Vasiliki A. Blana

Inoculated fermentation of green olives with potential probiotic Lactobacillus pentosus and Lactobacillus plantarum starter cultures isolated from industrially fermented olives.

The performance of two strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB), namely Lactobacillus pentosus B281 and Lactobacillus plantarum B282, previously isolated from industrially fermented table olives and screened inxa0vitro for probiotic potential, was investigated as starter cultures in Spanish style fermentation of cv. Halkidiki green olives. Fermentation was undertaken at room temperature in two different initial salt concentrations (8% and 10%, w/v, NaCl) in the brines. The strains were inoculated as single and combined cultures and the dynamics of their population on the surface of olives was monitored for a period of 114 days. The survival of inoculated strains on olives was determined using Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE). Both probiotic strains successfully colonized the olive surface at populations ranged from 6.0 to 7.0xa0logxa0CFU/g throughout fermentation. PFGE analysis revealed that L.xa0pentosus B281 presented higher colonization in both salt levels at the end of fermentation (81.2% and 93.3% in 8% and 10% NaCl brines, respectively). For L.xa0plantarum B282 a high survival rate (83.3%) was observed in 8% NaCl brines, but in 10% NaCl the strain could not colonize the surface of olives. L.xa0pentosus B281 also dominated over L.xa0plantarum B282 in inoculated fermentations when the two strains were used as combined culture. The biochemical profile (pH, organic acids, volatile compounds) attained during fermentation and the sensory analysis of the final product indicated a typical lactic acid fermentation process of green olives.

Potential of a simple HPLC-based approach for the identification of the spoilage status of minced beef stored at various temperatures and packaging systems

The shelf life of minced beef stored (i) aerobically, (ii) under modified atmosphere packaging (MAP), and (iii) under MAP with oregano essential oil (MAP/OEO) at 0, 5, 10, and 15°C was investigated. The microbial association of meat and the temporal biochemical changes were monitored. Microbiological analyses, including total viable counts (TVC), Pseudomonas spp., Brochothrix thermosphacta, lactic acid bacteria, Enterobacteriaceae, and yeasts/moulds, were undertaken, in parallel with sensory assessment, pH measurement and HPLC analysis of the organic acid profiles. Spectral data collected by HPLC were subjected to statistical analysis, including principal component analysis (PCA) and factorial discriminant analysis (FDA). This revealed qualitative discrimination of the samples based on their spoilage status. Partial least squares regression (PLS-R) was used to evaluate quantitative predictions of TVC, Pseudomonas spp., Br. thermosphacta, lactic acid bacteria, Enterobacteriaceae, and yeasts/moulds. Overall, the HPLC analysis of organic acids, was found to be a potential method to evaluate the spoilage and microbial status of a meat sample regardless of the storage conditions. This could be a very useful tool for monitoring the quality of meat batches during transportation and storage in the meat food chain.

Presence of quorum sensing signal molecules in minced beef stored under various temperature and packaging conditions.

The presence of acylated homoserine lactones (AHLs) and autoinducer-2 (AI-2)-like activity was observed in meat stored under various temperatures (0, 5, 10 and 15°C) and packaging (air, modified atmospheres and modified atmospheres with oregano essential oil) conditions, and correlated with the ephemeral spoilage organisms that comprise the microbial community generally associated with this product. Quorum sensing signal molecules were found to be affected by the packaging conditions e.g. temperature and atmosphere used for meat preservation as a consequence of the development of a distinct microbial community. AHL signal molecules were detected at all incubation temperatures in minced beef samples, both stored aerobically and under modified atmospheres, when both pseudomonads and Enterobacteriaceae populations ranged from 10(7) to 10(9)CFU/g, but no signal molecules were detected in minced beef stored under modified atmospheres in the presence of volatile compounds of oregano essential oil, where both these groups failed to grow in high numbers. Additionally, no significant AI-2 activity was observed in the tested cell-free meat extracts (CFME), regardless of the indigenous bacterial populations. The presence of N-(β-ketocaproyl)-homoserine lactone was confirmed with TLC analysis of CFME.

Autoinducer-2-like activity in lactic acid bacteria isolated from minced beef packaged under modified atmospheres.

Fifteen fingerprints (assigned to Leuconostoc spp., Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Weissella viridescens, Leuconostoc citreum, and Lactobacillus sakei) of 89 lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from minced beef stored under modified atmospheres at various temperatures were screened for their ability to exhibit autoinducer-2 (AI-2)-like activity under certain growth conditions. Cellfree meat extracts (CFME) were collected at the same time as the LAB isolates and tested for the presence of AI-2-like molecules. All bioassays were conducted using the Vibrio harveyi BAA-1117 (sensor 1(-), sensor 2(+)) biosensor strain. The possible inhibitory effect of meat extracts on the activity of the biosensor strain was also evaluated. AI-2-like activity was observed for Leuconostoc spp. isolates, but none of the L. sakei strains produced detectable AI-2-like activity. The AI-2-like activity was evident mainly associated with the Leuconostoc sp. B 233 strain, which was the dominant isolate recovered from storage at 10 and 15°C and at the initial and middle stages of storage at chill temperatures (0 and 5°C). The tested CFME samples displayed low AI-2-like activity and inhibited AI-2 activity regardless of the indigenous bacterial populations. The LAB isolated during meat spoilage exhibited AI-2-like activity, whereas the LAB strains retrieved depended on storage time and temperature. The production of AI-2-like molecules may affect the dominance of different bacterial strains during storage. The results provide a basis for further research concerning the effect of storage temperature on the expression of genes encoding AI-2 activity and on the diversity of the ephemeral bacterial population.

Identification and characterization of Enterococcus spp. in Greek spontaneous sausage fermentation.

A total of 108 enterococcal strains previously isolated from spontaneously fermented sausages were identified using phenotypic traits, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), and sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. The proteolytic and lipolytic activities of these isolates and their ability to decarboxylate lysine, tyrosine, ornithine, and histidine and to produce antimicrobial compounds also were assessed. All strains were identified as Enterococcus faecium, and a lack of correlation between data derived from phenotypic and those derived from genotypic techniques was evident. Wide strain diversity was revealed by both phenotypic properties and PFGE strain typing results. Few strains were present in all batches, suggesting a possible persistence in the respective production plants. Neither proteolytic nor lipolytic activities were detected, and none of the strains decarboxylated lysine, tyrosine, ornithine, or histidine. A total of 42 E. faecium strains inhibited in vitro growth of Listeria monocytogenes, which suggests possible contribution of these strains to the safety of the end product and possible utilization of these strains as protective cultures.

Survival of potential probiotic lactic acid bacteria on fermented green table olives during packaging in polyethylene pouches at 4 and 20 °C

The survival of selected lactic acid bacteria (LAB) with inxa0vitro probiotic potential was studied during storage of cv. Halkidiki green olives previously subjected to inoculated Spanish-style fermentation. After fermentation olives were packed in polyethylene pouches, covered with freshly prepared brine (9%, w/v, NaCl), acidified with 2‰ (w/v) citric acid and 1.5‰ (w/v) ascorbic acid, and stored at 4 and 20xa0°C for 357 days. Four packing treatments were studied, namely olives previously fermented by (i) the indigenous microbiota (control); (ii) Lactobacillus pentosus B281; (iii) Lactobacillus plantarum B282; and (iv) a co-culture of both LAB strains. Microbiological analyses were performed on the olives in parallel with physicochemical changes (pH, titratable acidity, salt content, aw and colour) at the early (day 1), middle (day 197) and final stage (day 357) of storage, as well as sensory evaluation at the end of the storage. The survival of probiotic strains was confirmed by Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE). LAB decreased throughout storage reaching a final population of ca. 3.5-4.0 log CFU/g and 4.5-5.0 log CFU/g at 4 and 20xa0°C, respectively. The pH values ranged between 3.90 and 4.61 during storage depending on packaging condition. PFGE analysis revealed that L.xa0pentosus B281 and L.xa0plantarum B282 showed a high survival rate with a recovery of 100 and 96%, respectively, at 4xa0°C, and less than 20% for both strains at 20xa0°C. Finally, in the packing treatment with a co-culture of both strains, L.xa0pentosus dominated over L.xa0plantarum throughout storage at both temperatures.

Assessment of the effect of a Salmonella enterica ser. Typhimurium culture supernatant on the single-cell lag time of foodborne pathogens

The objective of this study was the in vitro evaluation of the effect of a cell-free microbial supernatant, produced by a luxS-positive Salmonella enterica ser. Typhimurium strain, on the single-cell growth kinetic behavior of two strains of S. enterica (serotypes Enteritidis and Typhimurium) and a methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strain. The single-cell lag time (λ) of the pathogens was estimated in the absence and presence (20% v/v) of microbial supernatant based on optical density measurements. As demonstrated by the obtained results, the tested microbial supernatant had a strain-specific effect on the single-cell λ and its variability. Although the mean λ values were similar in the absence and presence of microbial supernatant in the case of Salmonella Enteritidis, a significant (P ≤ 0.05) reduction and increase in the mean value of this parameter in the presence of microbial supernatant were observed for Salmonella Typhimurium and St. aureus, respectively. With regard to the effect of the tested microbial supernatant on the single-cell variability of λ, similar λ distributions were obtained in its absence and presence for S. Enteritidis, while considerable differences were noted for the other two tested organisms; the coefficient of variation of λ in the absence and presence of microbial supernatant was 41.6 and 69.8% for S. Typhimurium, respectively, with the corresponding values for St. aureus being 74.0 and 56.9%. As demonstrated by the results of bioassays, the tested microbial supernatant exhibited autoinducer-2 activity, indicating a potential association of such quorum sensing compounds with the observed effects. Although preliminary in nature, the collected data provide a good basis for future research on the role of quorum sensing in the single-cell growth behavior of foodborne pathogens.