Black chokeberry ( Aronia melanocarpa L.) pomace extracts inhibit food pathogenic and spoilage bacteria and increase the microbiological safety of pork products

Thymoquinone as a potent antimicrobial agent against Yersinia enterocolitica: Mechanisms of action and potential food safety applications

Yersinia enterocolitica (Y. enterocolitica) is a Gram-negative foodborne pathogen associated with potentially fatal diseases. Herein, the antibacterial activity and possible mechanism of thymoquinone (TQ) against Y. enterocolitica were explored. The minimum inhibitory concentration and the minimum bactericidal concentration of TQ against Y. enterocolitica were determined to be 0.10 and 0.20 mg/mL, respectively. Treatment with TQ increased the lag phase period and reduced the growth rate of Y. enterocolitica. TQ was also effective in preventing Y. enterocolitica contamination of pork. Treatment of Y. enterocolitica with TQ caused a decrease in intracellular ATP, membrane depolarization and an increase in the level of intracellular reactive oxygen species. In addition, TQ caused damage to DNA, a reduction in protein content, loss of membrane integrity and abnormal cell morphology. These findings suggest that TQ exhibits antimicrobial activity against Y. enterocolitica and may be a suitable compound to reduce Y. enterocolitica growth in food.

A Comprehensive Review of the Functional Potential and Sustainable Applications of Aronia melanocarpa in the Food Industry

Aronia melanocarpa (black chokeberry) is gaining attention in the food and health sectors due to its rich polyphenolic compounds and potent antioxidant properties. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the current research on the functional applications, bioavailability improvement strategies, and potential uses of Aronia melanocarpa in the food industry. The review highlights key developments in processing techniques, such as microencapsulation and nanotechnology, aimed at enhancing the stability and bioavailability of its active compounds. In addition, the paper explores the diversification of Aronia products, including juices, fermented beverages, and functional foods, and the growing market demand. The potential uses of Aronia melanocarpa leaves and by-products for sustainable production are also examined. Finally, the paper addresses the challenges of consumer acceptance, astringency removal, and the need for further research into the metabolic mechanisms and health benefits of Aronia melanocarpa. Future prospects for the Aronia melanocarpa industry, particularly its role in natural and sustainable food markets, are discussed, with an emphasis on innovative product development and the efficient use of by-products.

Microbial Growth Inhibition Effect, Polyphenolic Profile, and Antioxidative Capacity of Plant Powders in Minced Pork and Beef

Consumer interest in healthier meat products has grown in recent years. Therefore, the use of plant powders as natural preservatives in the composition of pork and beef products could be an alternative to traditional meat products. This study aimed to assess the effect of different powders, such as blackcurrant, chokeberry, rowan berries, apple, tomato, garlic, and rhubarb, on the microbial growth dynamics in minced pork and beef during refrigerated storage. The total counts of aerobic microorganisms, Pseudomonas spp., yeasts, and molds were examined according to ISO methods. The polyphenolic profiles of plant powders and supplemented minced pork and beef samples were determined by HPLC-MS. The antioxidative capacity of the plant powders was analyzed using a spectrophotometric method. The findings of the study revealed that supplemented minced pork and beef samples had similar polyphenolic profiles and microbial growth dynamics. The highest antioxidative capacity was observed for anthocyanin-rich berry powders. In both minced pork and beef, rhubarb powder was the most effective plant material for inhibiting microbial growth, followed by blackcurrant pomace powder. In conclusion, all of the plant powders used in the present study can be used for the valorization of minced meat products, providing both antimicrobial and antioxidant effects.

Evaluation of different blackcurrant seed ingredients in meatballs by using conventional quality assessment and untargeted metabolomics

Blackcurrants are sources of phenolic compounds, such as anthocyanins, possessing strong antioxidant, antimicrobial and antifungal activity. Therefore, the addition of different blackcurrant pomace ingredients may affect the overall meat quality. The actual chemical profile and bioactivities of blackcurrant pomace ingredients may strongly depend on its preparation; for instance, in our study the highest values of the in vitro antioxidant capacity were determined for blackcurrant seeds after supercritical CO₂ extraction. Starting from these background conditions, in this work, we evaluated the ability of three different concentrations (namely 1, 3, and 5% w/w) of blackcurrant (BC) seeds following EtOH/water extraction (BC-AE), before supercritical fluid CO₂ extraction (BC-RS), and after supercritical fluid CO₂ extraction (BC-ASC) to affect different quality parameters of pork meatballs. These latter were stored considering three different time-points, namely 1, 3 and 6 days at 4 °C packed under modified atmosphere (i.e., 70% N₂ and 30% CO₂). Untargeted metabolomics allowed to identify several lipid and protein-related oxidation products involved in redox reactions, such as 13-L-hydroperoxylinoleic acid, (12S,13S)-epoxylinolenic acid, 9,10-epoxyoctadecenoic acid, glutathione, glutathione disulfide, L-carnosine, l-ascorbic acid, and tocotrienols. Besides, multivariate statistics applied on the metabolomics dataset confirmed that the chemical profile of meatballs was an exclusive combination of both BC inclusion levels and type of BC-ingredients considered. Our findings showed that the higher the concentration of BC seed ingredients in meatballs, the lower the cooking loss and the higher the fibre content. Also, all the ingredients significantly affected the colour parameters.

Antimicrobial Effect of Simira ecuadorensis Extracts and Their Impact on Improving Shelf Life in Chicken and Fish Products

The objective of this work was to evaluate the antimicrobial potential of different extracts of Simira ecuadorensis, a characteristic plant of Ecuador, and to validate its potential as a food preservative. Four extracts referred to as ethanol, ethanol-water (50:50 v/v), spray-dried, and freeze-dried were obtained under different processes. Initially, their antimicrobial activities were evaluated against a wide group of microorganisms consisting of 20 pathogenic and spoilage microbial strains found in foods through the agar diffusion method. Then, the extracts with the best yields and antimicrobial properties against microorganisms of greatest interest were selected to determine their effect on model foods preserved under normal commercial conditions through challenge tests. Spray-dried and ethanol-water extracts were tested for their ability to inhibit C. jejuni in chicken model products, where is a common pathogen and Shew. putrefaciens in fish model products as it is a spoilage microorganism frequently found in fish. One solid and one liquid were chosen as model foods: burger and broth, respectively. Campylobacter jejuni and Shewanella putrefaciens were effectively inhibited by the four extracts with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 80 mg/mL. Bacillus cereus, Yersinia enterocolitica, Clostridium perfringens, and Leuconostoc mesenteroides were also inhibited by ethanolic extract. The ethanol-water extract showed greater antimicrobial activity in fish products, whereas spray-dried extract had low growth inhibition of C. jejuni in chicken burgers; however, it was quite effective on C. jejuni in broth. The spray-dried extract significantly decreased the pH of the chicken burgers, while the ethanolic extract had a slight impact on the pH of the fish burgers. The presence of antibacterial effects revealed that the S. ecuadorensis extracts could be potentially used in food preservation and as a natural antimicrobial.

Lipid Extracts Obtained by Supercritical Fluid Extraction and Their Application in Meat Products

Supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) has been recognized as the green and clean technique without any negative impact on the environment. Although this technique has shown high selectivity towards lipophilic bioactive compounds, very few case studies on the application of these extracts in final products and different food matrices were observed. Considering the recent developments in food science and the increasing application of supercritical extracts in meat products in the last decade (2012–2022), the aim of this manuscript was to provide a systematic review of the lipid extracts and bioactives successfully obtained by supercritical fluid extraction and their application in meat products as antioxidant and/or antimicrobial agents. Lipophilic bioactives from natural resources were explained in the first step, which was followed by the fundamentals of supercritical fluid extraction and application on recovery of these bioactives. Finally, the application of natural extracts and bioactives obtained by this technique as functional additives in meat and meat products were thoroughly discussed in order to review the state-of-the-art techniques and set the challenges for further studies.

Reinforcing the bulwark: unravelling the efficient applications of plant phenolics and tannins against environmental stresses

Phenolic compounds are plant secondary metabolites that play a vital role in plant resistance. They are mainly synthetized from the amino acid L-phenylalanine, which is converted to trans-cinnamic acid in a series of biochemical reactions. These compounds take part in the regulation of seed germination and cooperate in regulating the growth of plants, also taking part in defense responses during infection, UV exposure, injuries, and heavy metal stress. The aim of this review is to discuss the role of phenolic compounds in the interactions of plants with various stress factors, both biotic and abiotic with special attention to their antioxidant properties. Therefore, understanding the biochemical potential of the phenylpropanoid derivatives would be beneficial in sustaining the metabolic processes used by plants to thrive and endure under adverse conditions.