Genetic diversity and antimicrobial activity of lactic acid bacteria in the preparation of traditional fermented potato product 'tunta'.

Fermentation microorganisms, lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and yeast from 12 samples of tunta production chain were quantified, from the native potatoes used by the process fermentation of potatoes in the river up to the final product. During fermentation, the LAB population steadily increased from 3 to 4 to 8 log CFU/g during the first 8 days in the river and the yeast population increased from 2 to 3 to 3-4 log CFU/g. Overall, 115 LAB strains were isolated using a culture-dependent method. Molecular techniques and 16S rRNA gene sequencing enabled the identification of native species. In LAB isolates, members of the Lactobacillaceae (64%), Leuconostocaceae (9%) and Enterococcaceae (2%) families were identified. The most prevalent LAB species in the tunta production chain was Lactobacillus curvatus, followed by Leuconostoc mesenteroides and Lactobacillus sakei, Lactobacillus brevis and Enterococcus mundtii were also present. Only 13 LAB strains showed anti-listerial activity, and one of them, identified as En. mundtii DSM 4838T [MG031213], produced antimicrobial compounds that were determined to be proteins after treatment with proteolytic enzymes. Based on these results, we suggest that traditional fermented product-derived LAB strains from specific environments could be selected and used for technological application to control pathogenic bacteria and naturally protect food from post-harvest deleterious microbiota.

Pseudomonas punonensis sp. nov., isolated from straw.

During a study of the 'tunta' (frozen-dry potato) production process in Peru, a bacterial strain, LMT03(T), was isolated from the straw grass in which the potatoes are dried. This strain was classified into the genus Pseudomonas on the basis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, and is most closely related to Pseudomonas argentinensis CH01(T) with 99.3 % identity in this gene and 96 %, 92 % and 86 % identities in rpoB, rpoD and gyrB genes, respectively. Strain LMT03(T) has a single polar flagellum, like other related yellow-pigment-producing pseudomonads. The major quinone is Q-9. The major fatty acids are C18 : 1ω7c in summed feature 8 (40.82 %), C16 : 1ω6c/C16 : 1ω6c in summed feature 3 (23.72 %) and C16 : 0 (15.20 %). The strain produces oxidase but it does not produce gelatinase, indole, urease, arginine dihydrolase or ß-galactosidase. Catalase production was very weak after 28 and 48 h incubation on nutrient agar medium. Nitrate reduction is negative. It does not hydrolyse aesculin. The DNA G+C content is 57.8 mol%. DNA-DNA hybridization results showed lower than 52 % relatedness with respect to the type strain of P. argentinensis, CH01(T). These results, together with other phenotypic characteristics, support the definition of a novel species within the genus Pseudomonas, for which the name Pseudomonas punonensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is LMT03(T) ( = LMG 26839(T) = CECT 8089(T)).

Characterization of starches obtained from several native potato varieties grown in Cusco (Peru).

Ten native potato varieties grown in Cusco (at 3,672 m above sea level) were used for starches extraction (at a pilot scale), and their physicochemical, functional, morphological, and structural characteristics were assessed. The content of protein, apparent amylose and phosphorus ranged from 0.1% to 0.44%, 23.42% to 35.5%, and 0.07 to 0.10%, respectively. Starch granules revealed smooth surface, with ellipsoidal and spherical shapes, particle size analysis exhibited bimodal or multimodal distribution, while the averaged crystallinity was 27.7% assessed by XRD. Gelatinization temperatures of the starches ranged from 57.4 to 60.1 °C, 60.8 to 64.3 °C, and 68.4 to 71.1°C for To, Tp, and Tc, respectively; and the gelatinization enthalpies ranged from 15.4 to 17.1 J/g. Respect to pasting properties, the peak viscosity and setback viscosity ranged from 12,970 to 16,970 mPa⋅s and from 968 to 2498 mPa⋅s, respectively. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) revealed no significant relationship between apparent amylose content and thermal stability. Therefore, the results reveal subtle differences in the functional characteristics of the starches from the native varieties of potato studied, which can be recommended for food industry applications. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: This study contributes to show several varieties of native potatoes from Cusco and their valorization as nonconventional starch source. Describing the physicochemical, functional, and structural characteristics of these starches could be useful for food industry applications.

Physicochemical, functional and morphological characterization of starches isolated from three native potatoes of the Andean region.

Three varieties of native potato (Imilla blanca, Imilla negra and Loc'ka) that grow in the Andean region at more than 3800 m.a.s.l. were selected fot the extraction and characterization or their starch. Instrumental techniques such as scanning electron microsocopic (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Fourier transformed infrarred spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction, colorimetry and polarized light microscopy were used. The results showed that only Loc'kás starch had a unimodal granule size distribution, whereas Imilla negra and Imilla blanca starches showed two and three granule size populations, respectively. The starch from Imilla negra showed higher apparent amylose content, peak viscosity, phosphorous content and paste clarity. The starch from Imilla blanca showed high relative crystallinity, while Imilla blanca and Imilla negra had higher intensity ratios than that from Loc'ka, suggesting high molecular order. Cooked starch from Imilla negra showed higher resistant starch (RS) fraction than the other starches studied.