Oral Administration of Lactobacillus Strains Isolated from Breast Milk as an Alternative for the Treatment of Infectious Mastitis during Lactation

In this study, 20 women with staphylococcal mastitis were randomly divided in two groups. Those in the probiotic group daily ingested 10 log₁₀ CFU of Lactobacillus salivarius CECT5713 and the same quantity of Lactobacillus gasseri CECT5714 for 4 weeks, while those in the control one only ingested the excipient. Both lactobacillus strains were originally isolated from breast milk. On day 0, the mean staphylococcal counts in the probiotic and control groups were similar (4.74 and 4.81 log₁₀ CFU/ml, respectively), but lactobacilli could not be detected. On day 30, the mean staphylococcal count in the probiotic group (2.96 log₁₀ CFU/ml) was lower than that of the control group (4.79 log₁₀ CFU/ml). L. salivarius CECT5713 and L. gasseri CECT5714 were isolated from the milk samples of 6 of the 10 women of the probiotic group. At day 14, no clinical signs of mastitis were observed in the women assigned to the probiotic group, but mastitis persisted throughout the study period in the control group women. In conclusion, L. salivarius CECT5713 and L. gasseri CECT5714 appear to be an efficient alternative for the treatment of lactational infectious mastitis during lactation.     

Anaerobic Conversion of Lactic Acid to Acetic Acid and 1,2-Propanediol by Lactobacillus buchneri

The degradation of lactic acid under anoxic conditions was studied in several strains of Lactobacillus buchneri and in close relatives such as Lactobacillus parabuchneri, Lactobacillus kefir, and Lactobacillus hilgardii. Of these lactobacilli, L. buchneri and L. parabuchneri were able to degrade lactic acid under anoxic conditions, without requiring an external electron acceptor. Each mole of lactic acid was converted into approximately 0.5 mol of acetic acid, 0.5 mol of 1,2-propanediol, and traces of ethanol. Based on stoichiometry studies and the high levels of NAD-linked 1,2-propanediol-dependent oxidoreductase (530 to 790 nmol min⁻¹ mg of protein⁻¹), a novel pathway for anaerobic lactic acid degradation is proposed. The anaerobic degradation of lactic acid by L. buchneri does not support cell growth and is pH dependent. Acidic conditions are needed to induce the lactic-acid-degrading capacity of the cells and to maintain the lactic-acid-degrading activity. At a pH above 5.8 hardly any lactic acid degradation was observed. The exact function of anaerobic lactic acid degradation by L. buchneri is not certain, but some results indicate that it plays a role in maintaining cell viability.     

Persistence of Mycobacterium paratuberculosis during Manufacture and Ripening of Cheddar Cheese

Model Cheddar cheeses were prepared from pasteurized milk artificially contaminated with high 10⁴ to 10⁵ CFU/ml) and low (10¹ to 10² CFU/ml) inocula of three different Mycobacterium paratuberculosis strains. A reference strain, NCTC 8578, and two strains (806PSS and 796PSS) previously isolated from pasteurized milk for retail sale were investigated in this study. The manufactured Cheddar cheeses were similar in pH, salt, moisture, and fat composition to commercial Cheddar. The survival of M. paratuberculosis cells was monitored over a 27-week ripening period by plating homogenized cheese samples onto HEYM agar medium supplemented with the antibiotics vancomycin, amphotericin B, and nalidixic acid without a decontamination step. A concentration effect was observed in M. paratuberculosis numbers between the inoculated milk and the 1-day old cheeses for each strain. For all manufactured cheeses, a slow gradual decrease in M. paratuberculosis CFU in cheese was observed over the ripening period. In all cases where high levels (>3.6 log₁₀) of M. paratuberculosis were present in 1-day cheeses, the organism was culturable after the 27-week ripening period. The D values calculated for strains 806PSS, 796PSS, and NCTC 8578 were 107, 96, and 90 days, respectively. At low levels of contamination, M. paratuberculosis was only culturable from 27-week-old cheese spiked with strain 806PSS. M. paratuberculosis was recovered from the whey fraction in 10 of the 12 manufactured cheeses. Up to 4% of the initial M. paratuberculosis load was recovered in the culture-positive whey fractions at either the high or low initial inoculum.     

Assessment of the antifungal activity of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lactobacillus</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pediococcus</Emphasis> spp. for use as bioprotective cultures in dairy products

Fungi are commonly involved in dairy product spoilage and the use of bioprotective cultures can be a complementary approach to reduce food waste and economic losses. In this study, the antifungal activity of 89 Lactobacillus and 23 Pediococcus spp. isolates against three spoilage species, e.g., Yarrowia lipolytica, Rhodotorula mucilaginosa and Penicillium brevicompactum, was first evaluated in milk agar. None of the tested pediococci showed antifungal activity while 3, 23 and 43 lactobacilli isolates showed strong antifungal activity or total inhibition against Y. lipolytica, R. mucilaginosa and P. brevicompactum, respectively. Then, the three most promising strains, Lactobacillus paracasei SYR90, Lactobacillus plantarum O_VI9 and Lactobacillus rhamnosus BIO_III28 at initial concentrations of 10⁵ and 10⁷ CFU/ml were tested as bioprotective cultures against the same fungal targets in a yogurt model during a 5-week storage period at 10 °C. While limited effects were observed at 10⁵ CFU/ml inoculum level, L. paracasei SYR90 and L. rhamnosus BIO_III28 at 10⁷ CFU/ml respectively retarded the growth of R. mucilaginosa and P. brevicompactum as compared to a control without selected cultures. In contrast, growth of Y. lipolytica was only slightly affected. In conclusion, these selected strains may be good candidates for bioprotection of fermented dairy products.     

Direct In Situ Viability Assessment of Bacteria in Probiotic Dairy Products Using Viability Staining in Conjunction with Confocal Scanning Laser Microscopy

The viability of the human probiotic strains Lactobacillus paracasei NFBC 338 and Bifidobacterium sp. strain UCC 35612 in reconstituted skim milk was assessed by confocal scanning laser microscopy using the LIVE/DEAD BacLight viability stain. The technique was rapid (<30 min) and clearly differentiated live from heat-killed bacteria. The microscopic enumeration of various proportions of viable to heat-killed bacteria was then compared with conventional plating on nutrient agar. Direct microscopic enumeration of bacteria indicated that plate counting led to an underestimation of bacterial numbers, which was most likely related to clumping. Similarly, LIVE/DEAD BacLight staining yielded bacterial counts that were higher than cell numbers obtained by plate counting (CFU) in milk and fermented milk. These results indicate the value of the microscopic approach for rapid viability testing of such probiotic products. In contrast, the numbers obtained by direct microscopic counting for Cheddar cheese and spray-dried probiotic milk powder were lower than those obtained by plate counting. These results highlight the limitations of LIVE/DEAD BacLight staining and the need to optimize the technique for different strain-product combinations. The minimum detection limit for in situ viability staining in conjunction with confocal scanning laser microscopy enumeration was ~10⁸ bacteria/ml (equivalent to ~10⁷ CFU/ml), based on Bifidobacterium sp. strain UCC 35612 counts in maximum-recovery diluent.     

Optimization of Bacteriocin Production by Batch Fermentation of Lactobacillus plantarum LPCO10

Optimization of bacteriocin production by Lactobacillus plantarum LPCO10 was explored by an integral statistical approach. In a prospective series of experiments, glucose and NaCl concentrations in the culture medium, inoculum size, aeration of the culture, and growth temperature were statistically combined using an experimental 2³_5-2 fractional factorial two-level design and tested for their influence on maximal bacteriocin production by L. plantarum LPCO10. After the values for the less-influential variables were fixed, NaCl concentration, inoculum size, and temperature were selected to study their optimal relationship for maximal bacteriocin production. This was achieved by a new experimental 3²_3-1 fractional factorial three-level design which was subsequently used to build response surfaces and analyzed for both linear and quadratic effects. Results obtained indicated that the best conditions for bacteriocin production were shown with temperatures ranging from 22 to 27°C, salt concentration from 2.3 to 2.5%, and L. plantarum LPCO10 inoculum size ranging from 10^7.3 to 10^7.4 CFU/ml, fixing the initial glucose concentration at 2%, with no aeration of the culture. Under these optimal conditions, about 3.2 × 10⁴ times more bacteriocin per liter of culture medium was obtained than that used to initially purify plantaricin S from L. plantarum LPCO10 to homogeneity. These results indicated the importance of this study in obtaining maximal production of bacteriocins from L. plantarum LPCO10 so that bacteriocins can be used as preservatives in canned foods.     

Effects of lactobacilli on yeast-catalyzed ethanol fermentations.

Normal-gravity (22 to 24 degrees Plato) wheat mashes were inoculated with five industrially important strains of lactobacilli at approximately 10(5), approximately 10(6), approximately 10(7), approximately 10(8), and approximately 10(9) CFU/ml in order to study the effects of the lactobacilli on yeast growth and ethanol productivity. Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus paracasei, Lactobacillus #3, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, and Lactobacillus fermentum were used. Controls with yeast cells but no bacterial inoculation and additional treatments with bacteria alone inoculated at approximately 10(7) CFU/ml of mash were included. Decreased ethanol yields were due to the diversion of carbohydrates for bacterial growth and the production of lactic acid. As higher numbers of the bacteria were produced (depending on the strain), 1 to 1.5% (wt/vol) lactic acid resulted in the case of homofermentative organisms. L. fermentum, a heterofermentative organism, produced only 0.5% (wt/vol) lactic acid. When L. plantarum, L. rhamnosus, and L. fermentum were inoculated at approximately 10(6) CFU/ml, an approximately 2% decrease in the final ethanol concentration was observed. Smaller initial numbers (only 10(5) CFU/ml) of L. paracasei or Lactobacillus #3 were sufficient to cause more than 2% decreases in the final ethanol concentrations measured compared to the control. Such effects after an inoculation of only 10(5) CFU/ml may have been due to the higher tolerance to ethanol of the latter two bacteria, to the more rapid adaptation (shorter lag phase) of these two industrial organisms to fermentation conditions, and/or to their more rapid growth and metabolism. When up to 10(9) CFU of bacteria/ml was present in mash, approximately 3.8 to 7.6% reductions in ethanol concentration occurred depending on the strain. Production of lactic acid and a suspected competition with yeast cells for essential growth factors in the fermenting medium were the major reasons for reductions in yeast growth and final ethanol yield when lactic acid bacteria were present.     

Viability and Stress Response of Putative Probiotic <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lactobacillus plantarum</Emphasis> Strains in Honey Environment

Due to problem of preservation of dairy products which serve as a matrix for probiotics, it is challenging to use these probiotics as food supplements in many developing countries. To determine the suitability of the Lactobacillus strains for exploitation as probiotics in honey, we investigated the effect of their storage on the viability, functionality, and the mechanism associated with their protective effect. Three isolates obtained from our laboratory collection were identified through amplification of the 16S rRNA gene. The viability of the strains in honey at different storage conditions was studied. Three genes (hdc, gtf, and clpL) responsible for the resistance of bacteria in acidic environments were screened. SDS-PAGE analysis of total protein was performed to observe protein profile changes of the strains after exposure to honey. All the three isolates, namely, GGU, GLA51, and GLP56, were identified as Lactobacillus plantarum strains. After 28 days of storage in honey at 4 °C, viable cell concentrations of the three strains were higher than 2.04?×?10⁶ CFU/ml. During the same period at room temperature, only the Lactobacillus plantarum GLP56 strain remained viable with a cell concentration of 1.86?×?10⁴ CFU/ml. The clpL gene coding for ATPase was detected in all the three strains. The protein of molecular weight ~?50 kDa was absent in the protein profile of Lactobacillus plantarum GGU after 60 days of storage in honey at 4 °C. The Lactobacillus plantarum GLP56, Lactobacillus plantarum GLA51, and Lactobacillus plantarum GGU strains exposed to honey can withstand acidic environmental stress but their viability declines over time.     

Isolation and characterization of bacteriocin-like inhibitory substances from lactic acid bacteria isolated from Azerbaijan cheeses

The search for lactic acid bacteria (LAB) producing bacteriocin-like inhibitory substances (BLISs) was performed in traditional Azerbaijan cheeses. Eight strains have been isolated and identified, four of which (S1a, S2, Q2b, and M1b) were identified as Lactobacillus buchneri. The remaining four strains (M3a, A4b, Q4a, and A3) were identified as L. pentosus, L. brevis, L. fermentum, and L. collinoides, respectively. Antimicrobial agents of all isolated LAB strains suppressed the growth of Lactobacillus bulgaricus 340, Escherichia coli, Enterococcus durans, and Listeria innocua. Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida pseudotropicalis were resistant to these BLISs. Proteinase K and trypsin completely inactivated BLIS whereas lipase and amylase partially inactivated BLIS.     

Relative Ability of Orally Administered Lactobacillus murinus To Predominate and Persist in the Porcine Gastrointestinal Tract

Five porcine-derived Lactobacillus or Pediococcus isolates administered to pigs (n = 4), either singly or as a combination at ~10¹⁰ CFU per day varied with respect to intestinal survival and persistence. Two Lactobacillus murinus strains survived best and were excreted at ~10⁷ to 10⁸ CFU/g of feces. In contrast, Pediococcus pentosaceus DPC6006 had the lowest fecal count at ~10⁵ CFU/g and was excreted at a significantly lower level than both L. murinus strains. Fecal L. murinus DPC6003 counts were also significantly higher than both Lactobacillus salivarius DPC6005 and Lactobacillus pentosus DPC6004 (~10⁶ CFU/g). The L. murinus strains persisted for at least 9 days postadministration in both the feces and the cecum. Animals fed a combination of all five strains excreted ~10⁷ CFU of the administered strains/g, with L. murinus predominating, as determined by randomly amplified polymorphic DNA PCR. Postadministration, variation was observed between animals fed the strain combination, but in general, L. murinus DPC6002 and DPC6003 and L. pentosus DPC6004 predominated in the feces and the cecum while P. pentosaceus DPC6006 was detected only in the cecum. Fifteen days after the start of culture administration, mean fecal Enterobacteriaceae counts were significantly lower in some of the treatment groups. In addition, when mean preadministration counts were compared with those obtained after 21 days of culture administration, Enterobacteriaceae counts were reduced by ~87 to 98% in pigs fed L. salivarius DPC6005, P. pentosaceus DPC6006, L. pentosus DPC6004, and the culture mix. In conclusion, the porcine intestinal isolates have potential as probiotic feed additives for pigs, with differences in strain performance highlighting the advantages of using culture combinations.     

Identification of Lactic Acid Bacteria from Chili Bo, a Malaysian Food Ingredient

Ninety-two strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were isolated from a Malaysian food ingredient, chili bo, stored for up to 25 days at 28°C with no benzoic acid (product A) or with 7,000 mg of benzoic acid kg⁻¹ (product B). The strains were divided into eight groups by traditional phenotypic tests. A total of 43 strains were selected for comparison of their sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) whole-cell protein patterns with a SDS-PAGE database of LAB. Isolates from product A were identified as Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus fermentum, Lactobacillus farciminis, Pediococcus acidilactici, Enterococcus faecalis, and Weissella confusa. Five strains belonging to clusters which could not be allocated to existing species by SDS-PAGE were further identified by 16S rRNA sequence comparison. One strain was distantly related to the Lactobacillus casei/Pediococcus group. Two strains were related to Weissella at the genus or species level. Two other strains did not belong to any previously described 16S rRNA group of LAB and occupied an intermediate position between the L. casei/Pediococcus group and the Weissella group and species of Carnobacterium. The latter two strains belong to the cluster of LAB that predominated in product B. The incidence of new species and subspecies of LAB in chili bo indicate the high probability of isolation of new LAB from certain Southeast Asian foods. None of the isolates exhibited bacteriocin activity against L. plantarum ATCC 14917 and LMG 17682.     

Detoxification of enterotoxigenic Bacillus cereus (JX455159) isolated from meat by a local strain of Lactobacillus plantarum (JX282192)

Raw minced meat samples (25) were randomly collected from different slaughterhouses in Dakhlia and Sharkyia Governorates, Egypt. One hundred and fifty Bacillus species related to the cereus group were isolated from the collected meat samples using Mannitol Yolk Polymyxin (MYP) agar plates. Purified bacterial cultures were then tested for their virulence factors with respect to hemolysin, protease and lecithinase. Of the tested Bacillus strains (150), 81, 95.3 and 76 % of total tested Bacillus strains were positive for hemolysin, protease and lecithinase tests, respectively. The identity of one of the most potent strains suspected and encoded as Bacillus cereus F23 was confirmed by amplifying its 16S rRNA gene. The partial nucleotide sequence of the amplified 16S rRNA gene of the tested strain was submitted to GenBank with accession number JX455159. Multiplex PCR amplification of enterotoxin genes in the tested strain, using specific primers, yielded amplicons of molecular sizes 695 and 565 bp for enterotoxins hblC and cytK, respectively. Thermal resistance of B. cereus F23 (JX455159) spores was determined by calculating D values at 65, 75, 85 and 95 °C for 36, 25, 19 and 16 min, respectively, and the calculated Z value was recorded as 0.119 °C. A lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strain isolated from pickles was preliminary identified as Lactobacillus plantarum F14 (LBF14) and later confirmed by detecting its 16S rRNA gene, and it was submitted to GenBank with accession number JX282192. The identified LAB strain was tested as a bioprotective agent against toxigenic B. cereus F23 spores both in minced meat samples and BHI broth medium. A reduction in B. cereus F23 population between 4 and 6 log cycles under different tested conditions was recorded. The activity of virulence factors (protease and lecithinase) decreased and hemolytic activity was completely inhibited in the presence of 10³ CFU/ml of Lactobacillus plantarum F14 (JX282192). Inthe presence of 10⁵ CFU/ml Lactobacillus plantarum F14 (JX282192), protease and lecithinase activities of B. cereus F23 were decreased by 85 and 71 %, respectively.     

Factors Affecting Exocellular Polysaccharide Production by Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus Grown in a Chemically Defined Medium

We developed a chemically defined medium (CDM) containing lactose or glucose as the carbon source that supports growth and exopolysaccharide (EPS) production of two strains of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus. The factors found to affect EPS production in this medium were oxygen, pH, temperature, and medium constituents, such as orotic acid and the carbon source. EPS production was greatest during the stationary phase. Composition analysis of EPS isolated at different growth phases and produced under different fermentation conditions (varying carbon source or pH) revealed that the component sugars were the same. The EPS from strain L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus CNRZ 1187 contained galactose and glucose, and that of strain L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus CNRZ 416 contained galactose, glucose, and rhamnose. However, the relative proportions of the individual monosaccharides differed, suggesting that repeating unit structures can vary according to specific medium alterations. Under pH-controlled fermentation conditions, L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus strains produced as much EPS in the CDM as in milk. Furthermore, the relative proportions of individual monosaccharides of EPS produced in pH-controlled CDM or in milk were very similar. The CDM we developed may be a useful model and an alternative to milk in studies of EPS production.     

Impact of sulphur dioxide on the viability,culturability, and volatile phenol production of Dekkera bruxellensis in wine

Viability and culturability of eight Dekkera bruxellensis strains in wine along with the accumulation of volatile phenols in response to increasing concentrations of molecular sulphur dioxide (mSO₂) were investigated. mSO₂ concentrations up to 1 mg/L induced the non-culturable state of a portion of the population in all the strains to a different extent for each strain, although the cells were still viable. At 1.4 mg/L mSO₂, cells were non-culturable, though 0.38–29.01 % of cells retained their viability. When exposed to 2.1 mg/L mSO₂, viable cells were not detected. Up to 0.24 mg/L 4-vinylguaiacol and up to 0.73 mg/L 4-ethylphenol were accumulated by non-culturable and dead Dekkera bruxellensis strains, respectively. The concentration of mSO₂ needed for the transition from viable to non-culturable state of D. bruxellensis strains was higher in wine than in synthetic wine medium. The volatile phenols accumulated in wine were different from those produced in synthetic wine medium, although their accumulation kinetics were similar.     

Use of a Genetically Enhanced, Pediocin-Producing Starter Culture, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis MM217, To Control Listeria monocytogenes in Cheddar Cheese

Cheddar cheese was prepared with Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis MM217, a starter culture which contains pMC117 coding for pediocin PA-1. About 75 liters of pasteurized milk (containing ca. 3.6% fat) was inoculated with strain MM217 (ca. 10⁶ CFU per ml) and a mixture of three Listeria monocytogenes strains (ca. 10³ CFU per ml). The viability of the pathogen and the activity of pediocin in the cheese were monitored at appropriate intervals throughout the manufacturing process and during ripening at 8°C for 6 months. In control cheese made with the isogenic, non-pediocin-producing starter culture L. lactis subsp. lactis MM210, the counts of the pathogen increased to about 10⁷ CFU per g after 2 weeks of ripening and then gradually decreased to about 10³ CFU per g after 6 months. In the experimental cheese made with strain MM217, the counts of L. monocytogenes decreased to 10² CFU per g within 1 week of ripening and then decreased to about 10 CFU per g within 3 months. The average titer of pediocin in the experimental cheese decreased from approximately 64,000 arbitrary units (AU) per g after 1 day to 2,000 AU per g after 6 months. No pediocin activity (<200 AU per g) was detected in the control cheese. Also, the presence of pMC117 in strain MM217 did not alter the cheese-making quality of the starter culture, as the rates of acid production, the pH values, and the levels of moisture, NaCl, and fat of the control cheese and the experimental cheese were similar. Our data revealed that pediocin-producing starter cultures have significant potential for protecting natural cheese against L. monocytogenes.     

Studies on the Inoculation and Competitiveness of a Rhizobium leguminosarum Strain in Soils Containing Indigenous Rhizobia

The competitiveness of a Rhizobium leguminosarum strain was investigated at two separate locations in field inoculation studies on commercially grown peas. The soil at each location (sites I and II) contained an indigenous R. leguminosarum population of ca. 3 × 10⁴ rhizobia per g of soil. At site I it was necessary to use an inoculum concentration as large as 4 × 10⁷ CFU ml⁻¹ (2 × 10⁶ bacteria seed⁻¹) to establish the inoculum strain in the majority of nodules (73%). However, at site II the inoculum strain formed only 33% of nodules when applied at this (10⁷ CFU ml⁻¹) level. Establishment could not be further improved by increasing the inoculum concentration even as high as 10⁹ CFU ml⁻¹ (9.6 × 10⁷ bacteria seed⁻¹). The inoculum strain could be detected at both sites 19 months after inoculation. Analysis by intrinsic antibiotic resistance patterns and plasmid DNA profiles indicated that a dominant strain(s) and plasmid pool existed among the indigenous population at site II. Competition experiments were carried out under laboratory conditions between a dominant indigenous isolate and the inoculum strain. Both strains were shown to be equally competitive.     

Heterologous Expression of Lactose- and Galactose-Utilizing Pathways from Lactic Acid Bacteria in Corynebacterium glutamicum for Production of Lysine in Whey

The genetic determinants for lactose utilization from Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus ATCC 11842 and galactose utilization from Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris MG 1363 were heterologously expressed in the lysine-overproducing strain Corynebacterium glutamicum ATCC 21253. The C. glutamicum strains expressing the lactose permease and β-galactosidase genes of L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus exhibited β-galactosidase activity in excess of 1,000 Miller units/ml of cells and were able to grow in medium in which lactose was the sole carbon source. Similarly, C. glutamicum strains containing the lactococcal aldose-1-epimerase, galactokinase, UDP-glucose-1-P-uridylyltransferase, and UDP-galactose-4-epimerase genes in association with the lactose permease and β-galactosidase genes exhibited β-galactosidase levels in excess of 730 Miller units/ml of cells and were able to grow in medium in which galactose was the sole carbon source. When grown in whey-based medium, the engineered C. glutamicum strain produced lysine at concentrations of up to 2 mg/ml, which represented a 10-fold increase over the results obtained with the lactose- and galactose-negative control, C. glutamicum 21253. Despite their increased catabolic flexibility, however, the modified corynebacteria exhibited slower growth rates and plasmid instability.     

The effects of using lactic acid bacteria inoculants in maize silage on the formation of biogenic amines

Silages from five ripened varieties of silage maize with dry matter contents ranging between 275 and 410 g/kg were prepared in five laboratory experiments. Whole-plant maize was fermented at 22°C and silages were then stored at the same temperature for 4 months. Spontaneously fermented silages were prepared as control variants and compared with silages inoculated with commercial strains of Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus buchneri and a mixed preparation Microsil containing L. plantarum, Lactobacillus casei, Enterococcus faecium and Pediococcus pentosaceus. The starter cultures were applied at doses 5·10⁵ and 5·10⁶ CFU/g of chopped maize. Seven biogenic amines and polyamines were extracted from silages with perchloric acid and determined as N-benzamides by micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography. Common chemical criteria of silage quality were also determined. All three inoculants, mainly at the higher dose, decreased significantly contents of tyramine, putrescine and cadaverine, three undesirable amines occurring at the highest levels. L. plantarum was the most effective. Contents of histamine and tryptamine were low in all experimental silages. Also relatively low were levels of polyamines spermidine and mainly of spermine.     

Persistence of Mycobacterium paratuberculosis during manufacture and ripening of cheddar cheese

Model Cheddar cheeses were prepared from pasteurized milk artificially contaminated with high 10(4) to 10(5) CFU/ml) and low (10(1) to 10(2) CFU/ml) inocula of three different Mycobacterium paratuberculosis strains. A reference strain, NCTC 8578, and two strains (806PSS and 796PSS) previously isolated from pasteurized milk for retail sale were investigated in this study. The manufactured Cheddar cheeses were similar in pH, salt, moisture, and fat composition to commercial Cheddar. The survival of M. paratuberculosis cells was monitored over a 27-week ripening period by plating homogenized cheese samples onto HEYM agar medium supplemented with the antibiotics vancomycin, amphotericin B, and nalidixic acid without a decontamination step. A concentration effect was observed in M. paratuberculosis numbers between the inoculated milk and the 1-day old cheeses for each strain. For all manufactured cheeses, a slow gradual decrease in M. paratuberculosis CFU in cheese was observed over the ripening period. In all cases where high levels (>3.6 log(10)) of M. paratuberculosis were present in 1-day cheeses, the organism was culturable after the 27-week ripening period. The D values calculated for strains 806PSS, 796PSS, and NCTC 8578 were 107, 96, and 90 days, respectively. At low levels of contamination, M. paratuberculosis was only culturable from 27-week-old cheese spiked with strain 806PSS. M. paratuberculosis was recovered from the whey fraction in 10 of the 12 manufactured cheeses. Up to 4% of the initial M. paratuberculosis load was recovered in the culture-positive whey fractions at either the high or low initial inoculum.     

Urea Hydrogen Peroxide Reduces the Numbers of Lactobacilli, Nourishes Yeast, and Leaves No Residues in the Ethanol Fermentation

Urea hydrogen peroxide (UHP) at a concentration of 30 to 32 mmol/liter reduced the numbers of five Lactobacillus spp. (Lactobacillus plantarum, L. paracasei, Lactobacillus sp. strain 3, L. rhamnosus, and L. fermentum) from ~10⁷ to ~10² CFU/ml in a 2-h preincubation at 30°C of normal-gravity wheat mash at ~21 g of dissolved solids per ml containing normal levels of suspended grain particles. Fermentation was completed 36 h after inoculation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in the presence of UHP, even when wheat mash was deliberately contaminated (infected) with L. paracasei at ~10⁷ CFU/ml. There were no significant differences in the maximum ethanol produced between treatments when urea hydrogen peroxide was used to kill the bacteria and controls (in which no bacteria were added). However, the presence of L. paracasei at ~10⁷ CFU/ml without added agent resulted in a 5.84% reduction in the maximum ethanol produced compared to the control. The bactericidal activity of UHP is greatly affected by the presence of particulate matter. In fact, only 2 mmol of urea hydrogen peroxide per liter was required for disinfection when mashes had little or no particulate matter present. No significant differences were observed in the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide in normal-gravity wheat mash at 30°C whether the bactericidal agent was added as H₂O₂ or as urea hydrogen peroxide. NADH peroxidase activity (involved in degrading H₂O₂) increased significantly (P = 0.05) in the presence of 0.75 mM hydrogen peroxide (sublethal level) in all five strains of lactobacilli tested but did not persist in cells regrown in the absence of H₂O₂. H₂O₂-resistant mutants were not expected or found when lethal levels of H₂O₂ or UHP were used. Contaminating lactobacilli can be effectively managed by UHP, a compound which when used at ca. 30 mmol/liter happens to provide near-optimum levels of assimilable nitrogen and oxygen that aid in vigorous fermentation performance by yeast.