Journal of microbiology, biotechnology and food sciences

HONEY MARKET CHALLENGES: FLAVORED HONEY AS HEALTHY FOOD CHOICE FOR CONSUMERS

Kristína Predanócyová — 2024-04-18

The honey market has adapted to changing consumer preferences for healthy, sustainable produced, local, and high-quality food, which also leads to the development of new flavored honeys. The aim of the paper is to explore honey consumption trends and examine consumer acceptance of new flavored honeys. Consumer study is based on questionnaire survey combined with the evaluation of sensory attributes (color, taste, aroma, consistency, overall acceptance) of selected samples of flavored honeys (cinnamon, raspberry, cocoa and hazelnuts, grape powder, and ginger). The research was conducted in 2023 in Slovakia with a sample of 86 young consumers. Various statistical methods (the Chi-square test of independence, the Friedman test, Nemenyi procedure, extraction method principal component analysis and principal component analysis) were used to identify consumer acceptance and attitudes toward new flavored honeys. Results indicate that the younger generation tends towards occasional honey consumption, averaging up to 3 kg per year. Furthermore, the results showed that nearly 70% of consumers consume flavored honey and prefer honeys with propolis, pollen, royal jelly, ginger, and cinnamon. The motives for consumption are primarily taste and health benefits and key factors influencing the purchase and consumption of flavored honeys include quality and composition. Sensory evaluation highlights positive evaluations for color of honey with raspberry; aroma, taste, and overall acceptance of honey with cinnamon; and taste of honey with cocoa and hazelnuts. The findings underscore a shifting preference among younger consumers towards flavored honeys, indicating a growing market demand driven by both taste preferences and perceived health benefits, potentially reshaping the honey consumption patterns towards new and value-added products. Consumer study offers new insights for scientific research and provide valuable information for honey producers in developing and marketing of new flavored honey. Additionally, it contributes to public health awareness, emphasizing the significance of flavored honey consumption.

BKB23 COMPARISON OF BEEKEEPERS’ AND ANALYTICAL DETERMINATIONS OF HONEY ORIGIN

Matej Pospiech — 2024-02-29

Honey is a natural sweetener evaluated in accordance with Council Directive 2001/110/EC. 336 honeys from Czech hobby beekeepers were evaluated in this work. The honeys were classified by the beekeepers using questionnaires, and all samples were subjected to laboratory analysis using physico-chemical and melissopalynological methods. The honey samples were categorized by the beekeepers into blossom honeys (n=272), honeydew honeys (n=32), and blended honeys (n=32). Statistically significant differences between beekeepers’ and analytical determinations of honey origin were confirmed. For blossom honey, incorrect classification was due to hight electric conductivity (39%), hight moisture (29%), low F+G (14%), and high sucrose content (0,4%). For honeydew honey, incorrect classification was mainly due to low electric conductivity (100%). For blended honey due to high electric conductivity (3.2%) and high acidity (3.2%). Our results show that although the beekeeper has a great deal of information at his disposal for the proper classification of honey, the determination of a wide range of honey contents and properties is always crucial. The cumulative assessment of blossom honeys also showed that there are more monofloral honeys in the country than beekeepers themselves identify. The 6.8% and 23.0% of blossom honey was in compliance with the definition for monofloral honeys for upper and lower limit according to Czech and German regulation.

COMPARATIVE EVALUATION OF QUALITY PARAMETERS OF CANNED BEAVER AND NUTRIA

Jan Slováček — 2024-04-16

This study evaluated the chemical, physical and sensory properties of canned beaver and nutria. These animals are currently hunted not for their meat, but to reduce their numbers in the wild. The situation is complicated by the fact that both species are on the relevant lists. However, while the beaver is a protected animal, the nutria is an invasive species. This leads to complications in the application of the relevant legislation. Hunters are therefore limited in what they can do with the meat of these species. The chemical composition of the products did not differ (p > 0.05). Canned beaver was the darkest (p < 0.05) product and canned nutria the softest (p < 0.05). Both meat products were sensory acceptable and no off-odour or off-flavour was perceived. Canning meat is something that hunters can easily do at home, and the resulting product meets all the requirements for food safety.

EXPLORING THE POTENTIAL OF PLANT BYPRODUCTS FOR SYNTHESIZING CARBOXYMETHYL CELLULOSE NANOPARTICLES: A STUDY ON CHARACTERIZATION, PHYSICAL PROPERTIES, AND IN VIVO TOXICITY

Kadhim H. Abdul Sayed — 2024-02-29

The research involved the extraction of cellulose (C) from agricultural waste such as rice husk and the creation of nano-cellulose (NC) using Acid hydrolysis and Ultrasound method. Subsequently, carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and carboxymethyl Nano Cellulose (NCMC) were prepared using Alkalization and Etherification method. The team analyzed several properties of the compounds, which included the natural polymers' size measured using a Size Analyzer, resulting in 35865.7 nm for CMC. The percentage of nanopolymers yield was also calculated and noted a decline, from 37.36% for CMC to 26.48% for NCMC. FT-IR spectroscopy device was used to identify the functional groups, indicating a higher degree of substitution for NCMC (0.630%) than for natural polymers CMC (0.573%). The structure and size of polymer nanoparticles were examined using AFM, and FESEM, devices, and the diameters ranged from 30.90-49.65 nm for NCMC. The study also analyzed physical properties such as viscosity, which was observed to decrease for nanopolymers compared to natural-sized polymers (80.33 and 52.23 for CMC and NCMC, respectively), and water binding capacity, which decreased for nanopolymers compared to natural-sized polymers (725.42% and 540.76% for CMC and NCMC, respectively). Fat binding capacity was also studied, and it was found to be 511.35% and 230.25% for CMC and NCMC, respectively. The study concluded that NCMC was non-toxic at concentrations ranging from 100-1000 µg/ml.

VARIABILITY OF BIOACTIVE COMPOUNDS IN LEEK (ALLIUM PORRUM L.)

Natália Čeryová — 2024-04-18

Leek (Allium porrum L.), a commonly grown vegetable widely used in the food industry, has gained increased interest in recent years in connection with its content of bioactive substances. Therefore, this study aimed to determine and evaluate the influence of cultivar and morphological part on the total content of polyphenols, sulfur compounds, and the antioxidant activity in the monitored morphological parts of leek (Allium porrum L.). The total polyphenol content (TPC) in the white part of analyzed leek cultivars ranged from 446.30 to 1580.55 mg GAE.kg^-1DM. TPC in the green part of analyzed leek cultivars ranged from 748.09 to 2172.78 mg GAE.kg^-1DM. TPC in the leaves of analyzed leek cultivars ranged from 2301.24 to 5477.73 mg GAE.kg^-1DM. The antioxidant activity (AA) in the white part of analyzed leek cultivars ranged from 3.70 to 14.23 mmol TE.kg^-1 DM. AA in the green part of analyzed leek cultivars ranged from 6.89 to 14.38 mmol TE.kg^-1 DM. AA in leaves of analyzed leek cultivars ranged from 30.85 to 106.92 mmol TE.kg^-1 DM. The total sulfur content (TSC) in the white part of analyzed leek cultivars ranged from 0.25 to 0.52 %. TSC in the green part of analyzed leek cultivars ranged from 0.27 to 0.52 %. TSC in the leaves of analyzed leek cultivars ranged from 0.31 to 0.59 %. Based on the analysis of variance, we can state that statistically higher (p< 0.05) TPC, AA, and TSC were determined in the leaves of the leek. Statistically higher (p< 0.05) TPC, AA, and TSC in all morphological parts were determined in the cultivar De Carentan. The results confirmed the variability of bioactive substances and antioxidant activity in the individual monitored cultivars, but also in the monitored morphological parts of the leek.

MEAT PERFORMANCE AND PHYSICOCHEMICAL EVALUATION OF PIGEON MEAT

Peter Hascik — 2024-04-16

The aim of the work was to evaluate the meat performance, colour and basic chemical composition (g.100 g^-1 of water, protein, fat, and cholesterol) of the breast and tight muscles (n=20) of the California pigeons. The L* values of the California pigeons ranged from 33.38 (breast muscle) to 43.63 (tight muscle) and significant differences (P≤0.05) were observed between the breast and tight muscle. The a* value ranged from 10.03 (tight muscle) to 14.77 (breast muscle). By evaluating the b* parameter, we observed a similar tendency as with the L* value. The highest values were measured in the tight muscle (11.50) and lower in the breast muscle (9.84). The proportion of breast (42.80%) and tight (14.90%) from the carcass weight of California pigeons is relatively high, and a high average carcass yield (71.12%) was also found. The water content varied from 70.51% (tight muscle) to 72.37% (breast muscle). The average protein content of breast and tight muscle was 23.68 g.100 g^-1. The higher fat content was measured in tight muscle (2.95 g.100 g^-1) and lower (1.21 g.100 g^-1) in breast muscle. The cholesterol content in meat from California pigeons ranged from 0.044 g.100 g^-1 (breast muscle) to 0.071 g.100 g^-1 (tight muscle).

DETERMINATION OF BIOGENIC AMINES IN CULTIVATED AND PROCESSED MUSHROOMS INTENDED FOR THE SLOVAK MARKET

Silvia Jakabová — 2024-05-03

Cultivated and processed white button mushrooms are widely used in the menu of the Slovak consumers. However, these food items can potentially contain biogenic amines, attributed to the presence of precursor compounds and their susceptibility to microbial spoilage. Biogenic amines significantly influence food quality and can pose health risks to consumers. This study is focused on determination of spermidine, putrescine, tyramine, cadaverine, histamine, spermine, and 2-phenylethylamine in processed mushroom products available in the Slovak market. The findings revealed considerable variability in biogenic amine content across individual products, influenced by the producer. Spermidine, putrescine and spermine emerged as the predominant biogenic amines with concentration ranges 2349.8 -7412.8, 37.2 - 607.5 and 74.2 - 267.6 mg/kg DW, respectively. Tyramine and histamine were detected in 22.2% of processed mushroom samples with one product exceeding concentration 200 mg/kg DW. Cadaverine was identified in 44.4% samples. The presence of histamine has to be concerned regarding potential health risks for consumers. Comparison of the mushroom products showed significant differences between the groups of products with whole mushrooms vs. sliced mushrooms in brine in case of the content of spermine (p<0.001), water content (p<0.01), putrescine, histamine and tyramine (p<0.05 for all these BAs). No significant differences were found between the groups for the cadaverine, spermidine and total content of biogenic amines. In house rapid validation was performed in term of determination of limits of detection and limits of quantification and intraday precision of retention time for individual biogenic amines in this study. Limits of detection ranged from 0.013 to 0.029 µg/mL and limits for quantification were in the range from 0.039 to 0.087 µg/mL. The RSD for the retention time in standard solutions did not exceed 0.12%.

QUALITY ASSESSMENT OF FERMENTED MEAT PRODUCT AFTER NATURAL EXTRACTS OF BLACKCURRANT (RIBES NIGRUM) AND KAMCHATKA HONEYSUCKLE (LONICERA CAERULEA VAR. KAMTSCHATICA) ADDITION

Miroslav Kročko — 2024-05-01

The aim of this work was to analyse the effect of blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum) and kamchatka honeysuckle (Lonicera caerulea var. Kamtschatica) extracts on the physico-chemical properties, microbiological and sensory quality of fermented meat product. Analyses were performed after 5, 15, 30 and 45 days of ageing. The addition of blackcurrant and kamchatka honeysuckle extracts in quantities of 3 and 5 ml.kg^-¹ did not adversely affect the ageing process of fermented meat product samples determined based on pH. After 45 days of ageing period, we found higher malondialdehyde (MDA) values in all experimental groups (except for the experimental group with the addition of 3 ml blackcurrant extract). The addition of the extracts in the tested quantities did not cause demonstrable differences in the intensity values of brightness (L^*), red (a^*) and yellow (b^*) colour throughout the ageing period. Microbial examination indicates that the addition of blackcurrant and kamchatka honeysuckle extracts did not inhibit the growth of starter culture. Bacteria of the genus Lactobacillus and Staphylococcus predominated in all experimental groups. Family Enterobacteriaceae was not detected after 45 days of ageing and storage. Moulds were detected only after 5 days of ageing and in the experimental groups with the addition of blackcurrant extracts. The counts of yeasts gradually increased with increasing ageing time in all experimental groups. Sensory analysis revealed a beneficial effect of kamchatka honeysuckle extract in the amount of 3 ml.kg^-1 after 30 days of fermented sausages ageing. On the other hand, blackcurrant extract in higher amount (5 ml.kg^-1) had a beneficial effect on sensory quality after 30^th day. Traditional kamchatka honeysuckle aroma was probably transferred into the samples of meat product and caused lower sensory scores. Due to the known functional properties of black currant and kamchatka honeysuckle, we recommend carrying out their further analyses on the quality of fermented meat products.

EFFECT OF THE ADDITION OF SELECTED HERBS ON THE TECHNOLOGICAL AND SENSORY QUALITY OF BEER

Miriam Solgajová — 2024-03-22

The aim of this work was to enhanced functionality of beer with natural materials such as selected herbs from Lamiaceae family (salvia, oregano, wild thyme, lemon balm) and consequently to determine the impact of the addition of herbs on the technological parameters and sensory profile of beer. For purposes of this study a top-fermented beer was produced and herbs: salvia (Salvia officinalis L), oregano (Origanum vulgare L.), wild thyme (Thymus serpyllum L.) and lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.) were used for beer fortification. The basic qualitative parameters of beer as real extract, alcohol content, pH, colour, total polyphenol content and antioxidant activity were determined. Results showed that in the analysed samples, the values of the actual extract ranged from 3.64 wt.% to 4.02 wt.%. Alcohol content ranged from 3.99 vol.% to 4.46 vol.%. Total polyphenol content was significantly increased by the herbs addition to beer. The content of phenolic substances increased the most in beer with oregano 801.63 mg GAE.g^-1. Moreover, the antioxidant activity in beer samples enriched with herbs was significantly increased; it ranged from 50.30 mg TEAC.g^-1 (control beer) to 78.17 mg TEAC.g^-1 (beer with oregano). Values of antioxidant activity were positively correlated with the content of total polyphenols. Sensory evaluation of beer was conducted using a nine-level hedonic scale. Sensory analyses revealed that the most intense, pleasurable herbal aroma and taste was evaluated in beer with salvia. From the overall impression point of view beer enriched with wild thyme manifested the best performance.

EFFECT OF FOAMING AGENT AND DRYING TEMPERATURE ON DRYING RATE AND QUALITY OF FOAM-MAT DRIED PAPAYA POWDER

Hong Van Hao — 2024-04-18

Recently, foam-mat drying is being considered a mild drying technique, requiring low investment costs but being particularly highly effective. This drying method is very useful for liquid or semi-liquid food products that are highly viscous and easily change qualities by heat. Liquid or finely ground foods are foamed with the assistance of surfactants (foam-creating and foam-stabilizing agents are egg albumin and carboxymethyl cellulose, respectively), followed by drying of the foam with hot air. Box-Behnken design (BBD) of response surface methodology (RSM) was designed in this study, with 3 factors and 3 levels, including egg albumin content (6-10%), carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) (0.1-0.5%) and drying temperature (50-70^oC). The drying rate and β-carotene content of foam and product, respectively, are the indicators observed in 18 experimental runs and 6 repetitions at the central point. Use target settings for each response based on high β-carotene content and highest drying rate to produce a high-quality papaya powder product with the shortest drying time. The optimal and feasible experimental conditions for drying foam mats were achieved with albumin concentration, CMC and optimal drying temperature at 9.07%, 0.39% and 62^oC, respectively. From these optimal conditions, the optimal values of drying rate and β-carotene content were achieved as 3.41 g water/g dry matter/min and 37.95 µg/g, respectively. This study has confirmed that foam drying is a feasible method to produce good quality papaya powder, the product maintains the natural color of the original material, low moisture (8.5%) and water activity (0.35), and high rehydration ratio (4.05) when drying at 62^oC for 3 hours.

THE AMINO ACID AND FATTY ACID PROFILE OF EUROPEAN BADGER (MELES MELES) MEAT

Peter Haščík — 2024-04-17

The aim of the present study was to quantify the amino acid and fatty acid composition of European badger (Meles meles). Biological material consisted of 12 individuals of both sexes, harvested from hunting grounds in Slovakia. An automatic analyzer, AAA 400, was used to determine the amino acid profile, and for the measurement of the fatty acid profile, the gas chromatography FAME synthesis was used. In our study, we observed that the most prevalent amino acids in badger meat were Lys (2.17±0.26 g.100 g^-1), Leu (1.93±0.23 g.100 g^-1), and Arg (1.61±0.19 g.100 g^-1). Unsaturated fatty acids dominated the fatty acids profile of badger meat. The most prevalent group was MUFA (46.57±1.47 g.100 g^-1). Our results conclude that badger meat could be an interesting addition to a human diet because of its favorable fatty acid composition.

ADULTERATION IN FOOD INDUSTRY IN 2023 - OVERVIEW

Katarina Polakova — 2024-04-18

This review focuses on food fraud and shows a picture of the most critical notifications reported by the Knowledge Centre for Food Fraud and Quality worldwide during the year 2023. Knowledge4Policy (K4P) is the EU Commission's platform for evidence-based policymaking. This study aims to provide an overview of the cases of food fraud focused on specific food groups - (fish and seafood, oils and fats, fruit and vegetables, honey and sugar, meat and meat products, wine, alcohol, milk and dairy products, spices and herbs, grain-based food – cereals - bakery products, eggs, snacks, coffee, tea, cocoa, non-alcoholic beverages, dietic foods supplements, fortified food). The data on food fraud was divided based on world continents (Asia, Africa, South America, North- Central America, Australia, and Europe). The next part of our overview shows the count of food fraud incidents separately each month for 2023. Overall, 419 cases were registered worldwide in 66 countries in 2023. Most cases were registered in Europe, South America, Africa, North-Central America, and Australia. Based on our findings, we can conclude that the highest number of cases were registered in Pakistan, followed by Italy, Brazil, Nigeria, the Dominican Republic, and Australia. The most abundant was alcohol-beverages adulteration (18.13 % of the total number of cases reported in 2023 worldwide), followed by meat and meat products (15.03 %), fish and seafood (13.60 %), and grain-based food, cereals, and bakery products (11.69 %). Analysis of notification data showed that the most used type of fraud was grey market trading, mislabeling, document forgery, dilution/mixing, substitution, and unapproved enhancement. Food fraud databases serve as valuable tools for the food industry and regulatory bodies, aiding in mitigating food fraud risks.

MICROBIOLOGICAL QUALITY AND SENSORY ATTRIBUTES OF SAUSAGES FROM DIFFERENT PRODUCTION MODELS

Miroslav Juzl — 2024-03-26

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the microbiological, color and sensory attributes of sausages produced by different production modes. The sausages in control group (C) were made in a meat pilot plant laboratory, which is under the supervision of Veterinary State Authority and meets all the requirements for the production and sale of meat products on the market. Three hobby manufacturers simulated house-hold production mode (HMA, HMB and HMC) and made sausages from the same meat and using the same recipe in three different procedures for filling, cooking and smoking sausages. The results confirmed the correctness of the requirement for heat treatment inside the meat product (70 degrees Celsius for 10 minutes). Significant differences between production modes (P < 0.05) were found in basic chemical composition and in colour measurements of the sausages while significant effect on microbiological findings and sensory traits were not determined. An important requirement is to prevent cross-contamination when handling heat-treated meat products.

AUTHENTICITY ANALYSIS OF 100% SHEEP'S BRYNDZA FROM SELECTED ESTABLISHMENTS IN THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC

Jozef Čapla — 2024-05-27

Cheese was in the past, and still is today, one of the leading commodities. The production of “bryndza” has been preserved over the years, and today it is represented by the Protected Geographical Indication “Slovenská bryndza” (Slovenská bryndza). There are two types of “Slovenská bryndza”, mixed or 100% sheep. However, the name 'traditional' belongs only to sheep's bryndza. The high demand for a particular foodstuff also brings risks associated with its quality and fairness. The same is true of the national heritage product, sheep's bryndza. Identifying the originality or authenticity of various animal food products has received considerable attention recently. Our work has focused on the control of adulteration of 100% sheep's bryndza. Purchased samples from different parts of Slovakia were analyzed with a focus on the addition of cow's milk to sheep's bryndza. The reference method for determining the presence of cow's milk in sheep's cheese is based on detecting cow's γ2- and γ3-caseins from cheese after electrophoretic separation on urea-polyacrylamide gels. This method has proven to be reliable and sensitive. We tested sheep's bryndza made from both raw milk and heat-treated milk. The method of checking for adulteration of the cheese proved successful and in one sample we found the presence of cow casein in smaller amounts, probably due to accidental contamination. Isoelectric focusing of γ-caseins after plasmolysis is suitable for qualitatively determining sheep and cow proteins in traditional Slovak bryndza.

ENHANCING CELLULASE PRODUCTION VIA RESPONSE SURFACE METHODOLOGY FROM CLADOSPORIUM SP.: FRUIT WASTE ADDITION IMPACT

Rama Mohan Poludasu — 2024-04-17

Accumulating organic waste stands as a significant challenge in developing nations. Researchers have extensively studied and utilized sugarcane bagasse fiber residues to produce various compounds. Cladosporium sp. NCIM 901 employs peracetic acid (PAA) treated bagasse in solid substrate fermentation (SSF) to generate cellulase enzyme. We utilized a Box-Behnken Design (BBD) to investigate how the fermentation medium components - watermelon juice, lemon peel powder, KH₂PO₄, (NH₄)₂SO₄, and MgSO₄ - affect the synthesis of Filter Paperase (FPase), Carboxymethyl cellulase (CMCase), and β-glucosidase enzymes. Under the enhanced conditions, the trial exhibited β-glucosidase, CMCase, and FPase activities of 18.6, 19.4, and 17.6 U/gds, respectively. The model calculated R² values ranging between 91.2–91.4%, suggesting their suitability and potentially usable for estimating the level of culture medium variables needed to achieve optimal enzyme generation by the fungal strain Cladosporium sp. Observations confirm that supplementing lemon peel powder and watermelon juice with MgSO₄ enhances enzyme production. The findings of model validation revealed high consistency between the observed experimental and anticipated outcomes. In the simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SsF) process, the processed bagasse yielded more ethanol (26 g/L) compared to the untreated substrate. Based on the result, it can be conclude that, fruit processing wastes are useful for increasing cellulase enzyme production by fungi under solid state fermentation.

INHIBITORY EFFECTS OF STERCULIA LYCHNOPHORA HANCE ETHANOL EXTRACTS ON BIOFILM FORMATION AND VIRULENCE FACTORS OF PSEUDOMONAS AERUGINOSA

Ly Ta Ngoc — 2024-03-11

This study aimed to explore the inhibitory effects of dried fruit ethanol extracts of Sterculia lychnophora Hance (SLHe), a traditional medicinal plant known as Pangdahai, on biofilm formation and virulence factors of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Screening of bioactive compounds extracted from Sterculia lychnophora revealed a strong binding affinity to anthranilate-CoA ligase (PqsA), which regulates genes involved in pyocyanin production and biofilm formation. The experimental investigation confirmed the inhibitory effects of SLHe on biofilm formation and its ability to disrupt existing biofilms. Additionally, SLHe exhibited reductions in pyocyanin production and protease activity of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. These findings indicate the therapeutic potential of SLHe as a natural alternative for treating bacterial infections, particularly those associated with bacterial biofilm formations.

GREENING INDIA'S FUEL: BACILLUS VELEZENSIS DAA1, A GAME-CHANGER IN SUSTAINABLE LIPID SYNTHESIS FOR BIOENERGY

Sugandha Asthana — 2024-03-11

India presently depends on imports of crude oil from overseas sources. However, the increasing demand for fossil fuels and the depletion of these finite resources are contributing to a rise in the costs associated with these imports. There has been a pressing demand for the development of cost-effective, renewable, and environmentally sustainable solutions. Biofuels, which are obtained from a wide range of biomass sources such as plants, animals, and microbes, present a potentially viable answer. Microorganisms exhibiting the ability to accumulate lipids in excess of 20% in the form of triacylglycerols and wax esters are commonly denoted as "oleaginous". The primary objective of this work was to isolate and screen bacterial strains with high lipid accumulation potential from soil samples collected along riverbanks. A total of fourteen strains were isolated and subjected to screening in order to assess their lipid production capabilities. Among these strains, Bacillus velezensis strain DAA1 exhibited the highest level of lipid synthesis. Response Surface Methodology was used to optimize carbon and salt concentrations. The experimental findings indicated that the utilization of carbon at a concentration of 12.5 g/L with salt concentration of 17.07 g/L, resulted in a noteworthy lipid content of 79%. The major fatty acid found through Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) for lipid characterization was determined to be 12-methyltetradecanoic acid, constituting 41% of the overall lipid composition. This work highlights the potential of Bacillus velezensis DAA1 as a promising alternative for lipid production, with possible implications for biofuel generation in the industry.

BIOCHEMICAL RESPONSES IN AGROBACTERIUM-INFECTED OILSEED RAPE EXPLANTS DURING EARLY STAGES OF REGENERATION IN THE PRESENCE OF DITHIOTHREITOL

Dominika Dronzeková — 2024-04-19

We investigated the impact of exogenous dithiothreitol on the activities of enzymatic antioxidants ascorbate peroxidase and catalase, and the levels of non-enzymatic antioxidants and osmoprotectant proline, and total soluble sugars in Agrobacterium-infected and non-infected (control) explants of oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) after the 3rd and 17th day of in vitro culture. This investigation was conducted with or without dithiothreitol at a concentration of 1 mg/L. Dithiothreitol is a sulphur-containing compound that act as a reducing agent, impacting the redox environment within plant cells. Explants were obtained from six-day-old hypocotyls of the cultivars Ability and Lancia, and infected with Agrobacterium tumefaciens GV3101 carrying the binary vector. The application of dithiothreitol into co-cultivation and regeneration media led to a significant decrease in the activities of ascorbate peroxidase and catalase in both infected and non-infected explants of both cultivars. In contrast, explants regenerated without dithiothreitol exhibited a significant increase in ascorbate peroxidase activity and a decrease in catalase activity, although the decrease in catalase activity was not as pronounced. The proline content increased significantly in all analysed explants, with the highest increase observed in explants regenerated in the presence of dithiothreitol. This suggests that dithiothreitol might indirectly contribute to the reduced formation of reactive oxygen species, which is generally negatively correlated with transformation efficiency.

GROWTH ACCELERATION AND GALANTHAMINE CONTENT OF HIPPEASTRUM PAPILIO PLANTS GROWN ON HYDROPONIC SYSTEMS

Boryanka Traykova — 2024-04-19

Hippeastrum papilio (Ravenna) Van Scheepen (Amaryllidaceae) is an endangered endemic species from the rainforests of Brazil. It is not only an attractive ornamental plant, but the species with the highest content of the valuable alkaloid galanthaminе used for treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. The rapid propagation of the plants is crucial for biomass production as an alternative plant raw material for industrial galanthamine extraction. The aim of the present study was to accelerate the growth of H. papilio bulbs using two different hydroponic systems and to evaluate their effectiveness, as well as to determine the galanthamine content in the leaves. Differences in seedlings’ growth on Flood & Drain hydroponic system, on Cutting board hydroponic system, and in soil substrate as a control were significant (P<0.001, Anova single factor). Best results were obtained on the Cutting board hydroponic system where plant weight increased an average of 59.1 ± 24.0 times while the lowest growth was in the control, with an average weight increase of 11.1 ± 4.7 times. One month after adaptation of plants to soil substrate they were analysed by GC-MS. Galanthamine was the main alkaloid in the leaves of plants from all variants, and its content varied between 0.66% and 0.86%, which was commensurable with that of the native plants. Feasibility of soilless cultivation of in vitro propagated H. papilio bulblets was also proven.

A REVIEW ON PROTEIN PRODUCTION AND SECRETION IN EUKARYOYTES

NANDINI B NATARAJ — 2024-04-25

Protein secretion is an important process in any living organism, and this is mediated by numerous steps and several cellular components. This review provides an overview of protein production from nascent polypeptide synthesis stage to secretion of these proteins into extracellular space by vesicular sorting. This review also provides insights on the factors involved in ER and Golgi in this pathway and their role. It also covers responsibility of translocons and chaperones in stress response pathways such as UPR and ERAD. Beyond all these a series of quality control checks are performed by cellular machinery to ensure the quality of protein delivered. So essentially this review covers all the pathways involved from initiation of protein expression to secretion.

ROOT GROWTH-PROMOTING EFFECT IN WHEAT PLANTS EXERTED BY AZOSPIRILLUM ARGENTINENSE REC3, ITS FLAGELLAR PROTEIN AZFLAP AND A STRAWBERRY HYDROALCOHOLIC EXTRACT IN A SIMPLE RHIZOTRON SYSTEM

María Alejandra Correa Deza — 2024-03-22

Root research often uses rhizotron systems where their main characteristic is to possess a transparent wall allowing the in situ observation of plants’ root system. Rhizotrons can vary in size and be filled with different substrates based on soil, sand and other components. Here, a simple and low cost rhizotron system without soil substrate was developed, allowing the observation of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) root system treated with bioproducts. To show the effectiveness of the rhizotrons, hydrated wheat seeds were treated with plant growth-promoting bioproducts such as Azospirillum argentinense REC3 (10⁶ CFU.ml^-1), flagellin AzFlap (200 nM), or strawberry hydroalcoholic extract (0.01 mg.mL^-1). This rhizotron system allowed to non-destructively evaluate the roots (length, density and root hair proliferation), where the values of the bioproducts surpassed the control.

ANTIOXIDANT CHARACTERISTICS OF METHANOL AND ETHANOL EXTRACTS OF SELECTED VARIETIES OF HUMULUS LUPULUS

Nora Haring — 2024-04-17

Hops are an important ingredient in beer composition. In recent times, attention has been focused on the positive effects of hops as a plant with a high content of substances with antioxidant properties. Knowing the total concentration of polyphenols or the total antioxidant capacity of individual hop varieties could contribute to the creation of the so-called functional beer with a high content of biologically active substances. The results showed a connection between the content of α-bitter acids and the total content of polyphenols in hops. The highest concentration of polyphenols, corresponding to 2.52 g/dm³ of gallic acid, was the ethanol extract of the Polaris variety, prepared at a temperature of 100 °C from cryo-pulverized hops, whose content of α-bitter acids is up to 20 %. With the use of the ABTS cationic radical higher antioxidant activity, on average, was determined in the methanolic extracts, on the other hand, with the use of the DPPH radical, the ethanolic extracts showed a higher antioxidant activity. Using the ABTS method, the highest total antioxidant capacity was determined in the methanol extract of the Polaris variety, prepared from pulverized hops at a temperature of 100 °C, namely 25.50 mmol/dm³ Trolox equivalents. The DPPH method had the highest antioxidant efficiency, 94.9 %, determined in the methanol extract of the Polaris variety prepared from cryo-pulverized hops by extraction at a temperature of 100 °C. By comparing the results of analyzes of several hop varieties, the Polaris variety appears to be suitable for the preparation of functional beer.

MICROWAVE AIDED SYNTHESIS OF ZINC OXIDE NANOCERAMICS: A POTENT BIOACTIVE AGENTS WITH THERAPEUTIC CHARACTERS

Vasanth Patil H.B — 2024-04-19

Nanoparticles have been inexhaustibly utilized in Nanochemistry cohere with Bio-Technology to upgrade the immobilization and movement of catalysts in pharmaceutical nanoengineering for conveyance of helpful specialists in incessant illness diagnostics and in sensors.Herein communication we report microwave irradiation technique implemented for the preparation of novel Zinc oxide nanoparticles with beneficial bio-efficacy wherein the method employed has the advantages of producing small particle size metal oxide with high purity owing to short reaction time. We successfully synthesized and characterized two Zinc oxide based Cs₂doped ZnO₂and Li₂doped ZnO₂ nanoparticles and were subjected to in vitro free radical scavenging assay wherein all the particles could scavenge DPPH and Nitric oxide radicals with less IC₅₀ value over the positive control. Microbicidal properties of nanoparticles were proved by its effectiveness against both Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria tested besides its action against Candida albicans. Both nanoparticles synthesized showed a prominent inhibition of erythrocyte lysis by PhospholipaseA2 in a concentration dependent manner indicating better anti-inflammatory agent with possibility of preventing cancer. In this study we demonstrate by shell less CAM assay that synthesized nanoparticles could inhibit in vivo angiogenesis which would otherwise under abnormal conditions causes the acceleration of several inflammatory diseases in spite of its role in normal growth and wound healing process. Inhibition of such process is the promising methodology to hinder the progression of diseases. Present characteristic features make use of ZnO₂ based doped nanoparticles to be a possible approach as a therapeutic molecule with favourable biological performance.

GENETIC DIVERSITY AND POPULATION STRUCTURE OF MONILIOPHTHORA RORERI IN COCOA PRODUCING AREAS OF GUATEMALA

José Alejandro Ruiz-Chután — 2024-02-28

Frosty pod rot (FPR) disease, caused by Moniliophthora roreri, is the most important cocoa disease in the Western Hemisphere. In Guatemala, the presence of the pathogen is attributed to a rapid and clonal dissemination throughout Central America after one or very few introductions of M. roreri from South America. We analyzed the genetic diversity of isolates from the main cocoa producing departments in Guatemala using AFLP. In total, 15 different multilocus genotypes were found among 119 isolates, indicating a low genetic diversity (percentage of polymorphic loci and Nei’s gene diversity, 12.28% and 0.321, respectively). The obtained linkage disequilibrium through the observed and standardized indexes of association (I_A and r̄_d) confirmed clonality and asexual reproduction in the populations of M. roreri. The discriminant analysis of principal components suggested three genetic groups; nonetheless, the minimum spanning network and fixation index (Φ_ST = 0.043 P = 0.09) revealed a weak population structure, mainly attributed to high human-mediated gene flow (Nm = 11.13). Given the high mutation rate of M. roreri, constant monitoring of its evolution is suggested along with quarantine practices that limit its dispersal and evaluation of cocoa clones tolerant to the new genotypes of M. roreri, thus preventing increases in losses of Guatemalan cocoa production.

EVALUATION OF NOVEL IMMOBILIZED LIPASE FROM Staphylococcus argenteus MG2 AND ITS APPLICATION AS DETERGENT ADDITIVE

Mahima Golani — 2024-03-11

The immobilization of lipase producing alkali tolerant Staphylococcus argenteus MG2 bacterial cell and its lipase enzyme was found to have potential applications in industrial field. The immobilization of bacterial cells was done by using sodium alginate. These cells were used for lipase production. The specific activity of lipase enzyme produced by free cells in fermentation was 18.18µM/min/mg. A quite similar activity of lipase (19.55µM/min/mg) was obtained when bacterial cells were immobilized in 3% sodium alginate beads. It was concluded from the study that immobilized cells are effective as free living bacteria for the lipase production. The immobilized crude enzyme solution with diatomite degraded 0.48mg/L (48%) of oil while immobilized cells degraded 0.44 mg/L (44%) of oil which indicates that both immobilized enzymes and immobilized cells were degrading oil efficiently and can be reused easily. It was observed during the study that lipase produced from Staphylococcus argenteus MG2 was found to be effective in the formulations of laundary detergent. During the compatibility of lipase enzyme among various commercial detergent tested, intensified activity of lipase was detected with Rin (106.25%) followed by Nirma (103.12%). The stability of lipase was observed towards anionic as well as non ionic surfactants. 50U of lipase in 0.5% Rin improved the removal of oil from oiled cotton fabric. In summary, this novel and potent lipase producing strain isolated from oil contaminated soil, Staphylococcus argenteus MG2, holds immense potential for applications in the detergent industry.

PYOCIN S5 ACTIVITY AGAINST PSEUDOMONAS SYRINGAE PHYTOPATHOGENIC STRAINS

Oleksandr Balko — 2024-04-19

Pseudomonas syringae is the most frequently isolated bacterial plant pathogens. Previously we revealed a number of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains – producers of bacteriocins (pyocins) with high activity against P. syringae. However, it was unknown, which type of pyocins possesses the activity against P. syringae strains. S5 and S1 pyocin genes were observed in the genome of most active strain–producer P. aeruginosa UCM В-333. Pyocins were induced by nalidixic acid (100 μg/ml). Using DEAE-cellulose chromatography we isolated two bacteriocin groups from initial lysate. Substances from the 10^th fraction had nuclease activity (pyocin S1) and the 27^th fraction - pore-forming activity (pyocin S5). It was revealed that S1 pyocin didn’t lead to growth inhibition of studied bacterial plant pathogens. However pyocin S5 caused appearance of growth inhibition area with diameter 14-20 mm. So, pyocins of S1 and S5 types are active substances in P. aeruginosa UCM В-333 lysates, but only S5 pyocin possess activity against P. syringae strains. fpt A receptor gene was revealed in genomes of all analyzed cultures, including used phytopathogenic strains. This fact can explain wide spectrum of pyocin S5 activity. It is suggested that pyocin S5 can be a potential biocontrol agent against phytopathogenic P. syringae strains.

BIOREMEDIATION OF OIL SPILLS: CURRENT STATUS, CHALLENGES, AND FUTURE PROSPECTS

Jebrham Navarro — 2024-03-22

The petrochemicals produced from refining oil have become a large part of human life, making oil a valuable and expensive commodity. As a non-renewable resource, extraction and transport efforts have intensified to keep up with the demand, increasing the occurrences of oil spills. Such accidents have devastating impacts on the environment, the health of organisms, and a country's economy like the Philippines, and thus, need to be resolved immediately. One way to deal with oil spills is through bioremediation but the process is still facing several challenges. For one, the toolbox for bioremediation is limited. About 79 genera of bacteria were observed to degrade oil but there are only a small number of bacterial species and/or strains that have been recognized as useful for bioremediation. Second is that most oil-degrading bacteria found have low oil degradation efficiencies. Another challenge is keeping the bacteria alive to carry out the process. Fortunately, progress has been made in solving these challenges. Researchers are now testing different consortia, including bacteria–bacteria, bacteria–fungi, bacteria–microalgae, that can complement each other such as biosurfactant-producing bacteria with different oil-degrading microorganisms or microalgae or fungi that enhance the growth of oil-degrading bacteria. A consortium like this improves the survivability of each microorganism and enhances the oil-degrading efficiency. Moreover, the search for additional oil-degrading and biosurfactant-producing bacteria and other microorganisms to add to the bioremediation toolbox has been improved with the emergence of high-throughput sequencing. Aside from microorganisms, seaweeds have shown potential for bioremediation. The seaweed Caulerpa prolifera has been demonstrated to degrade diesel up to a certain concentration with the help of the bacteria growing on its surface. Bioremediation has a long way to go, but recent developments have shown promise and it remains to be the cheapest, most environment-friendly, and most effective way of dealing with oil spills.

ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE OF ESBL-PRODUCING E. COLI AND OTHER GRAM-NEGATIVE BACTERIA ISOLATED FROM STREET-VENDED FOODS IN BANGLADESH

Fariha Chowdhury Meem — 2024-04-19

The prevalence and impact of antibiotic-resistant pathogens transmitted through food, particularly street-vended foods, is becoming a major public health concern. Although a significant proportion of the urban population in developing countries consumes street-vended foods, the role of these foods in spreading antibiotic resistance has been rarely investigated. In this study, 50 bacterial isolates were obtained from 25 samples representing five categories of street-vended foods: Phuchka, Chatpati, Sausage, Bun, and Salad. The IMVIC test revealed a notably high occurrence of Escherichia coli (n=32) within the collected samples. Three representative isolates were selected for molecular identification using DNA sequencing of 16S rDNA. They were identified as Klebsiella oxytoca, Burkholderia fungorum, and Serratia nematodiphila. The antibiotic susceptibility of the identified isolates (n=35) was investigated using twelve antibiotics following the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method. Around 65.63% of the E. coli isolates (n=21) exhibited multidrug resistance. Double Disc Synergy Test (DDST) and Phenotypic Confirmatory Disk Diffusion Test (PCDDT) confirmed ESBL production of Eight multidrug-resistant E. coli isolates (38.09%). The multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR) index showed that 22 E. coli isolates had MAR above 0.2, with resistance mostly against oxacillin, ampicillin, and cefuroxime. The Klebsiella oxytoca isolate showed multidrug resistance viz., ampicillin, oxacillin, cefuroxime, and kanamycin. The Burkholderia fungorum isolate showed no distinct inhibition zone against ampicillin and chloramphenicol. Additionally, the Serratia nematodiphila isolate showed no distinct inhibition zone against three antibiotics, including ampicillin, oxacillin, and cefuroxime. These findings might contribute to the knowledge of emerging antibiotic-resistant foodborne pathogens and raise concerns about the safety of street-vended foods in Bangladesh.

EVALUATION OF ENTEROCOCCUS DURANS E1T1 ISOLATED FROM INFANT FECES AS A PROMISING PROBIOTIC FOR CADMIUM DETOXIFICATION

Nadjiba Abbas — 2024-04-18

The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the ability of some metal-resistant lactic acid bacteria (LAB) to remove cadmium in order to highlight the importance of probiotic LAB in the detoxification of these pollutants at the level of the digestive tract or in fermented foods. Infant feces samples were used to isolate Cd-resistant LAB, they were screened using the spread plate technique on agar media after being supplemented with cadmium at an initial concentration of 50 mg.L^{-1. In this research,} out of 106 isolates tested for Cd-resistance, 11 isolates were selected based on their high capacity to grow in presence of cadmium. After which they were tested for their ability to resist different heavy metals and for probiotic properties. The study was completed using the isolate E1T1 identified as Enterococcus durans based on 16S rRNA gene sequence, which showed the highest cadmium (MIC 600 mg.L^-1) and other heavy metals resistance capacity and better probiotic properties. The selected isolate presented strong adhesion ability to epithelial cells, good antibacterial activity, and was non-hemolytic. Furthermore, it had excellent cadmium removal efficiencies, with rates of 65.94% and 28.78% after 96 hours in living and dead cells, respectively. E. durans E1T1 had also high cadmium accumulation efficiencies, with an estimated value of 11.47 mg Cd.g^-1 of cells (wet weight). According to the findings from the study, the Cd-resistant E. durans E1T1 may be employed as a promising probiotic isolate for removing cadmium.

SEQUENCE COMPARISON OF MUTE PROMOTERS BETWEEN TWO WHEAT CULTIVARS REVEALED BOTH CONSERVATIVE AND DIVERGED REGIONS

Olha Lakhneko — 2024-02-29

Modulation of stomatal biogenesis is one of the means to consider for improving crops' water use efficiency without losing productivity. Transcription factor MUTE is among the critical regulators of stomata biogenesis, particularly of the guard mother cell division. In the current study, we investigated promoter regions of three homoeologous MUTE genes–MUTE-A1, MUTE-B1, and MUTE-D1 from two bread wheat cultivars of different geographic origins. Based on the available sequence of the Chinese Spring genome, MUTE promoters were isolated and sequenced from the Ukrainian cultivar Natalka. Promoter regions of more than 1600 bp upstream of the predicted start codons were cloned as PCR-amplified fragments and analyzed by sequencing. The sequence alignments revealed significant subgenome and cross-cultivar heterogeneity of the analyzed promoters. The analysis showed numerous single nucleotide polymorphisms and large deletions in every Natalka sequence compared with Chinese Spring: 276-bp deletion in MUTE-A1, 205-bp in MUTE-B1, 1291-bp in MUTE-D1. These changes affected a range of cis-regulatory elements (light- and stress-responsive elements, as well as tissue-specific elements) within the investigated DNA sequences. The study sheds new light on the regulatory variation of one of the critical factors in stomata biogenesis, widening our understanding of wheat genome plasticity with potential implications for improving the crop's performance under restricted water conditions.