Kopli Bujang

Hibiscus sabdariffa L., roselle calyx, from ethnobotany to pharmacology.

Using MEDLINE and SCOPUS databases, a review of the literature from the pioneering study of 1991 until 2010 was performed on the effects on biological models of Hibiscus sabdariffa L. roselle calyx, its extracts mainly in polar solvents, or pure components found in extracts, as well as their possible relationship to these effects. Three relevant effects on lipid metabolism, antihypertensive activity, and apoptosis were observed. Our chronological review of the studies mentioned in the literature provides another opportunity to see how humans compile scientific knowledge of a chemical structure–physiological activity relationship starting from an ethnobotanical–ethnopharmagognosy contribution. The chemical components that are the main active principles in the physiological activities of Hibiscus sabdariffa L. calyx are anthocyanins and polyphenols (protocatechuic acid and quercetin). Advances have also been made in the elucidation of action mechanisms. Additionally, it has become clear that the lack of standardization in terms of chemical components of the material arising from Hibiscus sabdariffa L. used in testing on biological models imposes limits on the possibility of carrying out comparative analyses between studies. Fortunately, more recent studies are overcoming this obstacle by reporting component concentrations of assumed active principles; however, complete analysis of the extract, if this is to be considered as a therapeutic agent, is not commonly reported in the aforesaid studies. If one of the eventual scenarios for Hibiscus sabdariffa L. calyx is as a therapeutic agent in communities with economic limitations, then studies of a pharmacological nature should guarantee the effectiveness, safety, and tolerability of this material, which is widely accepted to be associated with chemical complexity, thus making this knowledge necessary.

Treatment of vinasse from tequila production using polyglutamic acid

Vinasse, the wastewater from ethanol distillation, is characterised by high levels of organic and inorganic matter, high exit process temperature (ca. 90°C) and low pH (3.0-4.5). In this study, the treatment of tequila vinasse was achieved by a flocculation-coagulation process using poly-γ-glutamic acid (PGA). Results showed that the use of PGA (250-300 ppm) combined with sodium hypochlorite and sand filtration managed to remove about 70% of the turbidity and reduced chemical oxygen demand (COD) by 79.5% with the extra benefit of colour removal. PGA showed its best flocculating activity at pH 2.5-3.5 and a temperature of 30-55°C. Such a treatment may be a solution for small tequila companies for which other solutions to deal with their vinasse may not be economically affordable.

Performance evaluation of a hybrid system for efficient palm oil mill effluent treatment via an air-cathode, tubular upflow microbial fuel cell coupled with a granular activated carbon adsorption

An air-cathode MFC-adsorption hybrid system, made from earthen pot was designed and tested for simultaneous wastewater treatment and energy recovery. Such design had demonstrated superior characteristics of low internal resistance (29.3Ω) and favor to low-cost, efficient wastewater treatment and power generation (55mW/m(3)) with average current of 2.13±0.4mA. The performance between MFC-adsorption hybrid system was compared to the standalone adsorption system and results had demonstrated great pollutants removals of the integrated system especially for chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD3), total organic carbon (TOC), total volatile solids (TVS), ammoniacal nitrogen (NH3-N) and total nitrogen (TN) because such system combines the advantages of each individual unit. Besides the typical biological and electrochemical processes that happened in an MFC system, an additional physicochemical process from the activated carbon took place simultaneously in the MFC-adsorption hybrid system which would further improved on the wastewater quality.

Lactic acid production by Enteroccocus faecium in liquefied sago starch

Enterococcus faecium No. 78 (PNCM-BIOTECH 10375) isolated from puto, a type of fermented rice in the Philippines was used to produce lactic acid in repeated batch fermentation mode. Enzymatically liquefied sago starch was used as the sole carbon source, since sago (Metroxylon spp) is a sustainable crop for industrial exploitation. Liquefied sago starch was inoculated with E. faecium to perform the saccharification and fermentation processes simultaneously. Results demonstrated that E. faecium was reused for 11 fermentation cycles with an average lactic acid yield of 36.3 ± 4.71 g/l. The lactic acid production was superior to that of simple batch mode and continuous fermentation in terms of lactic acid concentration. An un-dissociated lactic acid concentration of 1.15 mM affected the productivity of the cells. Work is in progress to maintain and increase the usability of the cells over higher fermentation cycles.

Composting For The Treatment Of Cattle Wastes

▪ Livestock farming in England and Wales is estimated to produce an annual figure of 200 million tons of animal excreta, half generated by the dairy cattle industry. In the United Kingdom, the structure of the cattle industry has shifted from large numbers of small dairy farms to fewer but larger units. The national average herd size increased from 26 to 42 and finally to 64 animals in 1965, 1975 and 1985, respectively. The latest census revealed that currently there were 2.44 million dairy cows and 9.45 million other cattle and calves in the United Kingdom (total 11.89 million), third place after France (21.50 million) and Germany (19.51 million) in the EEC countries.

Bio-energy generation in an affordable, single-chamber microbial fuel cell integrated with adsorption hybrid system: effects of temperature and comparison study

ABSTRACT A microbial fuel cell (MFC) integrated with adsorption system (MFC-AHS) is tested under various operating temperatures with palm oil mill effluent as the substrate. The optimum operating temperature for such system is found to be at ∼35°C with current, power density, internal resistance (Rin), Coulombic efficiency (CE) and maximum chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal of 2.51 ± 0.2 mA, 74 ± 6 mW m−3, 25.4 Ω, 10.65 ± 0.5% and 93.57 ± 1.2%, respectively. Maximum current density increases linearly with temperature at a rate of 0.1772 mA m−2 °C−1, whereas maximum power density was in a polynomial function. The temperature coefficient (Q10) is found to be 1.20 between 15°C and 35°C. Present studies have demonstrated better CE performance when compared to other MFC-AHSs. Generally, MFC-AHS has demonstrated higher COD removals when compared to standalone MFC regardless of operating temperatures. Abbreviations: ACFF: activated carbon fiber felt; APHA: American Public Health Association; CE: Coulombic efficiency; COD: chemical oxygen demand; ECG: electrocardiogram; GAC: granular activated carbon; GFB: graphite fiber brush; MFC: microbial fuel cell; MFC-AHS: microbial fuel cell integrated with adsorption hybrid system; MFC-GG: microbial fuel cell integrated with graphite granules; POME: palm oil mill effluent; PTFE: polytetrafluoroethylene; SEM: scanning electron microscope

Production, purification and Health Benefits of Sago Sugar

Previous works on the conversion of sago starch and sago hampas into sago sugar, production of cellobiose from sago fronds, and the current studies on the health benefits from consumption of brown sago sugar are presented in this paper. Hydrolysis of sago starch into sugar generates total (100%) recovery, containing glucose (94%), maltose, and other impurities at 3% each. Purification of the brown sago sugar is achieved using powdered activated charcoal to remove all impurities and color. Drying of the purified and concentrated white sago sugar is best performed in an oven (minimum 60 °C), producing high (100%) yield of sugar crystals after several days. Analysis of sweetness revealed that the sago sugar is as sweet as 50% glucose. Brown sago sugar is preferable to white sago sugar due to the presence of antioxidant, analyzed based on total phenolic content (TPC) at 300 mg/kg sugar. Some residual of the TPC can be detected even after purification of the brown sugar. Sago sugar is also obtainable through enzymatic hydrolysis of physically treated sago hampas, generating substantial amount of sugars (70% w/w). Current research also reveals the feasibility of producing cellobiose (approx. 12% w/w) from fresh sago frond, a type of pharmaceutical sugar which commands a higher price than glucose. It is obvious that sago palm has tremendous potential to be adopted as the new source of sugars to replace cane sugar.

Production of sugar from sago palm

I an effort to lower the cost of RSDA production by isolate DMF78, optimization of production parameters was conducted using statistical tools. Plackett-Burman and Box-Behnken designs of experiment were employed. Seventeen factors were considered and proteose peptone, beef extract, and MRS salts were found to be positive significant effectors for amylase production. On the other hand, yeast extract, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), and corn steep liquor were negative effectors. An optimized medium resulted to a 466.67% increase in amylase activity and 41.99% decrease in cost compared to the modified MRS medium with the elimination of yeast extract, trub, SDS, corn steep liquor (CSL). Partial purification of the enzyme using ammonium sulfate resulted to a 2.64-fold purification. A zymogram done revealed the presence of two clearing zones indicating two different amylases present. The identified hydrolysis products of the RSDA from isolate DMF78 using sago starch as substrate were found to be glucose, maltose, maltotriose, and possibly isomaltose. Sheba Mae M. Duque et al., J Food Process Technol 2013, 4:10 http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2157-7110.S1.015E myocardial tissue can give advance a new therapy, and a new model for pharmaceutical research. However, the in vitro scaling up of myocardial tissues is limited due to the lack of vessels supplying oxygen and nutrition, removing waste molecules. For thick tissue survival, it is inevitable to build newly capillary networks, which can increase the diffusion rates of oxygen and nutrients. We report a new strategy for preserving viable tissues using a perfusion bioreactor having a collagen-base with microchannels. When triple layered cardiac cell sheets were incubated on the collagen base with microchannels in this bioreactor, endothelial cells in the cell sheet migrate and spontaneously vascularize the collagen gel. Fresh culture medium readily flows into the cell sheet through the microchannels, and the cell sheet remains in functional condition. Additionally, to overcome the tissue thickness transport limitations, triple-layered cell sheet were repeatedly layered over the original viable cell sheet 3 different times over 5-day intervals. All layered cell sheets spontaneously integrate completely, and the entire resulting tissue construct exhibits stabilization without necrosis for 20 days of bioreactor culture. Multi-step procedure provides vascularized cardiac tissue consisting of 12-layered cell sheet. These results confirmed a route to fabricate in vitro engineered tissue, viable 3-D cell sheets. This technology should lead to restore damaged cardiac tissue and successful production of accurate cardiac tissue models for pharmaceutical investigation. Katsuhisa Sakaguchi, J Food Process Technol 2013, 4:10 http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2157-7110.S1.015E micro distillery (400 to 500 litres per day, ≥90% alcohol by volume) was designed and fabricated to produce ethanol at a very reasonable cost using cassava and cassava peels as feedstocks. This was done to support the activities of an international organisation that is encouraging the use of ethanol cookstoves in Nigeria. Ethanol cookstoves is known to be safer, more environmental friendly and does not impact negatively on the health of the user like the popular kerosene and even wood fire that is prevalent in rural Nigeria. Nigeria is the world’s largest producer of cassava (Manihot esculenta), producing about twenty six million tons yearly. Researchers have estimated that cassava peels and chaff resulting from the production of fufu represents up to 25% of the cassava plant. Other has shown that the carbohydrate content of cassava peels is about 69.5% to 75.5% and these consist of starch, cellulose and hemicelluloses. The cassava peels can usually be sourced for free in most part of rural Southern Nigeria where cassava is being processed into garri and fufu. The micro distillery is designed to use mainly cassava peels which have been pre processed to separate the mainly starchy portion for use as feedstock in the micro distillery. Cassava tubers itself can be used during that period of the year when heavy rains makes it impossible to dry the peels (with sunlight) and cassava itself is very cheap during those period. Industrial enzymes (α amylase and glucoamylase) were used to convert the starch to fermentable sugars in the micro distillery. The application of the enzymes was manipulated to reduce energy consumption during the processing stage while cellulase is being sourced to be used in addition to the amylases in order to increase the yield of fermentable sugars and consequently ethanol. Distillation and ethanol recovery is done in a distillation tank to which a randomly packed distillation column has been attached. The distilled ethanol is condensed in a condenser containing spiral metal tubes that is being cooled by chilled water generated by a cooling plant. The cooling plant also supplies the water for cooling the mash during the conversion of starch to fermentable sugars in the processing tank. The micro distillery is initially designed to be fired with LPG gas. However, the use of a small wood fired steam boiler is being considered and here also a bye product of cassava processing (cassava stumps, which is the end trimmed off the cassava tubers) may also be very useful as fuel for the boiler. Oladapo Olomo Loto, J Food Process Technol 2013, 4:10 http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2157-7110.S1.015W have developed novel technology “cell sheet-based tissue engineering”, which has realized cell-dense tissue fabrication without any scaffolds. Confluently, cultured cells are harvested as contiguous cell sheets from temperature-responsive culture surfaces only by lowering temperature. Cell sheets are directly transplanted onto damaged tissues or stacked into multi-layer constructs of various types of tissues. For fabricating pulsatile myocardial tissues, stacked cardiomyocyte sheets simultaneously beat in macroscopic view both in vitro and in vivo and revealed characteristic structures of native heart tissue. Multi-step transplantation of triple-layer cell sheets has overcome the scale-up limitation and finally, 10-time transplantations have realized about 1 mm-thick functional myocardial tissues. Next challenge is in vitro fabrication of functionally vascularized myocardial tissues. To imitate in vivo environment, we have tried to make media-perfused microvascular beds in vitro and transplant layered rat cardiac cell sheets over the beds. Culture media was perfused by using novel bioreactors, and then triplelayer rat cardiac cell sheets co-cultured with endothelial cells were put on the vascular beds. Interestingly, capillaries were regenerated between the cardiac cell sheets and the vascular beds. Blood perfusion analyses clearly demonstrated that red blood cells passed through the capillaries and reached into the cardiac tissues. These data indicated the possibility of in vitro perfusable blood vessel formation and further development of bioengineered 3-D thick tissues with functional vascular network. Cell sheetbased tissue engineering has enormous potential for regenerative medicine and 3-D tissue models. Tatsuya Shimizu, J Food Process Technol 2013, 4:10 http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2157-7110.S1.015T manufacture of influenza vaccines traditionally involves growing live influenza viruses in embryonated chicken eggs and partially purifying the hemagglutinin (HA) antigen from this source. This process is fraught with challenges, including: (1) the need to work with infectious influenza virus; (2) the need to adapt the influenza virus to grow in eggs; (3) the egg manufacturing process requires the use of antibiotics; and (4) the use of harsh chemicals to inactivate the influenza virus prior to HA purification. Flublok influenza vaccine is made in stark contrast to this process. Comprised of recombinant HA proteins, Flublok is made using protein sciences’ baculovirus expression vector system (BEVS) technology that removes the need to grow live influenza virus and completely eliminates the use of eggs from the manufacturing process. The result is a vaccine that is pure, contains specified HA sequences (not egg-adapted sequences) and can be made faster than egg-based vaccines without the use of harsh chemicals. The FDA approved Flublok for use in adults 18-49 years old in January 2013, making it the first recombinant protein-based influenza vaccine available in the world. Protein sciences’ BEVS platform is a plug and play technology, readily suitable for the production of a variety of vaccines and biologics. The expresSF+® cells used in the platform are robust and can be grown to high densities in serum-free media. Flublok is manufactured at the 600 L scale and has been successfully scaled up to the 2,500 L scale this year. Rachael S. Felberbaum, J Food Process Technol 2013, 4:10 http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2157-7110.S1.015O of the key barriers for economic biofuel production is the development and deployment of robust biocatalysts with high productivities and yields. Rapid technology progress in omics and next-generation sequencing (NGS) changes the paradigm and strategies for biocatalyst development making the understanding of the biocatalysts at a global level feasible. Using Zymomonas mobilis as a model system, the talk will discuss efforts to better understand biomass pretreatment hydrolysate inhibitor tolerance mechanisms using omics approaches, and insights we have obtained from these studies. Specifically, transposon-based mutagenesis approach was applied to select mutants with enhanced tolerance to pretreated corn stover hydrolysate. NGS-based genome resequencing was further applied to investigate the genetic differences among strains developed through mutagenesis and lab-directed adaptive evolution. We also use transcriptomics of chip-based high-density microarray and NGS-based strand specific RNA-Seq (ssRNA-Seq) to study the stress responses of Z. mobilis to the major inhibitors of furfural and acetate. Additionally, we will discuss the technical challenges we experienced when applying these NGS-based techniques for biocatalyst development and potential solutions to address them. Shihui Yang, J Food Process Technol 2013, 4:10 http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2157-7110.S1.015R protein production is a multi-billion dollar market, comprising biopharmaceuticals and industrial enzymes. Various heterologous systems are available for protein production; each system has its own advantages and limitations. In contrast to bacteria, yeasts have a great secretion potential including a strict quality control with the ability to perform complex post transcriptional modification. The non conventional Y. lipolytica yeast appears as an attractive system for protein production. It is considered as non pathogenic and “generally regarded as safe” (GRAS) microorganism. Another important feature of Y. lipolytica as a host is the convenience of its secretory apparatus; high efficiency, co-translational pathway and low over glycosylation, in some regards are closer to that of mammalian cells than to those of many yeast. In our laboratory, we studied the expression of two therapeutic proteins of great interest: human interferon alpha 2b and the human granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (huGM-CSF) in Y. lipolytica. In the presentation, optimization of the expression level at the molecular level will be highlighted. Contrary to the P.pastoris, standard protocols for high cell density cultivation are not available for Y. lipolytica. Therefore, we will present our data describing the development of an efficient medium for heterologous protein production in this yeast, as well as the set up of fermentation strategies to maximize the production of the protein of interest that are amenable for scale up. Biological activities of the expressed proteins will be also shown. Hela Kallel, J Food Process Technol 2013, 4:10 http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2157-7110.S1.015I is the largest consumer and the second largest producer of sugar in the world. Sugar industry is the second largest organized sector industry in the country. Among the sugar yielding crops, like sugarcane, palms and sorghum. Palm candy and jaggery is a natural sweetener made from its sap (neera). Palm candy and jaggery was the staple sweetener used by Indians. Palm sugar is rich in nutraceuticals. In any Industrial production particularly in agro-industries the raw materials should be consistent in quality to maintain uniform quality standard in the end products. In the process of preparing palm candy commercial superphosphates is used as for adjusting the PH and as clarificant. Further impurities like thread, sand dust and stones present in this product. The method of preparing palm candy and jaggery is quite interesting. Lime juice is collected, slightly heated, clarified by adding superphosphate of phosphoric acid, and strained to eliminate the added lime and other impurities. The clear juice is then further boiled up to nearly 116oC to 118oC for jaggery and moulded in different shapes. Considering the deleterious effect of consuming this type of palm candy, a necessity has arisen to develop a technical processing methods regarding that the investigator interested to know the hazards and residues in candy and jaggeryColouring potential of anthocyanins from whole fruit juice of mulberry (Morus rubra) was studied in yoghurt. Whole fruit juice from M. rubra rich in non-acylated anthocyanins was incorporated into plain yoghurt (100 g) at increasing concentration levels of the juice; 10, 20, 25, 30, 40 and 50 mg cyanidin-3glucopyranoside equivalents (cy-3-glu eqv) and stored under refrigerated condition (< 8°C) for two weeks. Colour properties, pigment and colour stability and degradation kinetics were studied using a UV-Vis spectrophotometer (UV-1700 CE Shimadzu, Japan).Yoghurt coloured with mulberry anthocyanins between 25 to 40 mg cy-3-glu eqv concentration levels of anthocyanins produced a colour which was very much comparable to commercial brand strawberry yoghurt coloured with 20 mg FD & C red No. 3 in 100 g of yoghurt. Pigment and colour stabilities of the anthocyanins increased with increasing concentration of anthocyanins added to yoghurt. The tendency to polymerise decreased with increasing concentration of the pigments added to yoghurt. The degradation of the anthocyanins was fitted to first-order reaction kinetics. Moderate concentration levels (25 to 40 mg cy-3-glu eqv in 100 g of yoghurt) of mulberry anthocyanins were found to be ideal to colour yoghurt.C hams are popular meat products that contain a little fat. Meat cut, brine containing salt, nitrite, phosphate, and sometimes also carrageenan and starches are used in making cooked hams. In cooked sausages and in cheeses, it has been shown that the texture of the product effects on perceived saltiness. Therefore, this study investigated if it is possible to effect on perceived saltiness by modifying the texture of cooked ham. The texture was modified by varying the carrageenan and phosphate content and also the amount of meat and added water in the formulations. The cooked hams were made four times in meat technology pilot plant including the preliminary experiment. Experiments 1 and 2 were made with similar formulation. In experiments 1 and 2, the texture was influenced by varying the carrageenan content in the formulations and in experiment 3, the texture was influenced by varying both carrageenan and phosphate content in formulations. In experiment 1 and 2, three cooked hams with varying percentage of carrageenan (0, 0.3 and 0.6%) were made. In experiment 3, two types of cooked hams were prepared, one without carrageenan + 0.15% P2O5 and the other containing 0.6% of carrageenan + 0.40% P2O5. The amount of meat cut was higher and the amount of added water was lower in experiments 1 and 2 than in experiment 3. Shear force, firmness and fractuability of the cooked hams were not significantly different in the experiments 1 and 2 when the three cooked hams were compared (p > 0.05). The same was also found in experiment 3. But the mean shear force values of the cooked hams had, however, small differences within the experiments. In experiment 1 and 2 as well as in experiment 3, cooking loss of cooked hams made without carrageenan was higher (p < 0.05) than in those products made with carrageenan. The water binding capacity measured with filter paper method was the lowest in those products made without carrageenan and with those products made with lower phosphate (p < 0.05). No significant correlations were found between the sensory chewiness and the perceived saltiness but still there were small differences in the mean values. It was concluded that the changes made in the formulations of cooked hams were not possible to influence perceived saltiness. Cooked hams with thicker width had lower shear force values. Abraham Habte Seyoum, J Food Process Technol 2013, 4:10 http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2157-7110.S1.015T yeast cell is naturally competent for exogenous DNA uptake under laboratory conditions resembling its natural environment(s). However, although the natural transformability seems crucial for maintaining genetic variability in prokaryotes, the obvious lack of genetically determined mechanism(s) of natural competence in yeast renders its evolutionary impact in lower eukaryotes elusive since they rely on meiosis. Nevertheless, genomic insights showing evidence of horizontal gene transfer significantly support its evolutionary role in eukaryotes. Moreover, vehicles plausibly contributing to spontaneous yeast competence appeared to be comprehensive. Thus transforming exogenous DNA could be passed into yeast cell by the aid of either biological mediation or environmental induction. For instance, wild yeast might be transformed through conjugation by cell-tocell contact mediated either by Escherichia coli or Agrobacterium tumefaciens. Moreover, natural competence can be enhanced by mechanical and physiological mechanisms. On the other hand, such natural yeast competence dramatically improved under the human assistance has turned into a powerful technology of paramount application for both basic and applied research. During this endeavor we have managed to scrutinize many parameters that affect yeast competence (both genetic and non-genetic). Many genes and/or entire cell processes responsible for the phenomenon were abstracted. Acquired knowledge allows us to propose a conclusion that yeast competence is controlled by both its genome and the surrounding environment either natural or artificial. Therefore, spontaneous yeast competence here is defined as a complex (quantitative) genetic trait that bears the power to vary over real time and thus allows yeast to better adopt over evolutionary time. Petar Tomev Mitrikeski, J Food Process Technol 2013, 4:10 http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2157-7110.S1.015P microbial communities through sequencing rRNA amplicons is a cornerstone of metagenomics, and a potential important component of monitoring biological contamination in a fermentation environment. We describe cost-saving and accuracy-improving innovations for amplicon sequencing on the Illumina MiSeq, most of which are applicable to other platforms. First, we use PCR clamps to eliminate contaminating sequences from a host organism without biasing the microbial community. Second, we incorporate frame shifts into our primers to increase diversity and base-calling accuracy at each sequencing cycle, and to eliminate the current wasteful practice of sequencing up to 50% PhiX genomic DNA. Finally, we break the amplicon PCR into two rounds. Round-1 uses only two cycles to tag template molecules. Round-2 amplifies the tagged templates and adds universal sample indexes. The template tags allow error-correction and reduction of PCR bias through consensus building. Furthermore, because the round-2 index primers are not gene-specific, the same set of indexes can be used to study different amplicons. As an additional capability, a small set of sample barcodes on the round-1 template tagging primers can be paired with round-2 indexes to multiplicatively increase the indexing depth. Together these techniques improve both the efficiency and accuracy of rRNA amplicon sequencing. Piotr Mieczkowski, J Food Process Technol 2013, 4:10 http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2157-7110.S1.015Antifungal activity of lactic acid bacteria ( LAB )starter cultures, Lactococcus lactis ssp. lactis and Leuconostoc mesenteroides and their metabolites in single and mixed cultures were found to inhibit spoilage and aflatoxin production by Aspergillus flavus in butter ,and have potential as bio-preservative agents. Also, treating cream before churn with free cells culture proved to give the greatest antifungal control upon A. flavus growth and aflatoxin production; while the use of immobilized cells showed lower activity, then the immobilized metabolites of the mixed culture. In cream artificially contaminated with aflatoxin (B1, B2, G1andG2) treated with immobilized cells or immobilized metabolites of the mixed cultures revealed a reduction of the concentration of aflatoxins recovered from butter made from this cream. The study indicated that the use of lactic acid bacteria and their metabolites in cream or butter have the potential to be as food-grade bio-preservatives for extending the shelf-life of butter and combating the problem of moulds and associated toxins. [Journal of American Science 2010;6(7):131-138]. (ISSN: 1545-1003).