No abstract

The aim of this research was to optimize the growth parameters (pH, ethanol tolerance, initial cell concentration and temperature) for Saccharomyces boulardii and its tolerance to in vitro gastrointestinal conditions for probiotic alcoholic beverage development. Placket-Burman screening was used to select only statistically significant variables, and the polynomial mathematical model for yeast growth was obtained by central composite rotatable design. Confirmation experiments to determine the kinetic parameters for yeast growth were carried out by controlling the temperature and pH. Soon after, the survivability of yeast was tested under in vitro conditions mimicking the human upper gastrointestinal transit. S. boulardii had suitable resistance to alcohol and gastrointestinal conditions for probiotic alcoholic beverage development.

The aim of this research was to investigate the effect of Holder pasteurization (HoP; 62.5°C, 30 min) on the protein profile and activities of glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and lysozyme (LZ) in human milk. Over 6 mo of lactation, human milk samples were analyzed before (raw) and after HoP for GPx and LZ activity and electrophoresis protein profile. Holder pasteurization reduced human milk lactoferrin, immunoglobulin fractions, and GPx activity. In addition, GPx activity, which is high in colostrum and transitional milk, was naturally reduced over the 6-mo lactation period. In contrast, HoP did not affect human milk LZ activity. Besides its critical cellular antioxidant role in protecting the organism from oxidative damage, GPx decreases the redox potential of milk, stimulating the growth of anaerobic microorganisms, such as the probiotic Bifidobacterium. Considering the role of lactoferrin in infant health, we conclude that an important part of its function has been inactivated by pasteurization. These compounds should be replaced by human milk banks after the HoP step to recover lost functionality. Otherwise, an alternative technology to HoP that better retains human milk properties should be used by milk banks to eliminate the risk of transmission of infectious agents.

Probiotics are live microorganisms which, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host. The aim of this study was to identify genotypically lactobacilli strains isolated from newborn stools and selecting strain based on probiotic properties (gastrointestinal tolerance, antibiotic susceptibility, inhibition of pathogen biofilm formation, absence of alfa or gamma-blood hemolysis, and lysozyme sensibility) and technological properties of surviving either in ice cream bar or ice-lolly. Reduction of 1.2log cfu ml-1 of the Lactobacillus paracasei strain was observed after exposure through in vitro gastrointestinal conditions. It inhibited biofilms of Escherichia coli, Salmonella Typhimurium and Candida albicans by mechanisms of competition, exclusion and displacement, and was resistant up to 3000μg ml-1 of egg white lysozyme. It presented neither alfa nor gamma-hemolysis or was antibiotic resistant to usual antibiotics for human use. Microbial survivability in ice cream bar or ice-lolly was assessed up to 21 days of storage at -18°C. Viability was maintained in ice cream bar, but there was a reduction of almost 2.0logs in ice-lolly.