In recent years, there has been a strong focus on beneficial foods with probiotic microorganisms and functional organic substances. In this context, there is an increasing interest in the commercial ...use of kefir, since it can be marketed as a natural beverage that has health promoting bacteria. There are numerous commercially available kefir based-products. Kefir may act as a matrix in the effective delivery of probiotic microorganisms in different types of products. Also, the presence of kefir's exopolysaccharides, known as kefiran, which has biological activity, certainly adds value to products. Kefiran can also be used separately in other food products and as a coating film for various food and pharmaceutical products. This article aims to update the information about kefir and its microbiological composition, biological activity of the kefir's microflora and the importance of kefiran as a beneficial health substance.
Main conclusion
Lipopeptides could help to overcome a large concern in agriculture: resistance against chemical pesticides. These molecules have activity against various phytopathogens and a ...potential to be transformed by genetic engineering.
The exponential rise of pest resistances to different chemical pesticides and the global appeal of consumers for a sustainable agriculture and healthy nutrition have led to the search of new solutions for pest control. Furthermore, new laws require a different stance of producers. Based on that, bacteria of the genus
Bacillus
present a great agricultural potential, producing lipopeptides (LPs) that have high activity against insects, mites, nematodes, and/or phytopathogens that are harmful to plant cultures. Biopesticide activity can be found mainly in three families of
Bacillus
lipopeptides: surfactin, iturin, and fengycin. These molecules have an amphiphilic nature, interfering with biological membrane structures. Their antimicrobial properties include activity against bacteria, fungi, oomycetes, and viruses. Recent studies also highlight the ability of these compounds to stimulate defense mechanisms of plants and biofilm formation, which is a key factor for the successful colonization of biocontrol organisms. The use of molecular biology has also recently been researched for continuous advances and discoveries of new LPs, avoiding possible future problems of resistance against these molecules. As a consequence of the properties and possibilities of LPs, numerous studies and developments as well as the attention of large companies in the field is expected in the near future.
Advances in industrial biotechnology offer potential opportunities for economic utilization of agro-industrial residues such as sugarcane bagasse. Sugarcane bagasse, which is a complex material, is ...the major by-product of the sugar cane industry. It contains about 50% cellulose, 25% hemicellulose and 25% lignin. Due to its abundant availability, it can serve as an ideal substrate for microbial processes for the production of value-added products. Attempts have been made to produce from bagasse substrate protein-enriched animal feed, enzymes, amino acids, organic acids and compounds of pharmaceutical importance, etc. Often, a pre-treatment process has resulted in improved substrate utilization by the microbes. Application of solid-state fermentation technology could be an attractive possibility for such bioconversions. This article reviews the recent developments on processes and products developed for the value addition of sugarcane bagasse through the biotechnological means. Emphasis has been given on more recent developments of the past 8–10 years.
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•High titers of Arthrospira maxima biomass cultivated at Laboratory and pilot scale.•Microalgae produced using sugarcane vinasse with BOD and COD reduction.•Peptide fractions obtained ...through biomass enzymatic hydrolysis.•Antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-collagenase properties.
An environmental friendly process was developed to produce Arthrospira maxima's biomass from sugarcane vinasse, which was generated in a bioethanol production chain, at laboratory and pilot scale. Peptides fractions were than obtained from enzymatically hydrolyzed biomass. High microalgae biomass productivities were reached (0.150 g L−1 day−1) coupled with a significant reduction of BOD and COD (89.2 and 81%, respectively). Three peptide fractions were obtained from microalgae biomass through single or sequential enzymatic hydrolysis. Antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and/or anti-collagenase activities of biopetides’ fractions were observed. The PHS showed multi-biological activities. The three peptides fractions could be potential candidates for different applications in pharmaceutical, cosmetic and food industry.
Gibberellins consist of a large family of plant growth hormones discovered in the 1930s, which are synthesized via the terpenes route from the geranylgeranyl diphosphate and feature a basic structure ...formed by an ent-gibberellane tetracyclic skeleton. Among them, only four have biological activity, including gibberellic acid (GA₃), which acts as a natural plant growth regulator, especially for stem elongation, seed germination, and increased fruit size. It can be obtained from plants, fungi, and bacteria. There are also some reports about microalgae GA₃ producers. Fungi, especially Gibberella fujikuroi, are preferred for GA₃ production via submerged fermentation or solid-state fermentation. Many factors may affect its production, some of which are related to the control and scale-up of fermentation parameters. Different GA₃ products are available on the market. They can be found in liquid or solid formulations containing only GA₃ or a mixture of other biological active gibberellins, which can be applied on a wide variety of cultivars, including crops and fruits. However, the product’s cost still limits its large and continuous application. New low-cost and efficient GA₃ production alternatives are surely welcome. This review deals with the latest scientific and technological advances on production, recovery, formulation, and applications of this important plant growth hormone.
Phytases (myo-inositol hexakisphosphate phosphohydrolase, EC 3.1.3.8) catalyse the release of phosphate from phytate (myco-inositol hexakiphosphate). Several cereal grains, legumes and oilseeds, ...etc., store phosphorus as phytate. Environmental pollution due to the high-phosphate manure, resulting in the accumulation of P at various locations has raised serious concerns. Phytases appear of significant value in effectively controlling P pollution. They can be produced from a host of sources including plants, animals and micro-organisms. Microbial sources, however, are promising for their commercial exploitations. Strains of
Aspergillus sp., chiefly
A. ficuum and
A. niger have most commonly been employed for industrial purposes. Phytases are considered as a monomeric protein, generally possessing a molecular weight between 40 and 100 kDa. They show broad substrate specificity and have generally pH and temperature optima around 4.5–6.0 and 45–60°C. The crystal structure of phytase has been determined at 2.5 Å resolution. Immobilization of phytase has been found to enhance its thermostability. This article reviews recent trends on the production, purification and properties of microbial phytases.
Advances in industrial biotechnology offer potential opportunities for economic utilization of agro-industrial residues such as cassava bagasse. Cassava bagasse, which is a fibrous material, is the ...by-product of the cassava-processing industry. It contains about 30–50% starch on dry weight basis. Due to its rich organic nature and low ash content, it can serve as an ideal substrate for microbial processes for the production of value added products. Attempts have been made to produce several products such as organic acids, flavour and aroma compounds, and mushrooms from cassava bagasse. Solid-state fermentation has been mostly employed for bioconversion processes. This paper reviews the developments in processes and products developed for the value addition of cassava bagasse through biotechnological means.
High-throughput DNA sequencing (HTS) was used to investigate the microbial community of cocoa bean spontaneous fermentation in the Amazon biome. The characterization was described in three localities ...from Para state (Amazon biome) and one locality from Bahia state, the top Brazilian state for cocoa production, for comparison of the microbial community structure. The microbial community profile was determined through a metagenomics approach using the Illumina HiSeq platform. Our data showed that the microbial community is composed of a consortium consisting of yeast (i.e., Pichia and Candida), filamentous fungi (i.e., Aspergillus, Penicillium and Fusarium), lactic acid bacteria (i.e., Leuconostoc, Lactococcus, and Lactobacillus), acetic acid bacteria (i.e., Acetobacter and Gluconobacter), enterobacteria and bacilli. Interestingly, Acetobacter pasteurianus was found in higher relative abundance than expected, and three acetic acid bacteria species were identified for the first time in cocoa fermentation (i.e., Komagataeibacter hansenii, Roseomonas sp. and Acidisphaera sp.). Some microorganisms were only detected in Amazonian cocoa and not detected in Bahia cocoa, including six yeast species (i.e., Starmerella bacillaris, Candida temnochilae, Zygosaccharomyces bailii, Candida glabrata, Saccharomycopsis crataegensis and Saccharomycopsis amapae) and seven lactic acid bacteria (i.e., Lactococcus lactis, Fructobacillus pseudoficulneus, Weissella confusa, Pediococcus pentosaceus, Lactobacillus reuteri, Lactobacillus murinus and Lactobacillus pontis). This study provides the first description of the microbiome in cocoa fermentation from the Amazon region, and these data open new perspectives for exploring these microorganisms in biotechnology applications, as well as their use as a starter culture to obtain high-quality cocoa beans.
•The first determination of the microbial community of Amazonian cocoa from Brazil was described.•Metagenomics analysis is a rapid method for microorganism determination.•Bacterial genera were for the first time associated with cocoa fermentation.•Bacteria and yeast possess excellent potential for use as biomarkers in cocoa beans.
The aim of the present work was to investigate the feasibility of jackfruit seed powder as a substrate for the production of pigments by
Monascus purpureus in solid-state fermentation (SSF). A ...pigment yield of 25
OD
Units/g dry fermented substrate was achieved by employing jackfruit seed powder with optimized process parameters such as 50% initial moisture content, incubation temperature 30
°C, 9
×
10
4
spores/g dry substrate inoculum and an incubation period of seven days. The color of the pigments was stable over a wide range of pH, apparently due to the buffering nature of the substrate, which could be a significant point for its scope in food applications. To the best of our knowledge this is the first report on pigment production using jackfruit seed powder in solid-state fermentation (SSF).
Main Conclusion
Molecular studies have elucidated
Trichoderma’s
biocontrol mechanisms. Since fungicides have limited use,
Trichoderma
could control disease by new metabolic routes and epigenetic ...alterations.
Due to environmental and health hazards, agrochemicals have been a concern since they were introduced in agriculture.
Trichoderma
, a well-known fungal genus with different mechanisms of action, is an alternative to pesticides and a great tool to help minimize disease incidence.
Trichoderma-
treated plants mainly benefit from disease control and growth promotion through priming, and these fungi can modulate plants’ gene expression by boosting their immune system, accelerating their response to threats, and building stress tolerance. The latest studies suggest that epigenetics is required for plant priming and could be essential for growth promotion, expanding the possibilities for producing new resistant plant varieties.
Trichoderma
’s propagules can be mass produced and formulated depending on the delivery method. Microsclerotia-based bioproducts could be a promising way of increasing the reliability and durability of marketed products in the field, as well as help guarantee longer shelf life. Developing novel formulations and selecting efficient
Trichoderma
strains can be tiresome, but patent search indicates an increase in the industrialization and commercialization of technologies and an expansion of companies’ involvement in research and development in this field. Although
Trichoderma
is considered a well-known fungal genus, it still attracts the attention of large companies, universities, and research institutes around the world.
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