Lactic Acid Bacteria as Biopreservation Against Spoilage Molds in Dairy Products - A Review

Antifungal mechanism of phenyllactic acid against Mucor investigated through proteomic analysis

The primary inhibitory targets of phenyllactic acid (PLA, including D-PLA and L-PLA) on Mucor were investigated using Mucor racemosus LD3.0026 isolated from naturally spoiled cherry, as an indicator fungi. The results demonstrated that the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of PLA against Mucor was 12.5 mmol·L-1. Results showed that the growing cells at the tip of the Mucor were not visibly deformed, and there was no damage to the cell wall following PLA treatment; however, PLA damaged the cell membrane and internal structure. The results of isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ) indicated that the Mucor mitochondrial respiratory chain may be the target of PLA, potentially inhibiting the energy supply of Mucor. These results indicate that the antifungal mechanism of PLA against mold is independent of its molecular configuration. The growth of Mucor is suppressed by PLA, which destroys the organelle structure in the mycelium and inhibits energy metabolism.

An alginate-based edible coating containing lactic acid bacteria extends the shelf life of fresh strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.)

Edible coatings, formulated with sodium alginate and various strains of lactic acid bacteria, were evaluated for their effectiveness in extending the shelf life and mitigating microbial risks associated with strawberries. This study specifically employed strains of Lacticaseibacillus paracasei, Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus, and Lacticaseibacillus plantarum as antimicrobial agents. Through physicochemical property analysis, the alginate-based antimicrobial coating proved most effective in reducing the strawberry weight loss rate, decay index, and ascorbic acid degradation. Over time, all treatments exhibited increased fungal growth. However, strawberries treated with alginate and lactic acid bacteria recorded lower final colony formation counts-6.82 log CFU/g for SA + LPC, 6.04 log CFU/g for SA + LGG, and 6.26 log CFU/g for SA + LP-compared to 8.73 log CFU/g in the control group. In terms of bacterial resistance under gastrointestinal conditions, L. paracasei demonstrated the highest survival rate post-simulated gastric fluid exposure, while L. plantarum showed the greatest resilience post-simulated intestinal fluid exposure. These findings underscore the efficacy of alginate-based antimicrobial coatings in not only enhancing the storage quality of strawberries but also ensuring microbial safety and potential benefits for gut health.

Comprehensive Review of Aflatoxin and Ochratoxin A Dynamics: Emergence, Toxicological Impact, and Advanced Control Strategies

Filamentous fungi exhibit remarkable adaptability to diverse substrates and can synthesize a plethora of secondary metabolites. These metabolites, produced in response to environmental stimuli, not only confer selective advantages but also encompass potentially deleterious mycotoxins. Mycotoxins, exemplified by those originating from Alternaria, Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Fusarium species, represent challenging hazards to both human and animal health, thus warranting stringent regulatory control. Despite regulatory frameworks, mycotoxin contamination remains a pressing global challenge, particularly within cereal-based matrices and their derived by-products, integral components of animal diets. Strategies aimed at mitigating mycotoxin contamination encompass multifaceted approaches, including biological control modalities, detoxification procedures, and innovative interventions like essential oils. However, hurdles persist, underscoring the imperative for innovative interventions. This review elucidated the prevalence, health ramifications, regulatory paradigms, and evolving preventive strategies about two prominent mycotoxins, aflatoxins and ochratoxin A. Furthermore, it explored the emergence of new fungal species, and biocontrol methods using lactic acid bacteria and essential mustard oil, emphasizing their efficacy in mitigating fungal spoilage and mycotoxin production. Through an integrative examination of these facets, this review endeavored to furnish a comprehensive understanding of the multifaceted challenges posed by mycotoxin contamination and the emergent strategies poised to ameliorate its impact on food and feed safety.

Investigating lactic acid bacteria genus Lactococcus lactis properties: Antioxidant activity, antibiotic resistance, and antibacterial activity against multidrug-resistant bacteria Staphylococcus aureus

Background

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are utilized as a starter culture in the manufacturing of fermented dairy items, as a preservative for various food products, and as a probiotic. In our country, some research has been carried out, even if LAB plays a principal role in food preservation and improves the texture and taste of fermented foods, that is why we tried to evaluate their probiotic effect. The objective of this research was to determine the antibacterial activity of Lactococcus lactis (L. lactis) against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) ATCC 29213, investigate their antioxidant activity, and characterize their sensitivity against 18 antibiotics.

Methods

A total of 23 LAB (L. lactis subsp. cremoris, L. lactis subsp. Lactis diacetylactis, L. lactis subsp. lactis) were isolated from cow's raw milk. The antibacterial activity was performed using two techniques, competition for nutrients and a technique utilizing components nature, using the disk diffusion method. The sensitivity of the studied LAB to different antibiotics was tested on Man rogosa sharp (MRS) agar using commercial antibiotic disks. All strains of LAB were examined for their antioxidant activity. The antioxidant activity of L. lactis was tested by 2,2-diphenyl-1 picrylhydrazyl (DPPH).

Results

The results showed that the MRS medium was more adapted than Muller Hinton Agar (MHA) to investigate the antibacterial activity of L. lactis against S. aureus ATCC 29213. Also, L. lactis exhibited a notable degree of antibacterial activity against S. aureus ATCC 29213. L. Lactis subsp. Lactis displayed higher antibacterial activities, followed by L. lactis ssp. lactis biovar. diacetylactis, and lastly, L. lactis ssp. cremoris against S. aureus ATCC 29213. Lc 26 among all strains of L. lactis showed a high potential antibacterial activity reaching 40 ± 3 mm against S. aureus ATCC 29213. All strains of L. lactis showed a slightly moderate antioxidant activity (10.56 ± 1.28%-26.29 ± 0.05 %). The results of the antibiotic resistance test indicate that all strains of L. lactis were resistant to cefotaxime, sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim, and streptomycin and were sensitive to Ampicillin, Amoxicillin, Penicillin G, Teicoplanin, Vancomycin, Gentamicin 500, Tetracycline, and Chloramphenicol. These test results indicate that this strain falls within the criteria of not posing any harmful effects on human health. The important antibacterial properties recorded for all L. Lactis strains were derived from the production of antibacterial active metabolites, such as protein, diacetyl, hydrogen peroxide, and lactic acid, together with the fight for nutrients.

Conclusion

This study suggests that the strains of L. lactis could be added as an antibacterial agent against S. aureus ATCC 29213 and can provide an important nutritional property for their antioxidant potential.

Genomic exploration of the fermented meat isolate Staphylococcus shinii IMDO-S216 with a focus on competitiveness-enhancing secondary metabolites

BACKGROUND

Staphylococcus shinii appears as an umbrella species encompassing several strains of Staphylococcus pseudoxylosus and Staphylococcus xylosus. Given its phylogenetic closeness to S. xylosus, S. shinii can be found in similar ecological niches, including the microbiota of fermented meats where the species may contribute to colour and flavour development. In addition to these conventional functionalities, a biopreservation potential based on the production of antagonistic compounds may be available. Such potential, however, remains largely unexplored in contrast to the large body of research that is available on the biopreservative properties of lactic acid bacteria. The present study outlines the exploration of the genetic basis of competitiveness and antimicrobial activity of a fermented meat isolate, S. shinii IMDO-S216. To this end, its genome was sequenced, de novo assembled, and annotated.

RESULTS

The genome contained a single circular chromosome and eight plasmid replicons. Focus of the genomic exploration was on secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters coding for ribosomally synthesized and posttranslationally modified peptides. One complete cluster was coding for a bacteriocin, namely lactococcin 972; the genes coding for the pre-bacteriocin, the ATP-binding cassette transporter, and the immunity protein were also identified. Five other complete clusters were identified, possibly functioning as competitiveness factors. These clusters were found to be involved in various responses such as membrane fluidity, iron intake from the medium, a quorum sensing system, and decreased sensitivity to antimicrobial peptides and competing microorganisms. The presence of these clusters was equally studied among a selection of multiple Staphylococcus species to assess their prevalence in closely-related organisms.

CONCLUSIONS

Such factors possibly translate in an improved adaptation and competitiveness of S. shinii IMDO-S216 which are, in turn, likely to improve its fitness in a fermented meat matrix.

Characterisation of the surface growth of Mucor circinelloides in cheese agar media using predictive mathematical models

The main objective of this work was to characterise the mycelial growth of Mucor circinelloides, one of the fungal contaminants that appear frequently in the artisan cheese production environment. The study uses primary Baranyi and Huang models to compare their parameters and predict M. circinelloides on cheese-based medium (CBA) under diverse environmental conditions (temperature range from 6 to 37 °C and 0 and 1 % NaCl concentration). However, the Baranyi model consistently estimated longer lag phases and higher surface growth rates (sgr) than the Huang model; both models showed adequate best-fit performance (exactly with the mean coefficient of determination R2 = (0.993 ± 0.020 × 10-1). The groups of primary growth parameters were analysed against temperature using the cardinal model (CM) with the following main outputs. The optimal surface growth rates (sgropt) on CBA were 6.8 and 6.5 mm/d calculated with the Baranyi and Huang models, respectively. They were reduced by approximately 46 % on the surface of the agar medium when 1 % NaCl was added. Topt was estimated in a very narrow range of 32.1-32.5 °C from both primary sgr data sets (0 % and 1 % NaCl). Similarly, Tmax values of 37.2 °C and 37.3 °C were estimated for the Baranyi and Huang models, respectively; however, they decreased at 2 °C in CBA with 1 % NaCl (Tmax = 35.1 °C). The application of CM for sgr provided an estimation of the parameter Tmin with negative values that are considered only as a theoretical output. The results provide insight into the modelling and prediction of fungi growth as a function of time and salt concentration, including the times to detect visible mycelial growth of Mucor circinelloides. The mere quantification of this phenomenon can be useful for practice. Adjusting the frequency of the cheese surface washing step with a salt solution at the early stage of ripening properly can prevent the growth of not only fast fungal growers.

Harnessing the Health and Techno-Functional Potential of Lactic Acid Bacteria: A Comprehensive Review

This review examines the techno-functional properties of lactic acid bacteria (LABs) in the food industry, focusing on their potential health benefits. We discuss current findings related to the techno-functionality of LAB, which includes acidification, proteolytic and lipolytic features, and a variety of other biochemical activities. These activities include the production of antimicrobial compounds and the synthesis of exopolysaccharides that improve food safety and consumer sensory experience. LABs are also known for their antioxidant abilities, which help reduce oxidative reactions in foods and improve their functional properties. In addition, LABs' role as probiotics is known for their promising effects on gut health, immune system modulation, cholesterol control, and general wellbeing. Despite these advantages, several challenges hinder the effective production and use of probiotic LABs, such as maintaining strain viability during storage and transport as well as ensuring their efficacy in the gastrointestinal tract. Our review identifies these critical barriers and suggests avenues for future research.

New Genomic Techniques applied to food cultures: a powerful contribution to innovative, safe, and sustainable food products

Nontransgenic New Genomic Techniques (NGTs) have emerged as a promising tool for food industries, allowing food cultures to contribute to an innovative, safe, and more sustainable food system. NGTs have the potential to be applied to microorganisms, delivering on challenging performance traits like texture, flavour, and an increase of nutritional value. This paper brings insights on how nontransgenic NGTs applied to food cultures could be beneficial to the sector, enabling food industries to generate innovative, safe, and sustainable products for European consumers. Microorganisms derived from NGTs have the potentials of becoming an important contribution to achieve the ambitious targets set by the European 'Green Deal' and 'Farm to Fork' policies. To encourage the development of NGT-derived microorganisms, the current EU regulatory framework should be adapted. These technologies allow the introduction of a precise, minimal DNA modification in microbial genomes resulting in optimized products carrying features that could also be achieved by spontaneous natural genetic evolution. The possibility to use NGTs as a tool to improve food safety, sustainability, and quality is the bottleneck in food culture developments, as it currently relies on lengthy natural evolution strategies or on untargeted random mutagenesis.

Fusarium biocontrol: antagonism and mycotoxin elimination by lactic acid bacteria

Mycotoxins produced by Fusarium species are secondary metabolites with low molecular weight formed by filamentous fungi generally resistant to different environmental factors and, therefore, undergo slow degradation. Contamination by Fusarium mycotoxins in cereals and millets is the foremost quality challenge the food and feed industry faces across the globe. Several types of chemical preservatives are employed in the mitigation process of these mycotoxins, and they help in long-term storage; however, chemical preservatives can be used only to some extent, so the complete elimination of toxins from foods is still a herculean task. The growing demand for green-labeled food drives to evade the use of chemicals in the production processes is getting much demand. Thus, the biocontrol of food toxins is important in the developing food sector. Fusarium mycotoxins are world-spread contaminants naturally occurring in commodities, food, and feed. The major mycotoxins Fusarium species produce are deoxynivalenol, fumonisins, zearalenone, and T2/HT2 toxins. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB), generally regarded as safe (GRAS), is a well-explored bacterial community in food preparations and preservation for ages. Recent research suggests that LAB are the best choice for extenuating Fusarium mycotoxins. Apart from Fusarium mycotoxins, this review focuses on the latest studies on the mechanisms of how LAB effectively detoxify and remove these mycotoxins through their various bioactive molecules and background information of these molecules.

Comprehensive review of clean-label antimicrobials used in dairy products

Consumers expect safe, healthy, natural, and sustainable food. Within the food industry, ingredient use is changing due to these consumer demands. While no single agreed-upon definition of clean label exists, a "clean label" in the context of food refers to a product that has a simplified and transparent ingredient list, with easily recognizable and commonly understood components to the general public. Clean-label products necessitate and foster a heightened level of transparency between companies and consumers. Dairy products are vulnerable to being contaminated by both pathogens and spoilage microorganisms. These microorganisms can be effectively controlled by replacing conventional antimicrobials with clean-label ingredients such as protective cultures or bacterial/fungal fermentates. This review summarizes the perspectives of consumers and the food industry regarding the definition of "clean label," and the current and potential future use of clean-label antimicrobials in dairy products. A key goal of this review is to make the concept of clean-label antimicrobial agents better understood by both manufacturers and researchers.

Limosilactobacillus fermentum IKP 111 reduces pathogen load and improves immunity of broilers when challenged with Salmonella enteritidis

In this study, we checked the effectiveness of L. fermentum IKP 111 in treating S. enteritidis infection in an in vivo study. Its oral administration to broiler chicks significantly reduced the colonization of S. enteritidis in the gut and there was a lower bacterial count of S. enteritidis in the droppings after infection. The administration of the probiotic L. fermentum IKP 111 also led to increase in weight gain in the broiler chicks as well as their immunomodulation against avian influenza virus (AIV) and Newcastle disease virus (NDV) as compared to the chicks challenged only with S. enteritidis. Our study provides evidence that the probiotic strain L. fermentum IKP 111 could be an alternate for controlling S. enteritidis infection while enhancing the gut health as well as the immune response of broiler chickens against viral infections.

Insight into the Postbiotic Potential of the Autochthonous Bacteriocin-Producing Enterococcus faecium BGZLM1-5 in the Reduction in the Abundance of Listeria monocytogenes ATCC19111 in a Milk Model

This study aimed to explore the probiogenomic characteristics of artisanal bacteriocin-producing Enterococcus faecium BGZLM1-5 and its potential application in reducing Listeria monocytogenes in a milk model. The BGZLM1-5 strain was isolated from raw cow's milk from households in the Zlatar Mountain region. The whole genome sequencing approach and bioinformatics analyses reveal that the strain BGZLM1-5 is non-pathogenic to humans. Bacteriocin-containing supernatant was thermally stable and antimicrobial activity retained 75% of the initial activity compared with that of the control after treatment at 90 °C for 30 min. Antimicrobial activity maintained relative stability at pH 3-11 and retained 62.5% of the initial activity compared with that of the control after treatment at pH 1, 2, and 12. The highest activity of the partially purified bacteriocin was obtained after precipitation at 40% saturation with ammonium sulfate and further purification by mixing with chloroform. Applying 3% and 5% (v/v) of the bacteriocin-containing supernatant and 0.5% (v/v) of the partially purified bacteriocin decreased the viable number of L. monocytogenes ATCC19111 after three days of milk storage by 23.5%, 63.5%, and 58.9%, respectively.

Bioprotection Potential of Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus LRH01 and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum LP01 against Spoilage-Associated Penicillium Strains in Yoghurt

Penicillium spp. are considered a major spoilage fungus in dairy products. Due to the growing concerns over food safety issues and the demand for "clean label" food products from consumers, the use of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) as a bioprotective tool to control fungal spoilage of dairy products appears to be a promising alternative. Here, the antifungal activities of ten LAB cultures against five dairy-spoilage-associated Penicillium strains were studied in a model system, and the most potent bioprotective cultures were further tested in yoghurt. Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus (L. rhamnosus) LRH01 and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (L. plantarum) LP01 exhibited potent antifungal efficacy at low concentrations. The inhibitory effects of cell-containing fermentates (C-fermentates), cell-free fermentates (CF-fermentates), and volatiles produced by the two cultures were tested in a yoghurt serum medium. The C-fermentates showed antifungal effects, while the removal of cells from C-fermentates led to decreased antifungal activities. Volatiles alone displayed some antifungal efficiency, but less than the fermentates. In a yoghurt matrix, the specific effect of manganese depletion by the bioprotective cultures on mold growth was investigated. Here, the LAB cultures could completely suppress the growth of molds, while addition of manganese partially or fully restored the mold growth, demonstrating that manganese depletion played a key role in the antifungal activity of the tested LAB cultures in the yoghurt matrix. Both L. plantarum LP01 and L. rhamnosus LRH01 showed efficient antifungal activities in the yoghurt serum, while L. rhamnosus LRH01 exhibited the most potent inhibitory effects on Penicillium strains when added during the processing of the yoghurt with subsequent storage at 7 °C for 22 days. Our findings suggested that L. rhamnosus LRH01 could be a promising bioprotective culture for yoghurt biopreservation.

Microbiota and probiotics: chances and challenges - a symposium report

The 10th International Yakult Symposium was held in Milan, Italy, on 13-14 October 2022. Two keynote lectures covered the crewed journey to space and its implications for the human microbiome, and how current regulatory systems can be adapted and updated to ensure the safety of microorganisms used as probiotics or food processing ingredients. The remaining lectures were split into sections entitled "Chances" and "Challenges." The "Chances" section explored opportunities for the science of probiotics and fermented foods to contribute to diverse areas of health such as irritable bowel syndrome, major depression, Parkinson's disease, immune dysfunction, infant colic, intensive care, respiratory infections, and promoting healthy longevity. The "Challenges" section included selecting appropriate clinical trial participants and methodologies to minimise heterogeneity in responses, how to view probiotics in the context of One Health, adapting regulatory frameworks, and understanding how substances of bacterial origin can cross the blood-brain barrier. The symposium provided evidence from cutting-edge research that gut eubiosis is vital for human health and, like space, the microbiota deserves further exploration of its vast potential.

Involvement of Versatile Bacteria Belonging to the Genus Arthrobacter in Milk and Dairy Products

Milk is naturally a rich source of many essential nutrients; therefore, it is quite a suitable medium for bacterial growth and serves as a reservoir for bacterial contamination. The genus Arthrobacter is a food-related bacterial group commonly present as a contaminant in milk and dairy products as primary and secondary microflora. Arthrobacter bacteria frequently demonstrate the nutritional versatility to degrade different compounds even in extreme environments. As a result of their metabolic diversity, Arthrobacter species have long been of interest to scientists for application in various industry and biotechnology sectors. In the dairy industry, strains from the Arthrobacter genus are part of the microflora of raw milk known as an indicator of hygiene quality. Although they cause spoilage, they are also regarded as important strains responsible for producing fermented milk products, especially cheeses. Several Arthrobacter spp. have reported their significance in the development of cheese color and flavor. Furthermore, based on the data obtained from previous studies about its thermostability, and thermoacidophilic and thermoresistant properties, the genus Arthrobacter promisingly provides advantages for use as a potential producer of β-galactosidases to fulfill commercial requirements as its enzymes allow dairy products to be treated under mild conditions. In light of these beneficial aspects derived from Arthrobacter spp. including pigmentation, flavor formation, and enzyme production, this bacterial genus is potentially important for the dairy industry.

Proteomics as a New-Generation Tool for Studying Moulds Related to Food Safety and Quality

Mould development in foodstuffs is linked to both spoilage and the production of mycotoxins, provoking food quality and food safety concerns, respectively. The high-throughput technology proteomics applied to foodborne moulds is of great interest to address such issues. This review presents proteomics approaches useful for boosting strategies to minimise the mould spoilage and the hazard related to mycotoxins in food. Metaproteomics seems to be the most effective method for mould identification despite the current problems related to the bioinformatics tool. More interestingly, different high resolution mass spectrometry tools are suitable for evaluating the proteome of foodborne moulds able to unveil the mould's response under certain environmental conditions and the presence of biocontrol agents or antifungals, being sometimes combined with a method with limited ability to separate proteins, the two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. However, the matrix complexity, the high ranges of protein concentrations needed and the performing of multiple steps are some of the proteomics limitations for the application to foodborne moulds. To overcome some of these limitations, model systems have been developed and proteomics applied to other scientific fields, such as library-free data independent acquisition analyses, the implementation of ion mobility, and the evaluation of post-translational modifications, are expected to be gradually implemented in this field for avoiding undesirable moulds in foodstuffs.

ε-Polylysine Derived from Marine Bacteria-A Possible Natural Preservative for Raw Milk Storage

Despite the fact that researchers have been working on the preservation of raw milk at room temperature for several decades, most of the processes are limited to the use of chemical preservatives. One of the major problems of raw milk self-life is its spoilage at ambient temperature during the summer season. Therefore, in the present study, research has been conducted to control raw milk spoilage at 4 °C and 35 °C (considered in different regions’ ambient temperatures). ε-Polylysine, a natural preservative approved for food use, was isolated from the fermentation broth of Bacillus licheniformis PL26 grown in an M3G medium, and its antimicrobial preservation properties for milk applications were tested. The raw milk samples containing 0.02% w/v ε-polylysine could be stored at 4 °C for up to 16 days without spoilage, however, raw milk samples without ε-polylysine as preservative spoiled on the 8th day even at 4 °C refrigeration conditions. Raw milk containing 0.02% ε-polylysine in combination with 0.2% sodium bicarbonate (added to avoid acidification) could be stored at ambient temperature (35 °C) for up to 48 h. The changes in milk composition, especially of the casein, lactose, and fat stability, during storage under different conditions with/without ε-polylysine, were studied as well. The present study proves that ε-polylysine can be successfully used as a new biopreservative. Therefore, for the dairy industry, a natural preservative to store milk at room temperature during the summer season, replacing synthetic preservatives derived from renewable sources, can be proposed. Once again, marine bacteria seem to be one of the promising sustainable and renewable sources of biologically active compounds such as new food biopreservatives

Contribution of omics to biopreservation: Toward food microbiome engineering

Biopreservation is a sustainable approach to improve food safety and maintain or extend food shelf life by using beneficial microorganisms or their metabolites. Over the past 20 years, omics techniques have revolutionised food microbiology including biopreservation. A range of methods including genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics and meta-omics derivatives have highlighted the potential of biopreservation to improve the microbial safety of various foods. This review shows how these approaches have contributed to the selection of biopreservation agents, to a better understanding of the mechanisms of action and of their efficiency and impact within the food ecosystem. It also presents the potential of combining omics with complementary approaches to take into account better the complexity of food microbiomes at multiple scales, from the cell to the community levels, and their spatial, physicochemical and microbiological heterogeneity. The latest advances in biopreservation through omics have emphasised the importance of considering food as a complex and dynamic microbiome that requires integrated engineering strategies to increase the rate of innovation production in order to meet the safety, environmental and economic challenges of the agri-food sector.