Background and Objective: Lactobacillus farciminis is an obligate homofermentative bacterial species in fermented foods. Although other species such as Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei and Lactobacillus rhamnosus in Lactobacillus genus have been well characterized, probiotic characteristics of Lactobacillus farciminis still need to investigate. Thus, the objective of this study was to investigate probiotic characteristics and antibacterial activity of Lactobacillus farciminis HN11 isolated from Solanum macrocarpon sauces in Hue city, Vietnam. Material and Methods: Lactobacillus farciminis HN11 was cultured in Rogosa and Sharpe media and antibacterial activity of the free-cell suspension was assessed against Escherichia coli, Vibrio parahaemolyticus K5, Vibrio parahaemolyticus KS-02, Vibrio owensii KS-05, Vibrio alginolyticus KS-08, Vibrio alginolyticus A1-1 and Staphylococcus aureus using agar well diffusion method. Various probiotic characteristics of the isolate including antibacterial and antioxidant activities, autoaggregation and coaggregation were assessed. Furthermore, hemolytic and amino-acid dercarboxylase activities were assessed for biosafety assessment. The strain abilities to resist sodium chloride and bile salts were assessed as well. Results and Conclusion: Lactobacillus farciminis HN11 exhibited significant resistance to NaCl and bile salts. The strain expressed high coaggregation abilities for Escherichia coli, significant autoaggregation abilities and antibacterial activities against Vibrio spp. and Escherichia coli. Antioxidant assessment showed that Lactobacillus farciminis HN11 contained high antioxidant activities. This strain was negative for hemolytic and amino-acid dercarboxylase activities. Moreover, ampicillin and chloramphenicol inhibited growth of Lactobacillus farciminis HN11. This study assessed characteristics of Lactobacillus farciminis HN11 and showed its great potentials as a probiotic in fermented foods, enhancing antioxidant and decreasing harmful foodborne bacteria. Although, encapsulation of the strain within acid resistance materials is suggested to better protect it against high-acid contents of the stomach. Conflict of interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Background and Objective: Edible film is one of the solutions for food packaging that carry antimicrobial and antioxidant compounds, usually found in Medinilla speciosa fruits. The objective of this study was to assess effects of Medinilla speciosa fruit extract on physical, chemical and bioactivity of edible films as well as effects of coating on sausage quality during storage. Material and Methods: The edible film included 2% w w-1 chitosan, 2% w w-1 sorbitol and Medinilla speciosa fruit extract. Variations of Medinilla speciosa extract included 0, 2.5, 5 and 10% (w w-1), while the storage temperature included 4 and 27 oC. Seven parameters of edible film characteristics were assessed, including tensile strength, elongation, water vapor permeability, antimicrobial and antioxidant activities, surface microstructure and Fourier-transform infrared response. Parameters assessed in storage treatment included total plate count, yeast mold count and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances. Data were analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis test. Organoleptic characteristics were analyzed using Friedman test and SPSS Software. Results and Conclusion: Results showed that the higher the concentration of Medinilla speciosa extract was, the higher the value of tensile strength, water vapor permeability and antioxidant activity and lower the elongation value were. The film control with 0% Medinilla speciosa extract was the only film that met Japanese standard for the water vapor permeability value, including 6.74 gm-2 h-1. Furthermore, shelf life of sausages coated with edible films revealed that the higher the concentration of Medinilla speciosa extract was, the lower the total plate count, yeast mold count and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances values were. Study demonstrated that the Medinilla speciosa extract edible film inhibited microbiological and oxidative damages. ​Oon Day 15 of storage, sausages coated with edible films with 10% Medinilla speciosa extract included lower total plate count, yeast mold count and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances values, respectively including 2.4 ±0.02 log CFU g-1, 1.3 ±0.08 log CFU g-1 and 13.38 ±0.22 mg malonaldehyde kg-1 sausage, compared to the control film. Organoleptic assessment showed no major differences in consumer acceptance. In conclusion, edible film with 10% Medinilla speciosa extract is the best physical, chemical and bioactivity film. Moreover, this film extends the sausage shelf life. Conflict of interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Background and Objective: Food wastes cause economic losses and environmental problems. Hence, ability to transform food wastes into high-value added products is highly attractive. The aim of this study was to produce melanin pigments by fermentation that include wide potential uses in agriculture, cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries using domestic wastes such as melon peel, watermelon peel and carrot peel and industrial by-products such as whey and molasses. Material and Methods: Two Aureobasidium pullulans strains were assessed for melanin production. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope, zeta potential, ultraviolet absorbance and solubility assays were carried out to characterize produced melanin nanoparticles. Results and Conclusion: The highest intracellular (0.19 g l-1) and extracellular (3.52 g l-1) melanin concentrations were produced by Aureobasidium pullulans NBRC 100716 using carrot peel extracts as fermentation media. Results of characterization were compared with those of synthetic melanin used as standard and the produced nanoparticles were validated. Particle sizes of the nanoparticles ranged 10-760 nm with negative charges, as suggested by previous literature. Results showed that carrot peel was a good candidate, which could be used for the production of high value-added melanin. When carrot peel extract was used as a fermentation medium, characteristics of the melanin produced by Aureobasidium pullulans NBRC 100716 strain were similar to those of synthetic melanin. Conflict of interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest

Background and Objective: Conventional applied techniques used for detecting pathogenic microorganisms that generally are based on plating, serological and biochemical assays are unreliable and expensive while lacking sensitivity and specificity compared to new analytical methods. Investigation of reliable and rapid analytical diagnosis methods seems a necessity today. In the present study, a high accurate method was developed aiming to pre-concentrate and improve identification of Staphylococcus aureus as a major bacterial human pathogen by using a molecular imprinted polymer (MIP) based membrane. Materials and Methods: Cellulose acetate was used as the basic membrane with a pore size of 1.2 μm, methacrylic acid as the functional monomer, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as the cross-linking monomer, antibody buffer medium as the template molecule, and 2,2'-Azobis(2-methylpropionitrile) as the initiator agent. After selecting the best membrane composition resulting from the optimum ratio of antibody to imprinted monomer, electron microscopy testing was used to evaluate the characterization and stabilization of the molecular imprinting of templates on the membrane. Results and Conclusion: According to the results, the suspension of Staphylococcus aureus with a dilution of 3×105 after being adjacent to MIPs modified membranes had the highest bacterial mass absorption in MIP4 filter and reduced to a level of 1.3×104. The manufactured nano membrane could lead to a significant development in quality control of food industry compared to traditional methods due to a very shorter required time of bacterial mass diagnosis with a very higher accuracy. Keywords: Antibody; Molecular Imprinted Polymer; Nano Membrane; Staphylococcus aureus

Background and Objective: Black soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) Detam-1 variety includes high quantities of isoflavone majorly in glucoside form; in which, the biochemical antioxidant activity was lower than that in isoflavone aglycone form. Fermentation by lactic acid bacteria can increase antioxidant activity and isoflavone aglycone of black soymilk. However, the biochemical ability is strain-dependent and sucrose or skim milk supplementation during processing may affect this ability. The objective of the current study was to investigate antioxidant properties of the fermented black soymilk and fermented black soymilk supplemented with 2% sucrose or skim milk using three Indonesian indigenous lactic acid bacteria, namely Lactobacillus plantarum WGK 4, Streptococcus thermophilus Dad 11 and Lactobacillus plantarum Dad 13. Furthermore, cell growth and acid production were investigated. Material and Methods: Fermentation of black soymilk and black soymilk supplemented with 2% sucrose or skim milk was carried out using three indigenous lactic acid bacteria at 37 °C for 18 h. Viable cell, pH, titratable acidity, β-glucosidase activity, isoflavone aglycone, total phenolic content and antioxidant activity of black soymilk were assessed at the beginning of the experiment and after 18 h of fermentation. Results and Conclusion: Results showed that all strains could grow (9 log CFU ml-1) and produce acid in black soymilk and black soymilk supplemented with 2% sucrose or skim milk. Fermentation increased isoflavone aglycone through β-glucosidase activity, which resulted in increased total phenolic content and antioxidant activity. Fermented black soymilk with no sucrose or skim milk exhibited the highest β-glucosidase activity (19.66-21.54 mU ml-1), daidzein formation (62-74%), genistein formation (67-80%) and antioxidant capacity (32.81-38.47%). All three lactic acid bacteria strains enhanced antioxidant activity and isoflavone aglycone of the black soymilk. Sucrose or skim milk addition did not affect the cell growth but increased acid production and decreased β-glucosidase activity and isoflavone aglycone formation. These three lactic acid bacteria included similar abilities to enhance antioxidant activity and isoflavone aglycone formation in fermented black soymilk.

Background and Objective: Ganoderma lucidum is one of the medicinal fungi frequently used as supplement. The intracellular polysaccharides of this fungus include high molecular weights and help strengthen the immune system. Furthermore, these polysaccharides act as antioxidants by inhibiting free radicals and enhancing activity of the enzymes. Addition of various elicitors to the fungi submerged culture media affects the cell growth and metabolite production. Fungal extracts are one of these elicitors. Material and Methods: In this study, Ganoderma lucidum was first cultured in various culture media to investigate the base media. Using three various methods (soaking the fruit body in water, disintegrating the fruit body with a blender and boiling the fruit body), Agaricus bisporus fruit body extract was prepared as elicitor and the extract with the highest sugar content was used. For the optimization of growth and antioxidant activity of the intracellular polysaccharides, effects of six independent factors were investigated using Placket-Burman method, including Agaricus bisporus extract, peptone, maltose, pH, vitamin B1 and CaCl2. Response surface method was used to optimize three factors of vitamin B1, Agaricus bisporus extract and maltose. Then, stirred tank bioreactor was used to culture Ganoderma lucidum. Results and Conclusion: The YPG culture medium was selected as the base medium based on mycelial growth and antioxidant activity of the intracellular polysaccharides (IC50). Sugar content of the Agaricus bisporus extract was 30.66 µg.ml-1. Placket-Burman method revealed that the extracts of Agaricus bisporus, maltose and vitamin B1 significantly increased antioxidant activity of the intracellular polysaccharides. After optimizing these factors using RSM, the IC50 was reported as 1.047 mg.ml-1. Ganoderma lucidum cultivation in bioreactor significantly increased the cell growth (5.29 g.l-1). Intracellular polysaccharides included an IC50 of 1.14 mg.ml-1, which was significantly higher than that the intracellular polysaccharides included in YPG culture media. Conflict of interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Background and Objective: Monascus purpureus can produce pigments with light yellow to dark red colors. It includes several health properties. In this study, a low-cost process has been developed for the production of natural pigments from filamentous fungi through solid-state fermentation using cheap substrates. Material and Methods: In this study, cultivation conditions were optimized for the production of red Monascus pigment by Monascus purpureus ATCC16362 using response surface methodology. Incubation time (7-24 days), date waste syrup concentrations (1-69%) and NaCl contents (7-13.75 g.l-1) were analyzed base on central composite design. Results and Conclusion: The maximum production of red Monascus pigment (5.10 AU.g-1) by Monascus purpureus was achieved using 55% date waste syrup concentration, 7 g.l-1 NaCl and incubation time of 21 days. At optimum conditions, µmax of 6.2 × 10-3 (mg.g-1.h-1), pigment efficiency of 0.238 (AU.g-1.day-1), conversion factor of biomass in red pigments of 0.25 (AU.mg-1.g-1), glucose utilization of 93% were achieved. Results showed that use of date waste syrup and wheat straw as substrates were successful in solid state cultivation for the production of red pigments by Monascus purpureus. Conflict of interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Background and Objective: Currently, there is a trend towards a healthy lifestyle. Interest in specialty foods is increasing due to the desire for a balanced diet. One of the main food products of the population is bread and bakery products. These products often have an unbalanced composition. Therefore bakery products are enriched with easily digestible and bioavailable free amino acids and peptides to increase the nutritional value. This study aims to develop new types of bakery products using the mechanoenzymatic hydrolysis technology and assess their quality. Material and Methods: A distinctive feature of the study was that the production line involved mechanical pretreatment of the biomass in the presence of the enzyme. Mechanical pretreatment of pea seeds without adding the enzyme product (when the enzymes were added immediately before the hydrolysis and did not undergo mechanical treatment) reduced the hydrolysis rate almost twofold compared to that in the system “biomass + enzyme treated simultaneously.” A complex enzyme product Protosubtilin G3x exhibiting protease, xylanase, β-glucanase, and pectinase activities was used for hydrolysis of biomass. Results and Conclusion: The optimal hydrolysis parameters (enzyme concentration and duration of the process) were determined. The finished hydrolysate of the mechanically treated pea seed biomass was added to dough to enrich bakery products with macro- and micronutrients. The sponge-and-dough method was the optimal dough mixing method according to a combination of sensory and physicochemical parameters. Quality parameters of the pre-ferment depending on yeast and hydrolysis contents was assessed using mathematical modeling. Regression equations were derived to predict the formation of water-soluble substances during fermentation of the dough semi-finished product. The action of the selected enzyme was found to be efficient as the finished products were enriched in free amino acids, while the protein content was reduced. The finished products were classified as functional food products due to the optimal content of minerals and vitamins. The new products are recommended to be included in the diet of people allergic to legume proteins and healthy individuals to increase the digestibility of plant-based proteins.

Background and Objectives: Cholesterol hyper-accumulation is a growing factor causing cardiovascular diseases (CVD), a leading cause of global mortality and accounts for 16.7 million deaths worldwide. As far as India is concerned, there is an increase from 25.7 to 54.7 million cases of CVD per year since the year 1990, and change in the dietary pattern being the major cause of this condition. Amongst, coronary heart disease and atherosclerosis remain prominent with its major causative agent as high cholesterol levels. However, the current treatment of these diseases is inadequate, and impose systemic toxicity such as stent thrombosis, chronic inflammation, etc., probiotics with cholesterol-lowering ability is an ideal and safe choice for the prevention of the condition. Materials and Methods: The present study involved the culture-dependent method for the enumeration of microorganisms from caterpillar frass. Upon microscopic screening, yeast isolates were further characterized for their in-vitro probiotic potential such as toxicity assessment, tolerance to pH, bile, temperature, and salt conditions, safety assessment by measuring antibiotics susceptibility, evaluating antagonistic activity, assessing survival in simulated gastrointestinal environment, measuring aggregation capability, evaluating cholesterol-lowering activity and identifying microorganisms using molecular identification tools. Results and Conclusion: The culture-dependent approach resulted in the isolation of four yeast cultures from the frass of Pyrrharctia isabella caterpillar. Yeast cultures designated as CP-I, CP-II, CP-III, and CP-IV were resistant for bile (1.2%), wide range of pH (1.5–10), and up to 42ºC temperature along with antimicrobial activity. CP-I culture also possessed bile salt hydrolase while tolerated stressful salt conditions, gastrointestinal environment, and exhibited good aggregation properties and hydrophobicity. Interestingly, CP-I could reduce cholesterol levels by 9.16% under in-vitro conditions. Molecular identification of CP-I showed its genetic similarity 97% with Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This study demonstrated for the first-time isolation of cholesterol-lowering probiotic yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae from caterpillar frass in in-vitro conditions.

Background and Objective: Discarded as wastes, parts of the agricultural products can be used for feed productivity as well as management of animal feed production. Production of various products is possible using appropriate processing. The objective of the present study was to use laccase of Albifimbria viridis in degradation of agricultural residues and to produce compounds with herbicide properties. Material and Methods: The fungi were isolated from agricultural soils. The isolates were identified using morphological detection and PCR amplification of the internal transcribed spacer. Supernatants were collected from semi-solid cultures and laccase activity was assessed using 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) substrate. This was carried out using n-hexane and degradation of the agricultural residues was investigated using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Results and Conclusion: Growth of the fungal isolate in culture media with tannic acid was studied using scanning electron microscopy. In total, the isolate produced 50 U ml-1 laccase. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analyses revealed production of oxime, methoxy-phenyl and 2-cyclopenten-1-one for tannic acids, o-guaiacol, tetradecane, hexadecane, octadecane, octadecanoic acid, hexadecanoic acid and benzene, 1,3-bis(1,1-dimethylethyl) for sorghum seeds and 2-acetyl-5-methylfuran, phenol, 2-methoxy and benzene, 1,2-dimethoxy for wheat straw during fungal growth (0.73 mg ml-1). Results have shown that the laccase enzyme produced from Albifimbria viridis native strain is capable of hydrolytic cleavage of chemical pollutants from agricultural wastes for herbicide bioremediation. Conflict of interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest.