA). However, analyzing COVID-19 from the perspective of a syndemic, it demonstrates the relationship between the interaction of multiple comorbidities and the increase of contagion in people who are socially vulnerable. The number of deaths by COVID-19 in LA is strongly associated with multi-morbidities (diabetes, obesity, sedentary, smoking, among others) and disproportionately attacks communities located in poorer, low-income regions and ethnic minorities. This review aims to revisit the relationship between COVID-19 and both unhealthy living habits (i.e., sedentary lifestyle, poor nutritional habits, overweight and obesity, smoking) and cardiovascular disease in Latin American countries. In addition, this review aims to introduce strategies and policies that combat social inequalities and enable healthy living behaviors in LA countries. If LA countries do not work on public policies that decrease multi-morbidities and social inequalities, we will be unable to eliminate COVID-19, as well as possible other outbreaks that may arise in the future.

Variations in the Composition, Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities of Cystoseira compressa during Seasonal Growth.

The underexplored biodiversity of seaweeds has recently drawn great attention from researchers to find the bioactive compounds that might contribute to the growth of the blue economy. In this study, we aimed to explore the effect of seasonal growth (from May to September) on the in vitro antioxidant (FRAP, DPPH, and ORAC) and antimicrobial effects (MIC and MBC) of Cystoseira compressa collected in the Central Adriatic Sea. Algal compounds were analyzed by UPLC-PDA-ESI-QTOF, and TPC and TTC were determined. Fatty acids, among which oleic acid, palmitoleic acid, and palmitic acid were the dominant compounds in samples. The highest TPC, TTC and FRAP were obtained for June extract, 83.4 ± 4.0 mg GAE/g, 8.8 ± 0.8 mg CE/g and 2.7 ± 0.1 mM TE, respectively. The highest ORAC value of 72.1 ± 1.2 µM TE was obtained for the August samples, and all samples showed extremely high free radical scavenging activity and DPPH inhibition (>80%). The MIC and MBC results showed the best antibacterial activity for the June, July and August samples, when sea temperature was the highest, against Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, and Salmonella enteritidis. The results show C. compressa as a potential species for the industrial production of nutraceuticals or functional food ingredients.

Mediterranean Spontaneously Fermented Sausages: Spotlight on Microbiological and Quality Features to Exploit Their Bacterial Biodiversity.

The wide array of spontaneously fermented sausages of the Mediterranean area can represent a reservoir of microbial biodiversity and can be an important source of new technological and functional strains able to preserve product properties, counteracting the impoverishment of their organoleptic typical features due to the introduction of commercial starter cultures. We analysed 15 artisanal salamis from Italy, Spain, Croatia and Slovenia to evaluate the microbiota composition, through culture-dependent and culture-independent techniques (i.e., metagenomic analysis), chemical-physical features, biogenic amines and aroma profile. The final pH varied according to origin and procedures (e.g., higher pH in Italian samples due to long ripening and mold growth). Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and coagulase-negative cocci (CNC) were the dominant population, with highest LAB counts in Croatian and Italian samples. Metagenomic analysis showed high variability in qualitative and quantitative microbial composition: among LAB, Latilactobacillus sakei was the dominant species, but Companilactobacillus spp. was present in high amounts (45-55% of the total ASVs) in some Spanish sausages. Among staphylococci, S. epidermidis, S. equorum, S. saprophyticus, S. succinus and S. xylosus were detected. As far as biogenic amines, tyramine was always present, while histamine was found only in two Spanish samples. These results can valorize the bacterial genetic heritage present in Mediterranean products, to find new candidates of autochthonous starter cultures or bioprotective agents.

Colorimetric Point-of-Care Detection of Clostridium tyrobutyricum Spores in Milk Samples.

Clostridium tyrobutyricum represents the main spoiling agent responsible for late blowing defects (LBD) in hard and semi-hard cheeses. Its spores are resistant to manufacturing procedures and can germinate during the long ripening process, causing the burst of the cheese paste with a consequent undesirable taste. The lower quality of blown cheeses leads to considerable financial losses for the producers. The early identification of spore contaminations in raw milk samples thus assumes a pivotal role in industrial quality control. Herein, we developed a point of care (POC) testing method for the sensitive detection of C. tyrobutyricum in milk samples, combining fast DNA extraction (with no purification steps) with a robust colorimetric loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) technique. Our approach allows for the sensitive and specific detection of C. tyrobutyricum spores (limit of detection, LoD: ~2 spores/mL), with the advantage of a clear naked-eye visualization of the results and a potential semi-quantitative discrimination of the contamination level. In addition, we demonstrated the feasibility of this strategy using a portable battery-operated device that allowed both DNA extraction and amplification steps, proving its potential for on-site quality control applications without the requirement of sophisticated instrumentation and trained personnel.

Genome-based studies indicate that the Enterococcus faecium Clade B strains belong to Enterococcus lactis species and lack of the hospital infection associated markers.

Enterococcus lactis and the heterotypic synonym Enterococcus xinjiangensis from dairy origin have recently been identified as a novel species based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. Enterococcus faecium type strain NCTC 7171T was used as the reference genome for determining E. lactis and E. faecium to be separate species. However, this taxonomic classification did not consider the diverse lineages of E. faecium, and the double nature of hospital-associated (clade A) and community-associated (clade B) isolates. Here, we investigated the taxonomic relationship among isolates of E. faecium of different origins and E. lactis, using a genome-based approach. Additional to 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, we estimated the relatedness among strains and species using phylogenomics based on the core pangenome, multilocus sequence typing, the average nucleotide identity and digital DNA-DNA hybridization. Moreover, following the available safety assessment schemes, we evaluated the virulence profile and the ampicillin resistance of E. lactis and E. faecium clade B strains. Our results confirmed the genetic and evolutionary differences between clade A and the intertwined clade B and E. lactis group. We also confirmed the absence in these strains of virulence gene markers IS16, hylEfm and esp and the lack of the PBP5 allelic profile associated with ampicillin resistance. Taken together, our findings support the reassignment of the strains of E. faecium clade B as E. lactis.

Vaginal bacterial diversity from healthy gilts and pregnant sows subjected to natural mating or artificial insemination.

The profitability of commercial pig farms largely depends on the reproductive performance of gilts and sows. The aim of this study was to identify differences in the composition and diversity of vaginal microbiota between gilts (G) and pregnant (P) sows, both artificially inseminated (AI) and natural mating (NM). Samples were collected by scraping the vaginal mucosa of G (n = 10) and P (NM, n = 10 and AI, n = 7) sows. Samples were analysed by culture-dependent techniques and 16S-rRNA gene High-Throughput-Sequencing. The profiles of the cultured microbiota showed two distinctive clusters, one of them grouped four samples of P sows from the AI group. The vaginal microbiota from P had lower richness than G sows (Mann-Whitney/Kruskal-Wallis test, p < 0.01), but all vaginal samples had a similar diversity. The PERMANOVA analyses revealed significant differences (p < 0.01) between the microbial communities' structures from G and P sows. The bacteria phyla with the highest relative abundances were Proteobacteria (33.1%), followed by Firmicutes (32%), Cyanobacteria (13.3%) and Actinobacteria (13.2%). The relative abundance for phyla, families and genera was estimated and Proteobacteria was significantly higher (p = 0.038) in P than in G sows; Firmicutes was significantly lower in AI than G and NM sows. A "core microbiota" included Lactobacillus, Bacillus, Enterococcus, Acinetobacter and Pseudomonas. The results presented highlight the differences in the bacterial composition between G and P sows, as well as the changes in the microbial populations associated with the breeding method.

Draft Genome Sequence of Lactobacillus helveticus Lh 23, Isolated from Natural Whey Starter.

Lactobacillus helveticus is a thermophilic lactic acid bacterium that is widely employed as a starter culture for manufacturing several Swiss and Italian hard-cooked cheeses. The sequencing of L. helveticus Lh 23, which consists of 2,100,230 bp with a GC content of 36.5%, reveals industrially useful traits and interesting metabolic pathways.

Lactic Acid Bacteria Adjunct Cultures Exert a Mitigation Effect against Spoilage Microbiota in Fresh Cheese.

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) have a strong mitigation potential as adjunct cultures to inhibit undesirable bacteria in fermented foods. In fresh cheese with low salt concentration, spoilage and pathogenic bacteria can affect the shelf life with smear on the surface and packaging blowing. In this work, we studied the spoilage microbiota of an Italian fresh cheese to find tailor-made protective cultures for its shelf life improvement. On 14-tested LAB, three of them, namely Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus LRH05, Latilactobacillus sakei LSK04, and Carnobacterium maltaromaticum CNB06 were the most effective in inhibiting Gram-negative bacteria. These cultures were assessed by the cultivation-dependent and DNA metabarcoding approach using in vitro experiments and industrial trials. Soft cheese with and without adjunct cultures were prepared and stored at 8 and 14 °C until the end of the shelf life in modified atmosphere packaging. Data demonstrated that the use of adjunct cultures reduce and/or modulate the growth of spoilage microbiota at both temperatures. Particularly, during industrial experiments, C. maltaromaticum CNB06 and Lcb. rhamnosus RH05 lowered psychrotrophic bacteria of almost 3 Log CFU/g in a 5-week stored cheese. On the contrary, Llb. sakei LSK04 was able to colonize the cheese but it was not a good candidate for its inhibition capacity. The combined approach applied in this work allowed to evaluate the protective potential of LAB strains against Gram-negative communities.

Bacterial communities associated to the urethra of healthy gilts and pregnant sows undergoing different reproductive protocols.

Nowadays, it is known that the urogenital microbiota plays a key role in the urinary health of mammalians. Despite the urinary infections affect the health and the welfare of breeding sows, the urethral microbiota of healthy sows remains unknown. Therefore, this work evaluates the urethral bacterial communities of healthy gilts and sows to determine the presence of Enterobacteriaceae populations, and the structure of this microbiota in gilts (G) and pregnant (P) sows. Samples were collected by scraping the urethral mucosa of G (n = 9) and P sows, which included natural mating (NM, n = 9) and artificial inseminated (AI, n = 7) sows. Samples were analyzed by culture-dependent techniques and 16S-rRNA gene high-throughput-sequencing. All females were positive for Enterobacteriaceae culture, without significant differences (Kruskal-Wallis) between G and P groups (median values: 2.78 and 3.09 log CFU/mL, respectively; P = 0.497). Also, the rate of Enterobacteriaceae/total mesophilic microorganisms was individually calculated, without significant differences between G and P sows (median values: 0.61 and 0.66, respectively; P = 0.497). When analyzing the bacterial communities, it was found similar richness in G, NM, and AI; however, diversity was lower in P sows than G (Mann Whitney/Kruskal-Wallis test, P < 0.01). The dominating phyla that constituted a "core microbiome" included Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Cyanobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Bacteroidetes, which were common for all the studied females. The relative abundance for phyla, families, and genera was estimated, and Firmicutes was significantly higher in NM than AI sows (P = 0.02, Mann-Whitney/Kruskal Wallis test for univariate statistical comparisons); Pseudomonadaceae and Enterobacteriaceae were higher in AI than in NM (Mann-Whitney/Kruskal-Wallis, P < 0.05). Lactobacillus and Pseudomonas were among the dominant genera; however, only Pseudomonas sp. was significantly higher in AI than NM (Mann-Whitney/Kruskal-Wallis, P = 0.006). The results represent the first evidence about the existence of a urethral microbiota that includes Enterobacteriaceae, as well as the patterns of this microbiota in G and P sows. The knowledge of this urethral microbiota might allow for future research to develop innovative protocols to restore and/or preserve the healthy ecology of the urinary microbiome to prevent diseases ensuring the welfare of breeding sows.

Exploring Coagulase-Negative Staphylococci Diversity from Artisanal Llama Sausages: Assessment of Technological and Safety Traits.

Llama sausage is still produced following artisanal procedures, with the autochthonous microbiota being mainly responsible for the fermentation process. In this work, the taxonomical identification and technological-safety criteria of coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) isolated from two different productions of llama sausages (P: pilot and A: artisanal) were investigated. Staphylococcus (S) equorum and S. saprophyticus were the species most frequently found in P production, followed by S. succinis and S. warneri; a wider species variability was observed in A factory being S. equorum, S. capitis, S. xylosus, S. pasteuri, S. epidermidis and S. saprophyticus as the main identified species. The technological characterization of 28 CNS strains showed their ability to hydrolyze gelatin and tributyrin together with a relevant nitrate reductase activity. Phenotypic and genotypic approaches were conducted to investigate the main safety traits. Llama's CNS strains exhibited weak decarboxylase and hemolytic activity and low biofilm production; additionally, no enterotoxin genes were detected. Correlation analysis between phenotypic and genotypic data showed low values for the biofilm parameters, while high correlation was observed for oxacillin, ampicillin, tetracycline and aminoglycosides resistance and their genetic determinants. Data obtained may contribute to broaden knowledge about the autochthonous strains of this poorly studied fermented product, thus helping to select an appropriate combination of potential starter cultures to improve llama sausage safety and quality.

Peruvian chicha: A Focus on the Microbial Populations of This Ancient Maize-Based Fermented Beverage.

Peruvian chicha de jora is one of the most ancient traditional beverages produced through maize fermentation, still popular to modern consumers, but less studied in terms of microbial compositions. In this work, the bacterial biodiversity of 27 chicha samples collected from 14 different "chicherias" in seven provinces of Peru was investigated by Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS). A large dissimilarity in chicha microbial composition was a direct consequence of ingredients, manufacturing processes and geographical influences. The core microbiome was represented by six main genera, belonging to Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) and Acetic Acid Bacteria (AAB). Lactobacillus prevailed (more than 50% of sequences belong to this genus) followed by Weissella, Leuconostoc, Lactococcus and Streptococcus. Acetobacter was the only AAB genus identified in chicha. The occurrence of sequences associated to spoiling and pathogenic bacteria, such as Bacillus, Clostridium, and Enterobacteriaceae, was observed only in a few samples, validating the safety of this beverage. Predictive functional annotation of metagenomic sequences revealed that carbohydrate and amino acid metabolisms and coenzyme transport are the main KEGG categories associated to chicha fermentation pathways. The old recipes and traditional processing of each chicherias helps maintain native microorganisms as a resource of biodiversity with potential technological and health-beneficial properties.

Relationship between 2-minute step test, anthropometric measures and habitual physical activity in sedentary individuals / Relación entre 2-minute step test, medidas antropométricas y actividad física habitual en individuos sedentarios / Relação entre 2-minute step test, medidas antropométricas e atividade física habitual em indivíduos sedentários

OBJECTIVE: To correlate the 2-minute step test (2MST) with anthropometric variables and habitual physical activity. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study. Sixty young adult participants of both sexes were classified into three groups with 20 participants each according to their body mass index (BMI): eutrophic, with a BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 kg/m2; overweight, with a BMI between 25 and 29.9 kg/m2; and obese type I, with a BMI between 30 and 34.9 kg/m2. In addition to personal and clinical data, we collected height, weight, BMI, waist and neck circumference measurements. The Baecke Questionnaire (BQ) and 2-minute step test (2MST) were used to measure habitual physical activity and functional capacity, respectively. RESULTS: There was no difference between groups (p > 0.05) for the 2MST and BQ. There was no significant correlation between 2MST, anthropometric variables and habitual physical activity (p > 0.05, r = 0.005 to 0.248). Regarding the accuracy of 2MST in differentiating non-obese from obese subjects, there was insufficient accuracy, with an area under the curve of 0.54. CONCLUSION: 2MST does not relate to body mass index, abdominal and neck circumference, or habitual physical activity

OBJETIVO: Correlacionar el 2-minute step test (2MST) con variables antropométricas y actividad física habitual. MÉTODOS: Este es un estudio transversal. Sesenta adultos jóvenes de ambos sexos, se clasificaron en tres grupos con 20 participantes cada uno según su índice de masa corporal (IMC): eutrófico, con IMC entre 18.5 y 24.9 kg/m2; sobrepeso, con IMC entre 25 y 29.9 kg/m2; y obesos tipo I, con IMC entre 30 y 34.9 kg/m2. Además de los datos personales y clínicos, recopilamos las medidas de altura, peso, IMC, circunferencia de cintura y cuello. El cuestionario Baecke (CB) y la prueba 2MST se utilizaron para medir la actividad física habitual y la capacidad funcional, respectivamente. RESULTADOS: No hubo diferencia entre los grupos (p > 0.05) para 2MST y CB. No hubo correlación significativa entre 2MST, variables antropométricas y actividad física habitual (p > 0.05, r = 0.005 a 0.248). En cuanto a la precisión de 2MST en la diferenciación entre los sujetos no obesos y los obesos, no hubo precisión suficiente, con un área por debajo de la curva de 0.54. CONCLUSIÓN: 2MST no se relaciona con el índice de masa corporal, la circunferencia abdominal y del cuello, o la actividad física habitual

OBJETIVO: Correlacionar o 2-minute step test (2MST) com variáveis antropométricas e atividade física habitual. MÉTODOS: Este é um estudo transversal. Sessenta jovens adultos de ambos os sexos foram classificados em três grupos com 20 participantes em cada de acordo com o índice de massa corporal (IMC): eutróficos, com IMC entre 18.5 e 24.9 kg/m2; sobrepeso, com IMC entre 25 e 29.9 kg/m2; e obeso tipo I, com IMC entre 30 e 34.9 kg/m2. Além dos dados pessoais e clínicos, foram coletadas altura, peso, IMC, circunferência da cintura e do pescoço. O questionário Baecke (BQ) e o 2MST foram usados para medir a atividade física habitual e a capacidade funcional, respectivamente. RESULTADOS: Não houve diferença entre os grupos (p > 0.05) para o 2MST e BQ. Não houve correlação significativa entre o 2MST, variáveis antropométricas e atividade física habitual (p > 0.05, r = 0.005 a 0.248). Em relação à acurácia do 2MST na diferenciação entre obesos e não obesos, houve acurácia insuficiente, com área sob a curva de 0.54. CONCLUSÃO: 2MST não se relaciona com índice de massa corporal, circunferência abdominal e do pescoço, ou atividade física habitual

Biodiversity and technological-functional potential of lactic acid bacteria isolated from spontaneously fermented chia sourdough.

Chia, is a gluten-free, rich in proteins, oilseed that is "on trend" as an alternative ingredient in food production, adding nutritional value. As a reservoir of natural biodiversity, lactic acid bacteria development, during spontaneous chia flour fermentation (sourdough) for 10 days, were investigated by culturing and high throughput sequencing (HTS). Culture-dependent analysis showed a rapid increase in total LAB numbers from the second day of sourdough refreshment. Taxonomical identification of LAB isolates by rep-PCR and further 16S rRNA sequencing was performed. Besides Among identified LAB by culture-dependent approach, species from genus Enterococcus were the most abundant; Lactococcus (Lc. lactis), Lactobacillus (L. rhamnosus) and Weissella (W. cibaria) species were also isolated. By HTS, twelve OTUs belonging to LAB genera were identified during chia sourdough fermentation with an increased Lactobacillus diversity. Enterococcus (E.) faecium, E. mundtii, W. cibaria and L. rhamnosus were detected as dominant species in the final propagation stages while Bacillus and Clostridium were mostly present during first fermentation stages. The investigation of biotechnological and safety traits (acidification ability, protein hydrolysis, exopolysaccharides production, antimicrobial activity and antibiotic resistance) of 15 representative LAB strains was performed. Strains characterization led to the selection of Lc. lactis CH179, L. rhamnosus CH34 and W. cibaria CH28 as candidates to be used as novel functional starter culture for gluten-free chia fermented products. As far as we know, this is the first study providing information on the molecular inventory of LAB population during spontaneous fermentation of chia sourdough.