Low-alcohol Beverages Research Articles

Acute alcohol intoxication in adolescents before and after the Dutch alcohol law change

The present study aims to explore hospital admission data pertaining to Dutch adolescents admitted for acute alcohol intoxication between 2007 – 2019. Specific focus will be on the increase in the age limit for alcohol nationwide, from 16 to 18 years old for low alcoholic beverages, on the first of January 2014. The data of all admitted adolescents < 18 years old with acute alcohol intoxication was collected from 12 Dutch major district general hospitals (which accounts for 35% of the adolescents with acute alcohol intoxication in the Netherlands). In total, 2675 adolescents who were treated with symptoms of acute alcohol intoxication during this period were included in this study. The incidence of adolescents presenting with acute alcohol intoxication between 2007 and 2019 increased significantly (n = 78 (2007) vs. 279 (2019)). Moreover, the mean age of this population increased significantly over time. In 2007, 62,8% of the adolescents were < 16 years old, whereas by 2019 this had dropped to 40.2%. Furthermore, the proportion with positive drug screening results also increased significantly within patients with acute alcohol intoxication after the alcohol law change in 2014. The most common drug found in the drug screening was cannabis. These findings are relevant for both the central government’s ongoing prevention initiatives and treatment strategies within hospitals.

Nutrition characteristic of pregnant and breastfeeding women during the pandemic of a new coronavirus infection COVID-19

Aim. To study the nutritional characteristics of pregnant and lactating women in the context of the development of the pandemic of the new coronavirus infection COVID-19.&#x0D; Materials and methods. The study has been conducted on 203 women. The first observation group included 100 women whose pregnancy and lactation took place before the development of the pandemic, the second group included 103 women whose pregnancy and lactation took place during the pandemic of a new coronavirus infection. The research of nutrition has been carried out using a comparative analysis based on a frequency questionnaire-survey method.&#x0D; Results. Specific nutritional abnormalities of pregnant and lactating women in the conditions of the pandemic of the new coronavirus infection, different from the nutrition of this contingent before the pandemic, have been identified. This is reflected in the increased consumption of confectionery, low-alcohol beverages, poultry meat, eggs and reduced consumption of dairy products, red meat and seafood in combination with an increased level of anxiety, psycho-somatic abnormalities and a reduced level of physical activity. A nutrition optimization scheme for pregnant and breastfeeding women has been developed.&#x0D; Сonclusion. The nutrition of a woman during pregnancy and period of lactation has a direct impact on the normal course of pregnancy, the formation of full lactation, the health of the mother and child. It is important to compose a balanced diet, review and correct it taking into account the individual needs of women, physiological characteristics, level of physical activity, pregnancy and lactation.

Анализ конкурентной среды производителей сидра на российском рынке слабоалкогольных напитков

The Russian cider market has developed due to changes in consumer habits and an increase in the share of low-alcohol beverages. However, ensuring and increasing the competitiveness of traditional cider in the market of low-alcohol beverages is difficult, and requires more detailed study. This is due to the relevance of the research topic. The novelty of the research lies in the fact that the author has analyzed the competitive environment in the Russian market of low-alcohol beverages and identified the actual problems of increasing the competitiveness of traditional cider. The purpose of the study is to identify factors that negatively affect the competitiveness of traditional cider in the Russian market of low-alcohol beverages, as well as problems in this area and to propose ways to solve them. The research methods include comparison, comparison, content analysis, regulatory method, statistical analysis, graphical method. The article is devoted to the consideration of the characteristics and features of cider as a commodity, the analysis of the competitive environment, the identification of problems of ensuring and improving the competitiveness of traditional cider in the Russian market, as well as the development of ways to solve these problems. According to the results of the study, the author comes to the conclusion that the cider market in Russia is actively developing and has favorable prospects. Cider-making in Russia stimulates the development of agriculture, fruit growing, nursery breeding, the creation of jobs in rural areas, the creation of jobs in trade, stimulates scientific research. The study revealed the problems of ensuring and increasing the competitiveness of cider in the Russian beverage market, which include the problem of determining the status of traditional cider at the legislative level, the lack of tax benefits and other state support for traditional cider manufacturers, competition with drinks produced using a different technology, but also called cider. To solve the identified problems, measures were proposed to increase the competitiveness of traditional cider on the Russian market. It is shown that the competitive environment analysis makes it possible to identify the problems of increasing the competitiveness of cider in the Russian market.

Kombucha Beverages Produced from Fruits, Vegetables, and Plants: A Review on Their Pharmacological Activities and Health Benefits.

Kombucha is a traditional health beverage produced by fermenting sweetened tea with a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeasts. Consumption of kombucha beverages has been growing and there is kombucha commercially available worldwide as one of the most famous low-alcohol beverages. Kombucha beverages have been claimed to have beneficial effects on human health because they contain a variety of bioactive compounds that possess various functional properties. At present, several kinds of raw material (e.g., milk, fruit, vegetables, and herbs) have been fermented with kombucha consortium and consumed as kombucha beverages. Although several studies have been written regarding the biological activities of kombucha and raw materials, there is however little information available on the characterization of their components as well as the biological activities of fermented kombucha from many raw material mixtures. Several pharmacological activities were reviewed in the scientific literature, describing their potential implications for human health. In addition, the adverse effects and toxicity of kombucha consumption were also reviewed. In this study, we focused on the main and latest studies of the pharmacological effects of kombucha beverages produced from various kinds of raw materials, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antimicrobial, anticancer, antidiabetic, antihypertensive, and antihyperlipidemic effects in in vitro and in vivo studies.

Interdisciplinary Forensic and Pharmaceutical Study of Illegal Circulation of Falsified Alcoholic Beverages to Combat Crime and Prevent Public Health Disorders

Forensic and pharmaceutical study of the illegal circulation of falsified (counterfeit, surrogate, counterfeit, modified) alcoholic beverages was conducted within the framework of interdisciplinary organizational and legal, criminal and legal, forensic, clinical and pharmacological, forensic and medical research. It was substantiated that the illegal circulation of falsified alcoholic beverages harms the country's budget, the lives and health of citizens. Summarized reports of the State Tax Service of Ukraine. Forensic-pharmaceutical practice regarding illegal circulation and medico-pharmaceutical consequences of consuming falsified alcoholic beverages is analyzed. Excise tax rates for alcoholic and low-alcohol beverages have been worked out. Normative initiatives have been developed and directions for the implementation of the anti-alcohol policy in the state have been proposed.

Using of nontraditional raw materials in beer production

Given the highly competitive environment of brewing industry today, businesses need to constantly develop new products of high quality and nutritional value that meet consumer and sanitary requirements. Therefore, the production of beer-based mixed beverages using nontraditional raw plant materials is gaining popularity. It is quite possible to produce these types of beverages at brewing facilities of Almaty and the Almaty region since it presents a favorable climate to develop agricultural businesses producing fruits and berries and has a large potential for using wild crops. Using of these plants will keep the enterprise economically viable by expanding the assortment of products and increasing the share of low-alcohol beverages in total production. In this study, the purpose is to select the optimum method for the production of special beer based on apple and grape juice. The choice of these particular types of raw plant materials was due to their wide availability and suitability for juice processing. The methods of introducing juice into young beer after the post-fermentation stage, as well as the introduction of fermented juice into young beer, were applied in the production of a mixed beverage. The organoleptic, physicochemical properties of the finished beer made using two methods have been studied. As a result, the optimal beer to juice ratio of 70:30 was selected according to the first method. This method resulted in the most balanced combination in terms of organoleptic characteristics, but colloidal instability was observed. For the second method of special beer production, the Oettinger Pils yeast race was used for fermentation of the juice base that was introduced into young beer after the post-fermentation stage. The resulting beverage at the 50:50 ratio of beer to juice was highly stable and had the highest organoleptic and physicochemical qualities.

The public-private decision for alcohol retail systems: Examining the economic, health, and social impacts of alternative systems in Finland.

Background: Organising alcohol retail systems with more or less public ownership has implications for health and the economy. The aim of the present study was to estimate the economic, health, and social impacts of alcohol use in Finland in 2018 (baseline), and in two alternative scenarios in which current partial public ownership of alcohol retail sales is either increased or fully privatised. Methods: Baseline alcohol-attributable harms and costs were estimated across five categories of death, disability, and criminal justice. Two alternate alcohol retail systems were defined as privately owned stores selling: (1) only low strength alcoholic beverages (public ownership scenario, similar to Sweden); or (2) all beverages (private ownership scenario). Policy analyses were conducted to estimate changes in alcohol use per capita. Health and economic impacts were modelled using administrative data and epidemiological modelling. Results: In Finland in 2018, alcohol use was estimated to be responsible for €1.51 billion (95% Uncertainty Estimates: €1.43 billion, €1.58 billion) in social cost, 3,846 deaths, and 270,652 criminal justice events. In the public ownership scenario, it was estimated that alcohol use would decline by 15.8% (11.8%, 19.7%) and social cost by €384.3 million (€189.5 million, €559.2 million). Full privatisation was associated with an increase in alcohol use of 9.0% (6.2%, 11.8%) and an increase in social cost of €289.7 million (€140.8 million, €439.5 million). Conclusion: The outcome from applying a novel analytical approach suggests that more public ownership of the alcohol retail system may lead to significant decreases in alcohol-caused death, disability, crime, and social costs. Conversely, full privatisation of the ownership model would lead to increased harm and costs.

Who buys non-alcoholic beer in Finland? Sociodemographic characteristics and associations with regular beer purchases.

The consumption of non-alcoholic beer and other non-alcoholic and low-alcohol beverages has grown significantly in recent years. Due to a lack of suitable datasets, there have been few studies conducted on the forerunners of the non-alcoholic beer consumption trend. This study examined the associations of sociodemographic characteristics with non-alcoholic beer purchase, and of non-alcoholic beer purchases with regular beer purchases. The data consisted of longitudinal individual purchases of non-alcoholic and regular beer from grocery stores in 2017 and 2018. The study participants were loyalty cardholders from the largest food retailer in Finland (n=47,066). The level of education, household income and occupational status were analyzed as determinants of non-alcoholic beer purchase using logistic regression models. The changes in the regular and non-alcoholic beer purchases from 2017 to 2018 and the distributions of non-alcoholic beer purchase by regular beer purchase, by gender and by age were described. Between 2017 and 2018, the total volume of non-alcoholic beer purchases increased from 2.3% to 3.7% of the total volume of all beer purchases. Men and older people purchased non-alcoholic beer more often than women and younger people did. Non-alcoholic beer purchases were most common among the highly educated and high-income consumers. Non-alcoholic beer purchases were most prevalent in the groups with the highest volumes of regular beer purchase. Educated and affluent consumers have been the forerunners of non-alcoholic beer consumption in Finland. In order to promote the substitution of regular beer with non-alcoholic beer the shift towards lower-strength beverages should be facilitated across social strata.

Reduction of Alcoholic Strength: Does It Matter for Public Health?

In this work, reduction of alcoholic strength was discussed as a means to reduce consumption and alcohol-attributable harm. Statistical modelling was conducted to (1) estimate its potential for the largest six Western and Central European countries (France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, UK); (2) calculate the increase in taxation necessary to reach this potential, and (3) estimate the mortality gains achieved with the introduction of no- or low-alcohol beverages in the UK and Spain. The high public health potential of reducing alcoholic strength was demonstrated via modelling a scenario in which the strength of all beverages was reduced by 10%, which would avert thousands of deaths in these six European countries per year. However, methods by which to achieve these gains were not clear, as the alcohol industry has shown no inclination toward reductions in the alcoholic strength of beer, wine, or spirits via a reformulation on a large scale. The increase of excise taxation to achieve the public health gains of such a reduction would result in markedly increasing prices-a situation unlikely to be implemented in Europe. Finally, the introduction of beer and wine with an alcoholic strength below 0.5% led to some substitutions of higher-strength beverages, but did not show a marked public health impact. New taxation initiatives to achieve the potential of a reduction of alcoholic strength will need to be implemented.

Screening and quantification of pesticide residues in ciders by liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry

The present study aimed to apply a multi-residue method for the screening and quantification of pesticide residues in ciders, low alcoholic beverages made by fermentation of apple juice. Twenty bottled craft cider samples purchased from the Czech market were analysed for pesticide residues. The residues of pesticides were extracted from samples using the QuEChERS (Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, and Safe) procedure in combination with additional solid-phase extraction (SPE) sample clean-up to achieve the lowest detection limit possible. In this study, targeted screening of pesticide residues in the samples was performed with the Q-Orbitrap mass spectrometry instrument. We identified 18 pesticides in cider samples analysed by screening method using an accurate-mass database of about 500 pesticide compounds, including their retention times, empirical formulas, and characteristic fragments. Additionally, liquid chromatography with high-resolution tandem mass spectrometer (LC-HRMS/MS) was used for re-analysis of positive findings of pesticides in samples and allowed to quantify compounds of interest at 0.2 µg L–1 concentration level. The monitoring scheme was applied to the set of craft ciders, and the results revealed the presence of pesticide residues in most of the samples at trace levels ranging from 0.5 to 5 µg L–1 and rarely at a level higher than 10 µg L–1.

Assessment of Tannin Tolerant Non-Saccharomyces Yeasts Isolated from Miang for Production of Health-Targeted Beverage Using Miang Processing Byproducts

This research demonstrated an excellent potential approach for utilizing Miang fermentation broth (MF-broth), a liquid residual byproduct from the Miang fermentation process as a health-targeted beverage. One hundred and twenty yeast strains isolated from Miang samples were screened for their potential to ferment MF-broth and four isolates, P2, P3, P7 and P9 were selected, based on the characteristics of low alcoholic production, probiotic properties, and tannin tolerance. Based on a D1/D2 rDNA sequence analysis, P2 and P7 were identified to be Wikerhamomyces anomalus, while P3 and P9 were Cyberlindnera rhodanensis. Based on the production of unique volatile organic compounds (VOCs), W. anomalus P2 and C. rhodanensis P3 were selected for evaluation of MF-broth fermentation via the single culture fermentation (SF) and co-fermentation (CF) in combination with Saccharomyces cerevisiae TISTR 5088. All selected yeasts showed a capability for growth with 6 to 7 log CFU/mL and the average pH value range of 3.91-4.09. The ethanol content of the fermented MF-broth ranged between 11.56 ± 0.00 and 24.91 ± 0.01 g/L after 120 h fermentation, which is categorized as a low alcoholic beverage. Acetic, citric, glucuronic, lactic, succinic, oxalic and gallic acids slightly increased from initial levels in MF-broth, whereas the bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity were retained. The fermented MF-broth showed distinct VOCs profiles between the yeast groups. High titer of isoamyl alcohol was found in all treatments fermented with S. cerevisiae TISTR 5088 and W. anomalus P2. Meanwhile, C. rhodanensis P3 fermented products showed a higher quantity of ester groups, ethyl acetate and isoamyl acetate in both SF and CF. The results of this study confirmed the high possibilities of utilizing MF-broth residual byproduct in for development of health-targeted beverages using the selected non-Saccharomyces yeast.

Дослідження особливостей споживання слабоалкогольних напоїв (low-alcohol beverages) дітьми та підлітками в Україні та ідентифікація ризиків для здоров’я населення

Abstract. Recently, the problem of low-alcohol consumption among adolescents and young people has become especially relevant, which was confirmed by the results of global WHO research and the ESPAD project in Ukraine (2019). Aim. Study the age and gender characteristics of low-alcohol beverages among children and adolescents, identify risks and identify ways to minimize the negative impact of low-alcohol beverages on public health. Materials and Methods. The data of the WHO and the ESPAD project, separate national researches on alcohol use by teenagers are studied; analyzed the results of the long-term epidemiological study "Family and Children of Ukraine", which is part of the WHO long-term European long-term study program on parenting and childhood "ELSPAC" (European Longitudinal Study of Parenthood and Childhood). Results. According to the latest ESPAD study in Ukraine (2019), 85.7 % of all adolescents surveyed (more than 2,000 people) have consumed alcohol at least once in their lifetime, and the share of those who have consumed alcohol in their lifetime is ten and more times amounted to 46.3 %. According to the Family and Children of Ukraine study (989 people), the youngest age when alcohol was first consumed by adolescents of both sexes was 9 years of age and younger, with adolescent girls being more active than boys in their age. The analysis of the questionnaires ("Adolescent Questionnaires 15-18 years") revealed that among the surveyed adolescents, 67.4 % (725) people drank alcohol at least once in their lives, and there were more girls (69.5 % – 370 people) than boys (65.4 % – 355 people). The highest rates among adolescent boys were recorded in the 14-year-old group: 19.0 % drank beer for the first time, 14.5 % drank wine or champagne, 9.4% drank alcohol, and 7.4% drank strong alcohol. The highest rates of adolescent girls were found in the 15-year age group: beer was consumed for the first time by 16.9%, wine or champagne – 22.4%, alcoholic cocktail – 16.9 %, spirits – 8.6 %. Analysis of the degree of involvement of adolescents in beer consumption showed that at the age of 9 years and younger 3.9% (21) boys and 5.3 % (28) girls tried beer for the first time; at the age of 14 – 19.0 % (103) boys and 14.5 % (77) girls; at the age of 15 – 16.0 % (87) boys and 16.9 % (90) girls. Thus, the first time the interviewed teenagers tried beer was at the age of 14-15. Conclusions. Consumption of low-alcohol beverages among children and adolescents in Ukraine is an acute social problem, the solution of which requires a systematic approach, which should include the formation and promotion of alcohol-free norms among young people, as well as marketing tools focus on priority consumption of soft drinks. Key Words: low alcohol drinks, adolescents, food safety.

THE USEFULNESS OF FERMENTED KOMBUCHA TEA FOR THE PRODUCTION OF LOW-ALCOHOLIC DRINKS

Background. Consumers' growing interest in fermented food contributes to the development of the market in functional drinks, which are rich in biologically active compounds that positively affect the human body. One of such drinks is the fermented Kombucha tea, appreciated for its taste and beneficial health properties. The study aimed to select suitable yeast starter culture for the production of fermented low-alcohol beverages based on Kombucha having good microbiological and sensory quality and high antioxidant activity. The scope of the research included developing a technological process for the Kombucha tea drink with the addition of wine, brewing and probiotic yeast, and subsequently, determining the quality of the designed drinks. The research methodology included the analysis of pH value, alcohol content, microbiological analysis, antioxidant activity, total polyphenol content and a sensory analysis. Result and conclusion. Based on the research conducted, it was found that obtaining low-alcohol fermented beverages based on Kombucha is possible, and the quality of these products depended on the yeast starter cultures. They significantly impacted all the tested parameters of the final products. The lowalcohol drinks obtained were characterized by a low level of alcohol and a high content of antioxidant compounds, as well as the desired microbiological and sensory quality. The results obtained are a pilot for further research into the usefulness of fermented Kombucha tea for the production of low-alcohol beverages.

Use of Mixed Cultures for the Production of Grape–Plum Low-Alcohol Fermented Beverages

This work presents the attempt to develop a production technology for grape–plum low-alcohol beverages and enhance their chemical composition and flavor complexity through the non-Saccharomyces species. Saccharomyces cerevisiae (SC) pure cultures were used as reference beverages. Pure cultures of Lachancea thermotolerans (LT) and co-inoculated Lachancea thermotolerans with Saccharomyces cerevisiae (MIX) were included for grape–plum must fermentation at a pilot scale. The process involves two steps: a primary alcoholic fermentation in stainless steel tanks (F1) and a secondary fermentation in a bottle after dextrose syrup addition (F2). The chemical compositions of all beverages obtained in F1 and F2 were studied. Compared to SC, must inoculated with L. thermotolerans (LT and MIX) required four more days to complete the fermentation of sugars during F1. SC fermentation tended to have slightly higher pH and titratable acidity values and lower concentrations of total phenols. Final levels of aromatic precursor nitrogen and sulfur amino nitrogen were obtained more in SC than in LT and MIX. SC treatment had higher final levels of histidine, phenylalanine, isoleucine, lysine, methionine, threonine, valine, and cysteine. Related to individual amino acids, SC treatment had higher final levels of histidine, phenylalanine, isoleucine, lysine, methionine, threonine, valine, and cysteine. Analysis of the volatile composition showed that, compared with SC, MIX had the highest percentage of higher alcohols (3-methyl-1-butanol and 2-methyl-1-butanol) and acetates (isoamyl acetate and isobutyl acetate) which are associated with fruity and banana aromas. A decreasing trend in volatile fatty acids was observed in LT and MIX compared to SC. LT application, both in pure and mixed culture, significantly modified the values of the percentage of 5 of the 10 ethyl ester compounds analyzed. Finally, the sensory analysis showed that there were no significant differences, even though the non-Saccharomyces had a higher percentage of volatile metabolites. The results have shown that through this process an innovative and high-quality product was obtained: a low-alcohol beverage made from grapes and plums, which could be developed at an industrial level due to the increasing interest of consumers in this type of product.

АНАЛІЗ СТАНУ ПРАВОПОРЯДКУ ЦЕНТРАЛЬНОГО РЕГІОНУ ЗБРОЙНИХ СИЛ УКРАЇНИ: АДМІНІСТРАТИВНО-ДЕЛІКТНИЙ АСПЕКТ

The authors note that the current state of law and order in the Armed Forces of Ukraine and other military formations has both theoretical and practical problems, the research and solution of which are urgent. This concerns the maintenance of a high level of military discipline among military personnel and persons equivalent to them, ensuring high combat readiness and combat capacity of military units and units, especially during the period of active hostilities and in conditions of deployment of military units where the latter are not conducted. The article states that in 2015, for the first time, administrative responsibility for committing military administrative offenses was introduced. Changes have also been made regarding the procedural registration of the commission of military administrative offenses. Military personnel’s tormental activity is one of the reasons for the adoption by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine of an addition to the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses, namely Chapter 13-Б “Military Administrative Offenses”. The analysis of the statistical data of the Central region enabled the authors to claim that the most common military administrative offense is the offense provided for in Article 172-20 of the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses “Drinking alcoholic, low-alcohol beverages or the use of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances or their analogues”, Article 172-11 of the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses “Leaving without a permission a military unit or place of service”, 172-15 of the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses “Negligent attitude to military service”. As conclusions, the authors note that the institution of administrative liability of military personnel has not been considered for a long time and requires further reformation. The stated circumstances require improvement of the norms of the current administrative legislation, which regulates military personnel’s liability for committing administrative offenses Key words: military personnel, administrative offense, administrative liability, military discipline, Armed Forces of Ukraine, military duty, Military Law and Order Service.

Fermentation process optimization, chemical analysis, and storage stability evaluation of a probiotic barley malt kvass

Kvass is a popular low-alcohol beverage produced by the natural fermentation of dark rye bread or malt with complex microbial flora. However, few pieces of research focus on the microflora of traditional bread kvass, and the industrial kvass based on malt concentrate has some disadvantages, including the lack of viable probiotics and containing multiple artificial additives. Therefore, in the present study, based on the different homemade traditional bread kvass, the predominant species including Lacticaseibacillus paracasei, Acetobacter pasteurianus, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae were screened and identified. In addition, barley malt was used instead of bread for kvass production, and the co-fermentation conditions with three different strains were optimized as wort concentration of 7.4°Brix, cell ratio of 2/2/1 (S. cerevisiae/L. paracasei/A. pasteurianus), inoculum amount of 8%, fermentation temperature of 29.5°C and fermentation time of 24.6h. Moreover, the physicochemical (pH, total soluble solids, color, and alcohol content) and probiotic (microorganisms counting and antioxidant activity) properties of the barley malt kvass prepared at optimal conditions were symmetrically evaluated. Besides, compared with the commercial kvass products, the produced barley malt kvass exhibited better taste and more desirable antioxidant activity, and also maintained around 6-7 log CFU/mL of viable probiotic microorganisms during a week of storage. The present study not only enriched the biological resource of the traditional kvass, but also promoted the development of the kvass as a live-bacteria beverage.

Sequentially fermented dealcoholized apple juice intervenes fatty liver induced by high-fat diets via modulation of intestinal flora and gene pathways

Low-alcohol beverages damage the liver, whereas dealcoholized apple juice sequentially fermented by Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Lactobacillus plantarum is a promising dietary intervention for hyperlipidaemia as a functional non-alcoholic beverage that lowers lipid levels and regulates fatty liver. However, their mechanisms of action have not been identified. In this study, we found that low-alcohol cider exacerbated inflammation in mice on a high-fat diet, up-regulate fatty liver CYP2E1 gene, and inhibit the expression of MBOAT7 and TMC4. Apple juice traditionally fermented by S.cerevisiae and then dealcoholized, followed by sequential fermentation by L.plantarum, can improve obesity and fatty liver, reduce the production of liver cholesterol and fat accumulation, and promote the production of short-chain fatty acids. Our research demonstrates that the lipopolysaccharide/lipopolysaccharide-binding protein/cluster of differentiation 14 protein/Toll-like receptor 4 protein signaling pathway affects the occurrence of obesity and inflammation in mice, and the expression of CYP7A1 inhibits the production of lipids. Further research reveals that L. plantarum sequentially fermented dealcoholized apple juice not only regulate and restore the intestinal flora, but also change the ratio of Firmicutes-to-Bacteroides, and decreased endotoxin-bearing Proteobacteria levels. Together, this functional product may be a potential dietary strategy to interfere with hyperlipidemia and obesity-related metabolic disorders.

Study of green surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy determination of methanol in alcoholic beverages

There are two main challenges in completing surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) detection. One is the small Raman scattering cross-section of methanol, and the other is the derivatization strategy. They were solved by coupling the catalytic strategy with a thermal purge separation and enrichment device. In this study, quantitative analysis of methanol in alcoholic beverages was performed as methanol was catalyzed to formaldehyde. For detecting methanol in low-alcohol beverages, the acetaldehyde derivatives generated by the interaction of ethanol-catalyzed oxide acetaldehyde with 3-methyl 2-benzothiazolinone hydrazone hydrochloride hydrate (MBTH) during the catalytic process will not cause large interference with the SERS signal of formaldehyde. In this case, MBTH with higher sensitivity is selected for the derivatization operation. In the analysis of methanol in high-alcohol beverages, acetylacetonate derivatization without interaction with acetaldehyde was used to avoid the interference of the acetaldehyde generated from ethanol. Based on the detection of formaldehyde in methanol standard solutions, methanol was detected in wine and sake as well as in high-alcohol beverages. Thus, a convenient and rapid method was achieved for the detection of methanol in alcoholic beverages.

Buckwheat and Amaranth as Raw Materials for Brewing, a Review.

Globally, beer is considered the most-consumed low-alcohol beverage, it ranks third, after water and tea, in the top sales of these drinks. New types of beer are the result of the influence of several factors, including innovations in science and technology, changing requirements for food consumption of the population, competition between producers, promotion of food for health, flavor, and quality, the limited nature of traditional food resource raw materials, and the interest of producers in reducing production costs. Manufacturers are looking for new solutions for obtaining products that meet the requirements of consumers, authentic products of superior quality, with distinctive taste and aroma. This review proposes the use of two pseudocereals as raw materials in the manufacture of beer: buckwheat and amaranth, focusing on the characteristics that recommend them in this regard. Due to their functional and nutraceutical properties, these pseudocereals can improve the quality of beer—a finished product. Additionally, all types of beer obtained from these pseudocereals are recommended for diets with particular nutritional requirements, especially gluten-free diets. Researchers and producers will continue to improve and optimize the sensory and technological properties of the new types of beer obtained from these pseudocereals.

Genomic and functional characterization of bacteriocinogenic lactic acid bacteria isolated from Boza, a traditional cereal-based beverage

Boza is a traditional low-alcohol fermented beverage from the Balkan Peninsula, frequently explored as a functional food product. The product is rich in Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) and some of them can produce bacteriocins. In this study, a sample of Boza from Belogratchik, Bulgaria, was analyzed for the presence of bacteriocinogenic LAB, and after analyses by RAPD-PCR, three representative isolates were characterized by genomic analyses, using whole genome sequencing. Isolates identified as Pediococcus pentosaceus ST75BZ and Pediococcus pentosaceus ST87BZ contained operons encoding for bacteriocins pediocin PA-1 and penocin A, while isolate identified as Pediococcus acidilactici ST31BZ contained only the operon for pediocin PA-1 and a CRISPR/Cas system for protection against bacteriophage infection. The antimicrobial activity of bacteriocins produced by the three isolates was inhibited by treatment of the cell-free supernatants with proteolytic enzymes. The produced bacteriocins inhibited the growth of Listeria monocytogenes, Enterococcus spp. and some Lactobacillus spp., among other tested species. The levels of bacteriocin production varied from 3200 to 12,800 AU/ml recorded against L. monocytogenes 104, 637 and 711, measured at 24 h of incubation at 37 °C. All bacteriocins remained active after incubation at pH 2.0–10.0. The activity mode of the studied bacteriocins was bactericidal, as determined against L. monocytogenes 104, 637 and 711. In addition, bactericidal activity was demonstrated using a cell leakage β-galactosidase assay, indicating a pore formation mechanism as a mode of action. The present study highlights the importance of combining genomic analyses and traditional microbiological approaches as way of characterizing microbial interactions in fermented foods.