Food Processing Steps Research Articles

Prospects of pulsed electric fields technology in food preservation and processing applications from sensory and consumer perspectives

SummaryPulsed electric field (PEF) technology is emerging as a versatile and effective alternative to traditional thermal processing, adeptly meeting consumer demands for fresh, safe, tasty, nutritious, and sustainable food products. By applying high‐voltage electric pulses for microseconds to milliseconds, PEF achieves microbial inactivation with minimal thermal impact. Beyond preservation, PEF technology can be used as a pre‐treatment for raw food materials to modify their cell structure, thus facilitating the subsequent food processing steps. Although initially applied to liquid foods, PEF application has been expanded to a diverse range of food categories, including juices, wines, potatoes, meats, and freeze‐dried products. Each application of PEF involves specific process parameters, which significantly influence the product outcomes. This review discusses the application of PEF across various food categories, with a focus on its impact on sensory attributes under different settings. The discussion will mainly revolve current research gaps and proposes strategies to increase consumer acceptance of PEF‐treated products, along with approaches for effectively communicating the benefits of this novel processing technology. It was found that emphasising the sensory, nutritional, and shelf‐life benefits on product packaging, and highlighting its environmental‐friendly benefit can improve consumer acceptance of PEF‐treated products. Furthermore, educating industry practitioners about the advantages of PEF is crucial for its broader implementation in food manufacturing. The successful advancement of PEF technology hinges on collaboration efforts among technologists, industry experts, sensory, and consumer scientists.

Concentrations, sources, and health risks of potentially toxic elements in milled maize

Milling process is an essential step in food processing, which often determines the quality of food accessible to consumers. The contributions of dry and wet milling operations to contamination levels, sources, and health risks of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in processed maize were evaluated in this study. Maize samples procured from a major market in Ilorin were milled and analyzed for 8 PTEs (Cd, Fe, Pb, As, Mn, Cu, Zn, and Cr) using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. Apart from Cd, Pb, and As, the mean concentrations of other analyzed PTEs were within the permissible limits for PTEs in foodstuffs set by Codex Alimentarius Commission. The mean concentrations of Pb, Mn, and Zn increased from 2.75, 0.78, and 0.46 mg/kg in maize control to 3.03, 0.80, and 0.65 mg/kg in dry-milled maize, respectively, while mean concentrations of Fe, Pb, and Zn increased from 1.33, 2.75, and 0.46 mg/kg in maize control to 1.41, 2.90, and 0.49 mg/kg in wet-milled maize, respectively. The probable PTEs sources in milled maize identified using the positive matrix factorization model include wear of grinding disks; emissions from leaded fuel combustion; lubrication oil leakage during milling; vehicle traffic emissions; application of pesticides and herbicides; use of manure and Zn-enriched fertilizer; and irrigation with industrial wastewater. Assessment of hazard indexes (HIs) and lifetime cancer risks (LCR) revealed that associated health risks of PTEs from consumption of milled maize were insignificant, although HI and LCR results suggest the possibilities of health deterioration in children and adults from long-term consumption of milled maize in Ilorin. This study advocates improvement in maize cultivation and milling processes to avert PTEs contamination.

FERMENTATION OF BAMBARA FLOUR: EXPLORING MICROBIAL ECOLOGY DYNAMICS AND EFFECTS ON ANTI-NUTRITIONAL FACTORS

The fermentation of Bambara flour represents a crucial step in traditional food processing, modulating its nutritional profile and sensory attributes. This study investigates the microbial ecology dynamics during Bambara flour fermentation and its impact on anti-nutritional factors. A diverse consortium of lactic acid bacteria was employed to ferment Bambara flour under controlled conditions. Through molecular and biochemical analyses, we characterized the shifts in microbial populations and the degradation of anti-nutritional compounds throughout the fermentation process. Our findings reveal intricate microbial interactions, including the dominance of specific lactic acid bacteria species and their role in mitigating anti-nutritional factors. Furthermore, we elucidate the potential health benefits conferred by the fermentation process, highlighting its significance in enhancing the nutritional quality and safety of Bambara flour-based products.

Thermal Inactivation of Hepatitis E Virus in Pork Products Estimated with a Semiquantitative Infectivity Assay.

Hepatitis E virus genotype 3 (HEV-3) is a food-borne pathogen causative of hepatitis E infections in humans. In Europe, HEV-3 is mainly transmitted through the consumption of raw or undercooked pork. In order to determine the effectiveness of control measures that can be taken in the industry or by the consumer, it is pivotal to determine the infectivity of HEV present in pork products after thermal food-processing steps. First, we implemented a method for the detection of infectious HEV-3c and HEV-3e in a cell culture medium and in extracts from inoculated pork products. Next, we investigated the effect of the thermal inactivation of HEV by mimicking food-processing steps specific for dried sausage and liver homogenate matrices. After four weeks, HEV-inoculated dried sausage subjected to 21 °C or lower temperatures was still infectious. For the liver homogenate, the highest HEV-3c/e inactivation of the conditions tested was observed at 71 °C for five min or longer. Finally, our method was able to successfully detect and estimate viral loads of infectious HEV in naturally infected pig livers. Our data provide a basis for the future use of the quantitative microbial risk assessment of infectious HEV in pork products that are subjected to thermal food processing steps.

Ultrasonic measurement setup for monitoring pre-thawing stages of food

Abstract. The food industry relies on various technical processes, from storing, freezing, thawing, and packaging to logistics. With the increasing population and the equational growth in food production, it is preferred to have increased automation in the food industry to reduce human labor. To provide an automated and green solution, it is required to monitor and control food-processing steps, such as thawing. This research aims to design an ultrasound-based setup that can monitor the pre-thawing state of food. A change in the signal by 20 %–27 % for herring fish and 60.7 % for chicken soup was obtained when monitored from a frozen state to a room-temperature state. Various other sample food products were tested, and related challenges and observations are discussed.

The Application of Hyperspectral Imaging Technologies for the Prediction and Measurement of the Moisture Content of Various Agricultural Crops during the Drying Process.

Drying is one of the common procedures in the food processing steps. The moisture content (MC) is also of crucial significance in the evaluation of the drying technique and quality of the final product. However, conventional MC evaluation methods suffer from several drawbacks, such as long processing time, destruction of the sample and the inability to determine the moisture of single grain samples. In this regard, the technology and knowledge of hyperspectral imaging (HSI) were addressed first. Then, the reports on the use of this technology as a rapid, non-destructive, and precise method were explored for the prediction and detection of the MC of crops during their drying process. After spectrometry, researchers have employed various pre-processing and merging data techniques to decrease and eliminate spectral noise. Then, diverse methods such as linear and multiple regressions and machine learning were used to model and predict the MC. Finally, the best wavelength capable of precise estimation of the MC was reported. Investigation of the previous studies revealed that HSI technology could be employed as a valuable technique to precisely control the drying process. Smart dryers are expected to be commercialised and industrialised soon by the development of portable systems capable of an online MC measurement.

Soybean (Glycine max) allergens─A Review on an Outstanding Plant Food with Allergenic Potential

Soybean (Glycine max) is the most used vegetarian protein source and a common ingredient of industrially produced foods. In addition to several nutritional and health benefits, soybean is classified as an allergenic source, affecting 0.2–0.4% of allergic individuals worldwide. Soybean allergy can be persistent and impact the life quality of soybean-sensitive patients, even causing severe allergic reactions and anaphylaxis. However, there is no scientific consensus about the classification of major and minor soybean allergens, the severity of soybean allergy itself, risk assessment, and its classification as an obligatory duty to labeling. This review discusses soybean as an outstanding food in human nutrition, identified major and minor soybean allergens, allergen detection methods, the impact of different food processing steps on the allergenicity of soybean-containing food, and how soybean allergic patients are affected and can be protected by proper allergen risk management.

Physicochemical properties of a non-reducing maltoheptaose prepared by dual-enzyme cascade reaction from starch

The existence of a reducing end in the structure of maltodextrin can limit its applications as undesirable Maillard reaction would occur in some food processing steps. Consequently, a non-reducing maltoheptaose (N-G7) with a single degree of polymerisation was prepared through a cascade reaction of cyclodextrinase and maltooligosyltrehalose synthase, using β-cyclodextrin as substrate. The physicochemical properties of N-G7 were investigated. N-G7 exhibited low moisture absorption ability (8.91 and 18.02% at 43 and 81% relative humidity, respectively), excellent pH stability and thermostability (less than 10% N-G7 was hydrolysed between pH 4 and 10, even at 100°C), and a melting point higher than that of maltodextrin, as well as a typical gel-like behaviour. Most importantly, the results of Maillard reaction indicated that N-G7 was considered to be non-reducing, which suggested that it could be used in food processing where Maillard reaction should be avoided. Overall, the present work may provide important implications for the development and application of N-G7 in food products.

Aflatoxins in food systems: recent advances in toxicology, biosynthesis, regulation and mitigation through green nanoformulations.

Aflatoxins are hepatocarcinogenic and immunosuppressive mycotoxins mainly synthesized by Aspergillus flavus, A. parasiticus and A. nomius in food systems, causing negative health impacts to humans and other organisms. Aflatoxins contaminate most of the agri-products of tropical and subtropical regions due to hot and humid conditions and persist in food items even after food processing steps, causing major threat towards the food security. Different physical and chemical strategies have been applied to mitigate aflatoxin contamination. However, negative impacts of chemical preservatives towards health and environment limit their practical applicability. In this regard, plant-based preservatives, due to their economical, eco-friendly and safer profile, are considered as a sustainable approach towards food safety. Incorporation of nanotechnology would enhance the bio-efficacy of green preservatives by overcoming some of their major challenges, such as volatility. The present review deals with recent information on toxicology and molecular and enzymatic regulatory pathways in the biosynthesis of aflatoxins in food systems. A proper understanding of the role of different genes and regulatory proteins may provide novel preventive strategies for aflatoxin detoxification and also in development of aflatoxin-resistant food items. The review also emphasizes the role of green nanoformulations as a sustainable approach towards the management of aflatoxins in food systems. In addition, some technological challenges of green nanotechnology have also been discussed in this review, along with highlighting some future perspectives. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Martensitic Stainless Steels for Food Contact Applications

For industrial mechanical food processing steps, like cutting, slicing, grating, passing or similar applications, tools of martensitic stainless steels are used preferably because of their high hardness and corrosion resistance. The latter is decisive to avoid contamination of foodstuff by elements transferred from the steel alloy into the processed food. In this contribution various martensitic stainless steels in different heat treatment conditions were investigated regarding their metal release behavior in food simulants. Therefore, migrations tests were carried out according to the guideline of the Council of Europe. During the examination, the specific migration of elements was determined and compared to defined release limits, which take into account the different toxicity for the human body. The results allow an assessment of the suitability of the tested grades and heat treatment conditions as contact material for different types of food.

Gases in Food Production and Monitoring: Recent Advances in Target Chemiresistive Gas Sensors

The rapid development of the human population has created demand for an increase in the production of food in various fields, such as vegetal, animal, aquaculture, and food processing. This causes an increment in the use of technology related to food production. An example of this technology is the use of gases in the many steps of food treatment, preservation, processing, and ripening. Additionally, gases are used across the value chain from production and packaging to storage and transportation in the food and beverage industry. Here, we focus on the long-standing and recent advances in gas-based food production. Although many studies have been conducted to identify chemicals and biological contaminants in foodstuffs, the use of gas sensors in food technology has a vital role. The development of sensors capable of detecting the presence of target gases such as ethylene (C2H4), ammonia (NH3), carbon dioxide (CO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and ethanol (C2H5OH) has received significant interest from researchers, as gases are not only used in food production but are also a vital indicator of the quality of food. Therefore, we also discuss the latest practical studies focused on these gases in terms of the sensor response, sensitivity, working temperatures, and limit of detection (LOD) to assess the relationship between the gases emitted from or used in foods and gas sensors. Greater interest has been given to heterostructured sensors working at low temperatures and flexible layers. Future perspectives on the use of sensing technology in food production and monitoring are eventually stated. We believe that this review article gathers valuable knowledge for researchers interested in food sciences and sensing development.

Folates in various African foods: Contents, food processing and matrix effects.

Poor folate status is implicated in a wide variety of health disorders including megaloblastic anaemia, neural tube defects, and cardiovascular diseases. Human diet remains the main provider par excellence. Despite several public-health options to overcome this micronutrient deficiency, dietary folate intakes of women of childbearing age and children are still below recommendations in many African countries. Therefore, this review aims at presenting the current knowledge on folate contents in various African foods, and on folate losses during food processing. Seventy one food sources were evaluated in this study. These various food sources included thirty six vegetables, six cereals, height cereal products, six processed leafy vegetables, six pulses, three fruits, three legumes and three roots. All of them were originated from six African countries including Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Egypt, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and South Africa. Folate content ranged between 11 and 73.4μg/100g in cereals, 1.8 and 39μg/100g in cereal-based processed foods, 8.48 and 48.6μg/100g in cooked leafy vegetables, 11.6 and 633μg/100g in vegetables, 10 and 22μg/100g in pulses, 52 and 148μg/100g in legumes, 8 and 106μg/100g in fruits. The structure of the food matrix has been shown to influence folate digestibility in foods. High bioaccessible folate, assessed by in vitro digestion, was observed among food products with dense porosity structures while low bioaccessible folate was recorded among food products with open porous structures such as porridges and some gelatinized doughs. Numerous food processing steps have also been shown to influence negatively folate contents in foods.

Effect of Ultraviolet-C Light-Emitting Diode Treatment on Disinfection of Norovirus in Processing Water for Reuse of Brine Water.

Processes in the food industry that use large amounts of water have been an important cause of waterborne disease outbreaks, as they expose individuals to risks for waterborne disease transmission. Developing technologies to ensure the hygiene and safety of food-processing steps is an urgent concern from an economic perspective. Furthermore, economic benefits can be derived if the processed water can be reused under microbiologically safe conditions. Among the major manufacturing processes in the kimchi industry, the brining process for salted kimchi cabbages requires a considerable amount of brine (approximately 2,000–2,500 l/1,000 kg of raw cabbage). The aim of this study was to establish virucidal conditions with ultraviolet-C light-emitting diodes (UVC LEDs) that can ensure the microbiological safety of brine water samples with various turbidities for reuse after disinfection. For quantitative analysis, first of all, magnetic bead separation (MBS) technique was used to capture and recover the human norovirus (HuNoV) virus particles; propidium monoazide (PMA) combined with RT-qPCR (PMA-RT-qPCR) was subsequently used to selectively detect infectious norovirus. Overall, as the turbidity of the brine water samples increased, the reduction in the HuNoV genogroup II genotype 4 (HuNoV GII.4) levels by UVC LED disinfection decreased. The derived inactivation rate constant (kinac) and inactivation curves (calculated using the log-linear model) were studied as a function of turbidity based on the exponential one-phase inactivation kinetics of HuNoV. Using an impeller system set at 100 rotations/min (rpm) with an eight-nephelometric turbidity unit (NTU) sample (the lowest turbidity studied), the kinact based on the levels of viral genomic RNA concentrations was approximately 2.15-fold higher than that observed without rotation (0 rpm). Moreover, the kinact increased 1.69-fold with a 56-NTU sample (the highest turbidity studied) when the impeller system was set at 100 rpm. UVC LED treatment decreased the HuNoV GII.4 population more effectively in conjunction with the impeller system (100 rpm) than without the impeller system. Our novel findings and model provide fundamental and scientific data that may help reuse brine water and ensure its microbiological safety through disinfection. Our study highlights the benefits of UVC LED treatment in successfully eliminating waterborne viruses in a prompt, resistance-reducing, and energy-efficient approach at the laboratory scale, which lays the foundation for future plant-scale studies of UVC LED-disinfection systems.

Surface disinfection influences the antioxidant capacity and GABA content of saline‐treated brown rice (Oryza sativa L.)

AbstractBackground and ObjectiveSaline‐induced osmotic stress can help enhance the functionality of brown rice (BR; Oryza sativa L.); moreover, it can increase the antioxidant capacity and gamma‐aminobutyric acid (GABA) content in BR. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the effect of surface disinfection on the antioxidant capacity and GABA content of saline‐treated BR.FindingsGABA content of nondisinfected BR decreased significantly with increasing salinity. In contrast, GABA content and hydrophilic antioxidant capacity of disinfected BR increased with increasing salinity up to 1.0% w/v, as evidenced by the increase in 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and oxygen radical absorbance capacity values, and total phenolic content of disinfected BR. Additionally, the amino acid and protein contents of both disinfected and nondisinfected BR were significantly affected by saline treatments.ConclusionsOverall, the findings of this study showed that soaking disinfected BR in saline solutions (0.5%–1% w/v) can increase hydrophilic antioxidant capacity and GABA content without negatively affecting metabolic processes.Significance and NoveltyOur findings provide the validation of basic food processing steps for the enhancement of BR functionality via saline treatment.

In Silico Prediction of Food Properties: A Multiscale Perspective

Several open software packages have popularized modeling and simulation strategies at the food product scale. Food processing and key digestion steps can be described in 3D using the principles of continuum mechanics. However, compared to other branches of engineering, the necessary transport, mechanical, chemical, and thermodynamic properties have been insufficiently tabulated and documented. Natural variability, accented by food evolution during processing and deconstruction, requires considering composition and structure-dependent properties. This review presents practical approaches where the premises for modeling and simulation start at a so-called “microscopic” scale where constituents or phase properties are known. The concept of microscopic or ground scale is shown to be very flexible from atoms to cellular structures. Zooming in on spatial details tends to increase the overall cost of simulations and the integration over food regions or time scales. The independence of scales facilitates the reuse of calculations and makes multiscale modeling capable of meeting food manufacturing needs. On one hand, new image-modeling strategies without equations or meshes are emerging. On the other hand, complex notions such as compositional effects, multiphase organization, and non-equilibrium thermodynamics are naturally incorporated in models without linearization or simplifications. Multiscale method’s applicability to hierarchically predict food properties is discussed with comprehensive examples relevant to food science, engineering and packaging. Entropy-driven properties such as transport and sorption are emphasized to illustrate how microscopic details bring new degrees of freedom to explore food-specific concepts such as safety, bioavailability, shelf-life and food formulation. Routes for performing spatial and temporal homogenization with and without chemical details are developed. Creating a community sharing computational codes, force fields, and generic food structures is the next step and should be encouraged. This paper provides a framework for the transfer of results from other fields and the development of methods specific to the food domain.

Phenolic Bioactives From Plant-Based Foods for Glycemic Control.

Plant-based foods containing phenolic bioactives have human health protective functions relevant for combating diet and lifestyle-influenced chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes (T2D). The molecular structural features of dietary phenolic bioactives allow antioxidant functions relevant for countering chronic oxidative stress-induced metabolic breakdown commonly associated with T2D. In addition to antioxidant properties, phenolic bioactives of diverse plant foods have therapeutic functional activities such as improving insulin sensitivity, reducing hepatic glucose output, inhibiting activity of key carbohydrate digestive enzymes, and modulating absorption of glucose in the bloodstream, thereby subsequently improving post-prandial glycemic control. These therapeutic functional properties have direct implications and benefits in the dietary management of T2D. Therefore, plant-based foods that are rich in phenolic bioactives are excellent dietary sources of therapeutic targets to improve overall glycemic control by managing chronic hyperglycemia and chronic oxidative stress, which are major contributing factors to T2D pathogenesis. However, in studies with diverse array of plant-based foods, concentration and composition of phenolic bioactives and their glycemic control relevant bioactivity can vary widely between different plant species, plant parts, and among different varieties/genotypes due to the different environmental and growing conditions, post-harvest storage, and food processing steps. This has allowed advances in innovative strategies to screen and optimize whole and processed plant derived foods and their ingredients based on their phenolic bioactive linked antioxidant and anti-hyperglycemic properties for their effective integration into T2D focused dietary solutions. In this review, different pre-harvest and post-harvest strategies and factors that influence phenolic bioactive-linked antioxidant and anti-hyperglycemic properties in diverse plant derived foods and derivation of extracts with therapeutic potential are highlighted and discussed. Additionally, novel bioprocessing strategies to enhance bioavailability and bioactivity of phenolics in plant-derived foods targeting optimum glycemic control and associated T2D therapeutic benefits are also advanced.

DISTRIBUTION AND QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE DETERMINATION OF PESTICIDE RESIDUES FROM A SAMPLE OF RED GRAPEFRUIT, AFTER TREATMENT WITH FUNGICIDE SOLUTIONS

"The Most citrus fruits are compromised each year due to post-harvest fungal infections. To reduce fungal infections, packing centers use fungicide solution mixtures to prevent infections that occur during harvest and then during storage. The most common fungal pathogens of citrus are commonly treated with the fungicides imazalil, Pyrimethanil due to their effectiveness in controlling these pathogens at low cost and ease of handling. However, little is known about how it alters tissues in citrus physiology. In this study we will investigate the behavior and retention of imazalil and pyrimethanil in the tissues of the red grapefruit fruit (peel and core before washing and after washing with hot water and simple dish detergent). This work demonstrates a viable approach for assessing the quality of citrus fruits, and we can even proceed to thoroughly wash each fruit before consumption, as we remove a quantity of residue. This work demonstrates that the treatment affects the citrus tissues and the substances migrate throughout the pulp, although the treatment was applied to the peel. Washing, which is the first step in food processing on a domestic and industrial scale, helps to reduce pesticide residues on the fruit surface. In this study, the effectiveness of washing the peel was also investigated. Although many chemicals are applied to citrus to prevent certain diseases or control pests, there is little literature available on how these treatments alter the physiology of the fruit. Usually, the packaging only analyzes the level of treatments on the products."

Aqueous and gaseous plasma applications for the treatment of mung bean seeds

Sprouts are particularly prone to microbial contamination due to their high nutrient content and the warm temperatures and humid conditions needed for their production. Therefore, disinfection is a crucial step in food processing as a means of preventing the transmission of bacterial, parasitic and viral pathogens. In this study, a dielectric coplanar surface barrier discharge (DCSBD) system was used for the application of cold atmospheric plasma (CAP), plasma activated water (PAW) and their combination on mung bean seeds. Germination assessments were performed in a test tube set-up filled with glass beads and the produced irrigation water. Overall, it was found that the combined seed treatment with direct air CAP (350 W) and air PAW had no negative impact on mung bean seed germination and growth, nor the concentration of secondary metabolites within the sprouts. These treatments also reduced the total microbial population in sprouts by 2.5 log CFU/g. This research reports for first time that aside from the stimulatory effect of plasma discharge on seed surface disinfection, sustained plasma treatment through irrigation of treated seeds with PAW can significantly enhance seedling growth. The positive outcome and further applications of different forms, of plasma i.e., gaseous and aqueous, in the agro-food industry is further supported by this research.

Effectiveness of different type of washing agents on reduction of pesticide residues in orange (Citrus sinensis)

Washing, which is the first step in both household and industrial scale food processing, contributes to the reduction of pesticide residues over the surface of fruits. In this study, it was aimed to investigate the effectiveness of different type of non-toxic washing agents (tap water and different concentrations of sodium carbonate, sodium chloride, acetic acid, apple cider and grape vinegar solutions) on residues of abamectin, buprofezin, imazalil, thiophanate-methyl in orange. The residue of pesticides were determined by QuEChERS extraction followed by liquid chromatography equipped with triple quadrupole mass spectrophotometer (LC-MS-MS). The results prevailed that pesticide residue levels decreased gradually during washing steps with processing factors <1. Maximum and minimum reduction ratio was obtained for thiophanate-methyl and abamectin as 84% and 2%, respectively. The reductions in residue levels were mainly related with the octanol-water partition coefficient in addition to type and concentration of the solutions. Effectiveness order of the treatments was the alkaline solutions (10% sodium carbonate) > acidic solutions (%8 acetic acid) > vinegar solutions ≈ neutral solutions (10% sodium chloride) > tap water. In practical applications, household solutions easily found at home preferably sodium carbonate may be used along with tap water to decrease pesticide residues in fresh produce.

Heat-Killed Lactic Acid Bacteria Inhibit Nitric Oxide Production via Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase and Cyclooxygenase-2 in RAW 264.7 Cells

Heat-killed lactic acid bacteria perform immunomodulatory functions and are advantageous as probiotics, considering their long product shelf-life, easy storage, and convenient transportation. In this study, we aimed to develop appropriate heat treatments for industrial preparation of probiotics with antioxidant activity. Among 75 heat-killed strains, Lactococcus lactis MG5125 revealed the highest nitric oxide inhibition (86.2%), followed by Lactobacillus acidophilus MG4559 (86.0%), Lactobacillus plantarum MG5270 (85.7%), Lactobacillus fermentum MG4510 (85.3%), L. plantarum MG5239 (83.9%), L. plantarum MG5289 (83.2%), and L. plantarum MG5203 (81.8%). Moreover, the heat-killed selected strains markedly inhibited lipopolysaccharide-induced nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2 expression. The use of heat-killed bacteria with intact bio-functionality can elongate the shelf-life and simplify the food processing steps of probiotic foods, given their high stability. The antioxidant and immune-modulatory activities of the heat-killed strains selected in this study indicate a strong potential for their utilization probiotic products manufacturing.