Biodiversity and technological potential of lactic acid bacteria isolated from spontaneously fermented amaranth sourdough.

UNLABELLED: Spontaneous fermented sourdoughs prepared from amaranth flour were investigated for the presence of autochthonous lactic acid bacteria (LAB) predominating microbiota. The doughs were fermented with daily backslopping on a laboratory scale at 30°C for 10 days. LAB counts ranged from 2·60 to 8·54 log CFU g(-1) with a pH declined from 6·2 to 3·8 throughout fermentation. The combined use of randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD)-PCR analysis and sequence analysis of 16S rRNA was applied for LAB intraspecies differentiation and taxonomic identification, respectively. Enterococcus, Pediococcus and Lactobacillus species were present in amaranth sourdoughs (AS). After the first refreshment step, Lactobacillus plantarum dominated AS until the end of fermentation. In coincidence, when DGGE analysis was performed, the occurrence of a progressive change in bacterial communities allowed the selection of Lact. plantarum as a dominant species. Moreover, technological, functional and safety characteristics of representative RAPD-biotypes were investigated. Lact. plantarum CRL1898 was selected as a potential candidate for gluten-free amaranth sourdough starter. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Nowadays, there is an increasing interest in ancient noncereal gluten-free (GF) crops such as amaranth, due to their reported nutritional and health benefits. However, the use of these grains is still limited to traditional foods and bread making processes that are not yet well standardized. Results on the dynamics of autochthonous lactic acid bacteria (LAB) microbiota during laboratory spontaneous amaranth sourdoughs (AS) fermentation will contribute to overcome challenges for GF-fermented products development. In addition, knowledge about LAB diversity involving Enterococcus, Pediococcus and Lactobacillus species, with Lactobacillus plantarum predominating during AS fermentation, and their technological and functional properties provides the basis for the selection of autochthonous strains as starters cultures for novel gluten-free bakery products with enhanced nutritional, sensory and/or safety quality.

Biodiversity and technological-functional potential of lactic acid bacteria isolated from spontaneously fermented quinoa sourdoughs.

AIMS: To analyse lactic acid bacteria (LAB) diversity and technological-functional and safety properties of strains present during spontaneous fermented quinoa sourdoughs. METHODS AND RESULTS: Fermentation was performed by daily backslopping at 30°C for 10 days. Autochthonous LAB microbiota was monitored by a biphasic approach combining random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD)-PCR and rRNA gene sequencing with PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis. Identification and intraspecies differentiation allowed to group isolates within nine LAB species belonging to four genera. A succession of LAB species occurred during 10-days backslopping; Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus brevis were detected as dominant species in the consortium. The characterization of 15 representative LAB strains was performed based on the acidifying capacity, starch and protein hydrolysis, γ-aminobutyric acid and exopolysaccharides production, antimicrobial activity and antibiotic resistance. CONCLUSION: Strains characterization led to the selection of Lact. plantarum CRL1905 and Leuconostoc mesenteroides CRL1907 as candidates to be assayed as functional starter culture for the gluten-free (GF) quinoa fermented products. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Results on native LAB microbiota present during quinoa sourdough fermentation will allow the selection of strains with appropriate technological properties to be used as a novel functional starter culture for GF-fermented products.

Enantioseparation of the fungicide imazalil in orange juice by chiral HPLC. Study on degradation rates and extractive/enrichment techniques.

Imazalil ([1-(ß-allyloxy-2,4-dichlorophenethyl)imidazole]) is a systemic chiral fungicide used in postharvest protection of citruses against fungi development for during storage and transportation. The chemical structure of imazalil shows an asymmetric carbon in the C7 position. These enantiomers may have different toxicity. A method for both chiral enantiomers extraction and determination in orange juice is developed in order to provide their concentration and to study the degradation rates in orange juice. Spiked imazalil was extracted from orange juice by dispersive liquid-liquid micro extraction and solid phase extraction. Recovery assays of imazalil enantiomers from spiked orange juice samples showed that solid phase extraction is a better choice in order to obtain higher recovery values. Obtained chromatographic data show that within 24h the (-)-imazalil enantiomer decreases from 0.548 to 0.471 (expressed as enantiomer fraction).

[Screening of scoliosis in a school population of 8 to 12 years in the province of Granada (Spain)]. / Cribado de la escoliosis en una población escolar de 8 a 12 años de la provincia de Granada.

The scoliosis is a disease that affects the three-dimensional shape of the spine, which may occur at any stage of life but mainly arises from 10 years of age, and it is everyone's job (doctors, physiotherapists and teachers) responsible for managing the schoolchild to detect this spinal deformity. Therefore, we included a number of objectives in our study; first to detect the spinal disorder (scoliosis) in the school population from 8 to 12 years of Granada province; to establish the relationships between age groups and gender in people with scoliosis in the province of Granada; and finally to determine whether the occurrence of such changes have a greater impact on certain geographical areas in Granada province. Thus, this is a descriptive and cross-sectional study of a school population (n=2,956) in the province of Granada analyzed the positive clinical signs using the Adams Test on individuals with scoliosis. Of the 16 % (n=472) of schoolchildren who had scoliosis, 57.6 % (n=272) were male. The distribution of children from 8 to 12 years is fairly homogeneous with no differences seen (p=0.62) and highlight areas of higher incidence of scoliosis in zone 5 (Alpujarra-Valle of Lecrín). We conclude that there are no significant differences in scoliosis as regards age group (8 to 12 years), but there is an increasing trend towards the male gender. Differences can also be observed in the seven areas of study defined by work, environmental, genetic and consanguinity factors.