The Application of State-of-the-Art Analytic Tools (Biosensors and Spectroscopy) in Beverage and Food Fermentation Process Monitoring

A Study on the Applicability of Thermodynamic Sensors in Fermentation Processes in Selected Foods

This study focuses on the use of thermodynamic sensors (TDS) in baking, brewing, and yogurt production at home. Using thermodynamic sensors, a change in the temperature flow between the two sensor elements during fermentation was observed for the final mixture (complete recipe for pizza dough production), showing the possibility of distinguishing some phases of the fermentation process. Even during the fermentation process in the preparation of wort and yogurt with non-traditional additives, the sensors were able to indicate significant parts of the process, including the end of the process. The research article also mentions as a new idea the use of trivial regulation at home in food production to determine the course of the fermentation process. The results presented in this article show the possibility of using TDS for more accurate characterization and adjustment of the production process of selected foods in the basic phase, which will be further applicable in the food industry, with the potential to reduce the cost of food production processes that involve a fermentation process.

The Multiomics Analyses of Fecal Matrix and Its Significance to Coeliac Disease Gut Profiling

Gastrointestinal (GIT) diseases have risen globally in recent years, and early detection of the host’s gut microbiota, typically through fecal material, has become a crucial component for rapid diagnosis of such diseases. Human fecal material is a complex substance composed of undigested macromolecules and particles, and the processing of such matter is a challenge due to the unstable nature of its products and the complexity of the matrix. The identification of these products can be used as an indication for present and future diseases; however, many researchers focus on one variable or marker looking for specific biomarkers of disease. Therefore, the combination of genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics and metabonomics can give a detailed and complete insight into the gut environment. The proper sample collection, sample preparation and accurate analytical methods play a crucial role in generating precise microbial data and hypotheses in gut microbiome research, as well as multivariate data analysis in determining the gut microbiome functionality in regard to diseases. This review summarizes fecal sample protocols involved in profiling coeliac disease.

A high-throughput and machine learning resistance monitoring system to determine the point of resistance for Escherichia coli with tetracycline: Combining UV-visible spectrophotometry with principal component analysis

UV-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis) is routinely used in microbiology as a tool to check the optical density (OD) pertaining to the growth stages of microbial cultures at the single wavelength of 600 nm, better known as the OD₆₀₀ . Typically, modern UV-Vis spectrophotometers can scan in the region of approximately 200-1000 nm in the electromagnetic spectrum, where users do not extend the use of the instrument's full capability in a laboratory. In this study, the full potential of UV-Vis spectrophotometry (multiwavelength collection) was used to examine bacterial growth phases when treated with antibiotics showcasing the ability to understand the point of resistance when an antibiotic is introduced into the media and therefore understand the biochemical changes of the infectious pathogens. A multiplate reader demonstrated a high throughput experiment (96 samples) to understand the growth of Escherichia coli when varied concentrations of the antibiotic tetracycline was added into the well plates. Principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares discriminant analysis were then used as the data mining techniques to interpret the UV-Vis spectral data and generate machine learning "proof of principle" for the UV-Vis spectrophotometer plate reader. Results from this study showed that the PCA analysis provides an accurate yet simple visual classification and the recognition of E. coli samples belonging to each treatment. These data show significant advantages when compared to the traditional OD₆₀₀ method where we can now understand biochemical changes in the system rather than a mere optical density measurement. Due to the unique experimental setup and procedure that involves indirect use of antibiotics, the same test could be used for obtaining practical information on the type, resistance, and dose of antibiotic necessary to establish the optimum diagnosis, treatment, and decontamination strategies for pathogenic and antibiotic resistant species.

Application of Chemometrics in Biosensing: A Review

The field of biosensing is rapidly developing, and the number of novel sensor architectures and different sensing elements is growing fast. One of the most important features of all biosensors is their very high selectivity stemming from the use of bioreceptor recognition elements. The typical calibration of a biosensor requires simple univariate regression to relate a response value with an analyte concentration. Nevertheless, dealing with complex real-world sample matrices may sometimes lead to undesired interference effects from various components. This is where chemometric tools can do a good job in extracting relevant information, improving selectivity, circumventing a non-linearity in a response. This brief review aims to discuss the motivation for the application of chemometric tools in biosensing and provide some examples of such applications from the recent literature.

Determining meat freshness using electrochemistry: Are we ready for the fast and furious?

Electrochemistry is providing a variety of sensors at an extremely rapid pace. Many of these sensors offer powerful attributes like a multitude of platforms like voltammetry, impedimetry, amperometry and conductometry, as well as sensor-related gains like high sensitivity, selectivity and low cost. It is natural that their applications to food, especially meat freshness determination, are also increasing. Novel methods for rapidly assessing meat freshness are vital for meeting the increasing worldwide demand for meat products. Therefore, we present a short and succinct review of the most promising electrochemical sensor types, including those based on conductive polymers, nanocomposites and metal nanoparticles. From the wide range of sensors that have been designed to detect microbial pathogens and chemical degradation, we have covered a basic snapshot to yield an impression of recent gains in the research genre of meat freshness.

Handling Complexity in Animal and Plant Science Research-From Single to Functional Traits: Are We There Yet?

The current knowledge of the main factors governing livestock, crop and plant quality as well as yield in different species is incomplete. For example, this can be evidenced by the persistence of benchmark crop varieties for many decades in spite of the gains achieved over the same period. In recent years, it has been demonstrated that molecular breeding based on DNA markers has led to advances in breeding (animal and crops). However, these advances are not in the way that it was anticipated initially by the researcher in the field. According to several scientists, one of the main reasons for this was related to the evidence that complex target traits such as grain yield, composition or nutritional quality depend on multiple factors in addition to genetics. Therefore, some questions need to be asked: are the current approaches in molecular genetics the most appropriate to deal with complex traits such as yield or quality? Are the current tools for phenotyping complex traits enough to differentiate among genotypes? Do we need to change the way that data is collected and analysed?

The Use of UV-Vis Spectroscopy in Bioprocess and Fermentation Monitoring

Real-time analytical tools to monitor bioprocess and fermentation in biological and food applications are becoming increasingly important. Traditional laboratory-based analyses need to be adapted to comply with new safety and environmental guidelines and reduce costs. Many methods for bioprocess fermentation monitoring are spectroscopy-based and include visible (Vis), infrared (IR) and Raman. This paper describes the main principles and recent developments in UV-Vis spectroscopy to monitor bioprocess and fermentation in different food production applications.