International competition within the dairy market and increasing public awareness about the importance of functional food consumption are providing new challenges for innovation in the probiotic ...sector. In this context, countless references are currently dedicated to the selection and characterization of new species and more specific strains of probiotic bacteria. In general, these studies adopt basic selection criteria established by the World Health Organization (WHO), including host-associated stress resistance, epithelium adhesion ability, and antimicrobial activity. These aspects are applied to ensure that the candidate probiotic could withstand the stressful conditions of the human digestive system and exert functional proprieties. However, it cannot be assumed that these novel microbial strains are capable of offering several biological benefits attributed to probiotics. Additionally, safety-associated selection criteria, such as plasmid-associated antibiotic resistance spreading and enterotoxin production, are often neglected. This article reviews the recent developments in the processes, strategies, and methods, such as anticarcinogenic, antidepression, antianxiety, antiobesity, antidiabetic, immunostimulatory, and cholesterol-lowering assessments, to select probiotic strains with the ultimate objective of assisting future probiotic microbe evaluation studies.
Since the first report by Ishiwata in 1902 of a Bombyx mori infection, followed by the description by Berliner, Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) has become the main microorganism used in biological ...control. The application of Bt to combat invertebrates of human interest gained momentum with the growing demand for food free of chemical pesticides and with the implementation of agriculture methods that were less damaging to the environment. However, the mechanisms of action of these products have not been fully elucidated. There are two proposed models: the first is that Bt causes an osmotic imbalance in response to the formation of pores in a cell membrane, and the second is that it causes an opening of ion channels that activate the process of cell death. There are various ways in which Bt resistance can develop: changes in the receptors that do not recognize the Cry toxin, the synthesis of membrane transporters that eliminate the peptides from the cytosol and the development of regulatory mechanisms that disrupt the production of toxin receptors. Besides the potential for formulation of biopesticides and the use in developing genetically modified cultivars, recent studies with Bt have discussed promising applications in other branches of science. Chitinase, an enzyme that degrades chitin, increases the efficiency of Bt insecticides, and there has been of increasing interest in the industry, given that its substrate is extremely abundant in nature. Another promising field is the potential for Bt proteins to act against cancer cells. Parasporins, toxins of Bt that do not have an entomopathogenic effect, have a cytotoxic effect on the cells changed by some cancers. This demonstrates the potential of the microorganism and new opportunities opening for future applications.
The present study aimed at investigating the carbon metabolism in terms of carbon dioxide fixation and its destination in microalgae cultivations. To this purpose, analysis of growth parameters, ...media of cultivation, biomass composition and productivity and nutrients balance were performed. Four microalgae suitable for mass cultivation were evaluated: Dunaliella tertiolecta SAD-13.86, Chlorella vulgaris LEB-104, Spirulina platensis LEB-52 and Botryococcus braunii SAG-30.81. Global rates of carbon dioxide and oxygen were determinated by a system developed in our laboratory. B. braunii presented the highest CO₂ fixation rate, followed by S. platensis, D. tertiolecta and C. vulgaris (496.98, 318.61, 272.4 and 251.64mgL⁻¹ day⁻¹, respectively). Carbon dioxide fixated was mainly used for microalgal biomass production. Nitrogen, phosphorus (calcium for D. tertiolecta), potassium and magnesium consumption rates (mg gX⁻¹) were evaluated for the four microalgae. Biomass composition presented a predominance of proteins but also a high amount of lipids, especially in D. tertiolecta and B. braunii.
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•Pilot-scale microbial oil production from yeast with high productivity (0.44g/L.h).•Sugarcane juice as a powerful feedstock for biodiesel production (4172L/ha).•Excellent performance ...of microbial biodiesel in engine tests with lower pollutant emissions.•Competitive microbial biodiesel (US$ 0.76/L) compared to biodiesel from soybean oil.
A successful pilot-scale process for biodiesel production from microbial oil (Biooil) produced by Rhodosporidium toruloides DEBB 5533 is presented. Using fed-batch strategy (1000L working volume), a lipid productivity of 0.44g/L.h was obtained using a low-cost medium composed by sugarcane juice and urea. The microbial oil was used for biodiesel production and its performance was evaluated in diesel engine tests, showing very good performance, especially for the blend B20 SCO, when operating at 2500rpm with lower pollutant emissions (CO2 – 220% less; CO – 7-fold less; NOX 50% less and no detectable HC emissions (<0.11ppm)) when compared with the blends of standard biofuel from soybean oil. A preliminary analysis showed that microbial biodiesel is economically competitive (US$ 0.76/L) when compared to the vegetable biodiesel (US$ 0.81/L). Besides, the yield of biodiesel from microbial oil is higher (4172L/ha of cultivated sugarcane) that represents 6.3-fold the yield of standard biodiesel (661L/ha of cultivated soybean).
Sugary kefir beverage is produce by fermenting raw sugar solution with kefir grains, the latter consisting of polysaccharide and microorganisms. This beverage, with great consumption in countries ...such as USA, Japan, France, and Brazil, represents a promising market to functional cultured drinks. This paper reviews the microbial diversity and interaction, kinetics, safety, and bioactivities of sugary kefir fermentation. The literature reviewed here demonstrates that sugary kefir possesses a similar microbial association relative to traditional milk kefir fermentation, especially among lactic acid bacteria and yeast species, such as Lactobacillus, Leuconostoc, Kluyveromyces, Pichia, and Saccharomyces. However, a selective pressure at species level is generally observed, as, for example, the stimulation of Saccharomyces species metabolism, leading to a high content of alcohol in the final product. This also seems to stimulate the growth of acetic acid bacteria that benefit of increased ethanol production to acetic acid metabolism. Existing reports have suggested important bioactivities associated with sugary kefir beverage consumption, such as antimicrobial, antiedematogenic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, cicatrizing, and healing activities. Other alternative non-dairy substrates, such as fruits, vegetables, and molasses, have also been tested for adaptation of kefir grains and production of functional beverages with distinct sensory characteristics. This diversification is of crucial importance for the production of new probiotic products to provide people with special needs (lactose intolerance) and vegan consumers.
•Survey on microbial composition and kinetics of sugary kefir fermentation.•Manufacturing, safety, and bioactivities of sugary kefir beverage are reviewed.•Update of non-dairy kefir beverages in the word.•Alternatives sources of non-dairy, probiotic products are proposed.
In recent years, foods that contain omega-3 lipids have emerged as important promoters of human health. These lipids are essential for the functional development of the brain and retina, and ...reduction of the risk of cardiovascular and Alzheimer's diseases. The global market for omega-3 production, particularly docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), saw a large expansion in the last decade due to the increasing use of this lipid as an important component of infant food formulae and supplements. The production of omega-3 lipids from fish and vegetable oil sources has some drawbacks, such as complex purification procedures, unwanted contamination by marine pollutants, reduction or even extinction of several species of fish, and aspects related to sustainability. A promising alternative system for the production of omega-3 lipids is from microbial metabolism of yeast, fungi, or microalgae. The aim of this review is to discuss the various omega-3 sources in the context of the global demand and market potential for these bioactive compounds. To summarize, it is clear that fish and vegetable oil sources will not be sufficient to meet the future needs of the world population. The biotechnological production of single-cell oil comes as a sustainable alternative capable of supplementing the global demand for omega-3, causing less environmental impact.
The potential of probiotics: a review Soccol, Carlos Ricardo; Vandenberghe, Luciana Porto de Souza; Spier, Michele Rigon ...
Food technology and biotechnology,
10/2010, Volume:
48, Issue:
4
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
Probiotics, live cells with different beneficiary characteristics, have been extensivelly studied and explored commercially in many different products in the world. Their benefits to human and animal ...health have been proven in hundreds of scientific research. Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium are the main probiotic groups; however, there are reports on the probiotic potential of Pediococcus, Lactococcus, Bacillus and yeasts. Some of the identified probiotic strains exhibit powerful anti-inflammatory, antiallergic and other important properties. Apart from that, the consumption of dairy and non-dairy products stimulates the immunity in different ways. Various food matrices have been used with probiotics, which are briefly documented. In this review, the history of probiotics, their application in the health and food areas and new trends in probiotic products and processes are presented. Key words: probiotics, intestinal microflora, Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, immune stimulation, probiotic production, food carriers, dairy products, non-dairy products
•Industrial wastewater was utilized to produce bioenergy and volatile fatty acids.•Complete metabolic analysis of 2 different anaerobic consortia were carried out.•Very high biohydrogen production, ...yields and purity were achieved.•The developed technology has a high potential to be transferred to the industry.
This work evaluates the potential of vinasse (a waste obtained at the bottom of sugarcane ethanol distillation columns) as nutrient source for biohydrogen and volatile fatty acids production by means of anaerobic consortia. Two different media were proposed, using sugarcane juice or molasses as carbon source. The consortium LPBAH1 was selected for fermentation of vinasse supplemented with sugarcane juice, resulting in a higher H2 yield of 7.14molH2 molsucrose−1 and hydrogen content in biogas of approx. 31%, while consortium LPBAH2 resulted in 3.66molH2/molsucrose and 32.7% hydrogen content in biogas. The proposed process showed a rational and economical use for vinasse, a mandatory byproduct of the renewable Brazilian energy matrix.
Hydrogen is a clean source of energy with no harmful byproducts produced during its combustion. Bioconversion of different organic waste materials to hydrogen is a sustainable technology for hydrogen ...production and it has been investigated by several researchers. Crude glycerol generated during biodiesel manufacturing process can also be used as a feedstock for hydrogen production using microbial processes. The possibility of using crude glycerol as a feedstock for biohydrogen production has been reviewed in this article. A review of recent global biodiesel and crude glycerol production and their future market potential has also been carried out. Similarly, different technical constraints of crude glycerol bioconversion have been elaborately discussed and some strategies for improved hydrogen yield have also been proposed. It has been underlined that use of crude glycerol from biodiesel processing plants for hydrogen production has many advantages over the use of other organic wastes as substrate. Most importantly, it will give direct economic benefit to biodiesel manufacturing industries, which in turn will help in increasing biofuel production and it will partially replace harmful fossil fuels with biofuels. However, different impurities present in crude glycerol are known to inhibit microbial growth. Hence, suitable pretreatment of crude glycerol is recommended for maximum hydrogen yield. Similarly, by using suitable bioreactor system and adopting continuous mode of operation, further investigation of hydrogen production using crude glycerol as a substrate should be undertaken. Furthermore, isolation of more productive strains as well as development of engineered microorganism with enhanced hydrogen production potential is recommended. Strategies for application of co-culture of suitable microorganisms as inoculum for crude glycerol bioconversion and improved hydrogen production have also been proposed.