RESUMO
The increasing number of studies reporting the risks of the exposure to pesticides aligned with the intensified use of such hazardous chemicals has emerged as a pressing contemporary issue, notably due to the potential effects to both the environment and human health. Pesticides, while broadly applied in modern agriculture for pest control and crop protection, have raised concerns due to their unintended effects on non-target organisms. The immune system exerts a key role in the protection against the exposome, which could result in cellular imbalances and tissue damage through the inflammatory response. Pesticides, which encompass a diverse array of chemicals, have been linked to inflammation in experimental models. Therefore, the aim of this review is to discuss the increasing concern over the risks of pesticide exposure focusing on the effects of various chemical classes on inflammation by covering, as broadly as possible, different experimental approaches as well as the multiple or co-exposure of pesticides. Overall, pesticides potentially induce inflammation in different experimental models, manifested through skin irritation, respiratory impairment, or systemic effects. The connection between pesticides and inflammation highlights the importance of proper handling and regulation of these substances and underscores the need for research into safer and sustainable practices to reduce our reliance on synthetic pesticides and fertilizers.
RESUMO
The increasing number of studies reporting the risks of the exposure to pesticides aligned with the intensified use of such hazardous chemicals has emerged as a pressing contemporary issue, notably due to the potential effects to both the environment and human health. Pesticides, while broadly applied in modern agriculture for pest control and crop protection, have raised concerns due to their unintended effects on non-target organisms. The immune system exerts a key role in the protection against the exposome, which could result in cellular imbalances and tissue damage through the inflammatory response. Pesticides, which encompass a diverse array of chemicals, have been linked to inflammation in experimental models. Therefore, the aim of this review is to discuss the increasing concern over the risks of pesticide exposure focusing on the effects of various chemical classes on inflammation by covering, as broadly as possible, different experimental approaches as well as the multiple or co-exposure of pesticides. Overall, pesticides potentially induce inflammation in different experimental models, manifested through skin irritation, respiratory impairment, or systemic effects. The connection between pesticides and inflammation highlights the importance of proper handling and regulation of these substances and underscores the need for research into safer and sustainable practices to reduce our reliance on synthetic pesticides and fertilizers.
RESUMO
As bactérias ácido-láticas (BAL) são micro-organismos que auxiliam nas características organolépticas, funcionais e de bioconservação de produtos fermentados. A utilização do soro de leite como meio de cultivo natural enaltece o conceito da produção de biomoléculas de alto valor agregado, como bacteriocinas, já que é um subproduto gerado por indústrias de laticínios e considerado um agente poluidor. A inulina é um ingrediente prebiótico que promove seletivamente o crescimento de culturas probióticas. Nesse âmbito, o objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o efeito da composição da cultura de Lactococcus lactis (LL) em cocultura com Streptococcus thermophilus (ST) e da suplementação da base de soro de leite com inulina: (i) nos parâmetros cinéticos de acidificacão, (ii) no crescimento celular, (iii) na viscosidade do produto e (iv) na atividade antimicrobiana da nisina. A fermentação do soro de leite com Lactococcus lactis em cocultura com Streptococcus thermophilus proporcionou a maior taxa de acidificação (Vmax=7,93x10-3 upH/min), assim como apresentou o menor tempo para atingir a velocidade máxima de acidificação (Tvmax=1,13 h). A adição de 2% de inulina ao soro de leite fermentado pela cocultura binária fez com que o tempo para completar o cultivo fosse o mais curto (TpH4,5=4,43 h) quando comparado aos demais ensaios. Quanto ao crescimento celular, pode-se observar que a inulina não afetou significativamente a contagem microbiológica, quando as cepas ST e LL foram utilizadas separadamente no processo fermentativo. Em particular, a adição de 4% de inulina reduziu em 1,2 LogUFC/mL e 0,92 LogUFC/mL a contagem de ST e LL (em monocultura), respectivamente. Por outro lado, em coculturas binárias (ST-LL), percebeu-se ganho na contagem microbiológica nos ensaios que receberam suplementação do ingrediente prebiótico, ou seja, quando adicionados 2% e 4% de inulina, houve aumento de 1 LogUFC/mL e de 1,34 LogUFC/mL na contagem de ST, respectivamente. No caso da cepa LL em cocultura com ST, a suplementação de 2% e 4% do prebiótico aumentou em 0,31 LogUFC/mL e 0,75 LogUFC/mL, respectivamente. A concentração de ácido lático também foi mais elevada nos cultivos realizados com a cocultura binária, sendo 4,56 g/L (na ausência de inulina), 5,28 g/L (com adição de 2% de inulina) e 5,71 g/L (com suplementação de 4% de inulina). A viscosidade foi influenciada tanto pela adição de inulina como pelo efeito sinérgico da cocultura, sendo que o maior valor (7,38 mPas) foi obtido pela cocultura ST-LL e pela adição de 4% do ingrediente prebiótico. Quanto à produção de nisina, observou-se que, no cultivo em cocultura (ST-LL), a concentração de 2% de inulina aumentou em 102% a atividade antimicrobiana quando comparada com a cultura pura LL. Vale ressaltar que ambas as cepas satisfizeram os requisitos tecnológicos relativos à produção de laticínios funcionais
Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are microorganisms that help in the organoleptic and functional characteristics and in the biopreservation of fermented products. The use of milk whey as a culture medium extols the concept of the production of high value-added biomolecules, such as bacteriocins, since it is a by-product generated by the dairy industry and considered a pollutant. Inulin is a prebiotic ingredient that promotes selectively the growth of probiotic cultures. In this context, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of culture composition Lactococcus lactis (LL) in co-culture with Streptococcus thermophilus (ST) and the supplementation of milk whey with inulin on: (i) the acidification kinetic parameters, (ii) the cell growth, (iii) the product viscosity, and (iv) the antimicrobial activity of nisin. The fermentation of milk whey by Lactococcus lactis in coculture with Streptococcus thermophilus provided the highest acidification rate (Vmax = 7.93x10-3 upH/min) and the shortest time to reach the maximum acidification rate ( TVmax = 1.13 h). The addition of 2% inulin in the binary coculture binary led to the shorter time to complete the fermentation (TpH4,5 = 4.43) compared to the other tests. With regard to cell growth, it can be observed that the addition of inulin did not affect the microbiological count of pure cultures of ST and LL strains in the fermentation process. In particular, the addition of 4% inulin reduced by 1.2 Log CFU/mL and 0.92 Log CFU/mL the counts of ST and LL (monoculture), respectively. In the other hand, the binary co-cultures cultivations (ST-LL) with the addition of 2% and 4% inulin increased by 1 LogCFU/mL and 1.34 Log CFU/mL in the case of the ST counts and 0.31 log CFU/mL and 0.75 log CFU/mL the counts of LL, respectively. Lactic acid concentration was higher in cultivations carried out by binary cocultures, thus being 4.56 g/L (in the absence of inulin), 5.28 g/L (with addition of 2% inulin) and 5.71g/L (supplemented with 4% inulin). The viscosity was influenced by the addition of prebiotic ingredient and by the synergistic effect of binary coculture, being the highest value (7.38 mPas) obtained by the addition of 4% inulin. Finally, as regards the production of nisin noted that in the binary coculture cultivations (ST-LL), the concentration of 2% inulin increased at 102% the antimicrobial activity when compared to the pure culture LL. It is worth mentioning that both strains met the technological requirements as regards the production of functional dairy products
