Current Opinion in Food Science最新文献

Fumonisins, mycotoxins commonly found in cereal and cereal-based products, are associated with a wide range of toxic effects. Dietary risk assessments for fumonisins have been conducted worldwide to evaluate the potential health risks that could arise from exposure. In this paper, the latest dietary risk assessments for fumonisins were summarized, the approaches used were evaluated, and challenges and prospects were raised. Few studies indicated a potential risk from the exposure to fumonisins through diet, but most of them could be refined (in a tiered approach) to show a more realistic scenario. For fumonisins, the inclusion of matrix-associated and modified forms in dietary risk assessments should be carefully evaluated, since they could greatly increase the total fumonisin content found in food products and may shift the current situation presented.

Pulsed electric field (PEF) stands out as a promising sustainable nonthermal technology in the dairy industry for minimizing the deleterious effects of conventional thermal processing without degrading the nutritional, functional, and sensory characteristics of milk and milk products. However, there still needs to be more commercial exploitation of this technology. Research on the effect of processing milk and dairy products by the PEF is scarce in the literature. Besides, up to the present moment, no technical–economic feasibility studies have been found regarding using high-intensity electric pulses in milk and dairy products. This review aims to critically examine the recent advances in the effectiveness of PEF treatment on the inactivation of spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms in milk and milk products while considering the impact of process parameters, food properties, and microorganism characteristics on ensuring the quality and safety of milk and dairy products.

Propionibacterium freudenreichii is used as a cheese-ripening adjunct culture and also receives interest as de novo producer of vitamin B₁₂ (B₁₂) and for its probiotic potential. Recent advances suggest P. freudenreichii is adapted for growth in intestinal tracts enabled by the capacity to metabolize important gut cross-feeding metabolites such as lactate and 1,2-propanediol (1,2-PD), further supporting its potential as probiotic. Notably, P. freudenreichii was recently shown to capture and utilize low amounts of oxygen such as encountered in the gut. This enabled complete oxidation of lactate, further stimulating P. freudenreichii growth, resulting in increased biomass and B₁₂ production. In addition, bacterial microcompartment (BMC)-dependent utilization of 1,2-PD in anaerobic conditions, has implications for potential mutualistic interactions between P. freudenreichii and mucus-degrading bacteria such as bifidobacteria. The capacity to metabolize short-chain fatty acids and 1,2-PD may further support innovative applications of P. freudenreichii such as in situ B₁₂ enrichment of fermented foods.

The integration of multi-omics data allows the comprehensive analysis at the molecular level of complex matrixes, such as those from food, or health and disease status, from a holistic point of view. The use of modern analytical techniques that provide massive amounts of data has been key to advance in the study of food science in different fields, such as food quality, the role of bioactive compounds, or the relationships between food and health. However, the integration of all these data still faces many challenges. In this review, we provide an up-to-date critical overview of some of the multi-omic approaches, advantages, and limitations, including information of the most relevant research published lately in this Foodomics field.

Multiple approaches are usually adopted aiming to prevent both fungal spoilage and mycotoxin production. However, for the selection of adequate control strategies, it is important to consider the entire food chain, also including the manufacturing level, rather than solely focusing on pre- and postharvest stages. It is believed that this late control can be achieved by maintaining hygiene in the production environment by utilizing effective antifungal sanitizers. This review will briefly address the problem of fungal spoilage in certain processed foods, explore some mycological issues in the microenvironment of food industries, and mainly summarize the most common antifungal sanitizers used in the food industry sector as well as the factors that can interfere with the efficacy of these products.

Developing new strategies for controlling toxigenic fungi and mycotoxins is of utmost interest to the food industry due to the irreversible negative impacts caused by them. Cold plasma (CP) is an emerging technology with potential for food applications because of its antimicrobial activity and ability to mitigate chemical contaminants. The reactive species formed by CP promote cellular damage to fungi. Similarly, the chemical degradation of mycotoxins by reactive species occurs through different pathways, forming products that may be less toxic. This review provides an overview of the current CP devices, mechanisms of action of CP, and effects on toxigenic fungi and mycotoxins. Additionally, we present recent studies on the application of CP to control toxigenic fungi and mycotoxins in foodstuffs.

Fungal diseases impair the productivity and quality of agricultural products. Furthermore, some filamentous fungi can produce mycotoxins that pose a health risk. The use of synthetic fungicides to control fungi and mycotoxins is also a concern due to the toxicity of these products. Biological control strategies have emerged as a safe and environment-friendly option, and Bacillus spp. is an attractive alternative for the development of agronomic products. This review presents the current status of Bacillus spp. use as a sustainable and safe strategy for fungal and mycotoxin control, including information on commercial products, target fungi, data on promising new strains, the mechanism of antifungal action, and perspectives for the development of new Bacillus-based products.

Contamination of fungi causes billions of economic losses on food commodities. Moreover, the mycotoxins they produced arise human health issues worldwide due to the acute and severe toxicity. To avoid the negative effects on the environment and the possibility of increasing the fungi resistant of using synthetic chemical fungicides, immense efforts have been taken to seek for safe and effective alternatives. Previous study has shown that plant extracts and/or their natural compounds possess fungicidal potentials against certain pathogens. Therefore, this review focuses on the occurrence of mycotoxins and the progress made in the last three years on the application of plant extracts and natural compounds as alternative control method, as well as the challenges in utilizing them in real practice.

Gouda cheese is one of the most produced cheese types worldwide. Despite its industrialized production, a typical Gouda cheese starter culture is undefined. It is composed of an unknown mixture of different strains of Lactococcus and Leuconostoc species, which have different functions during cheese production and ripening. During ripening, typical nonstarter lactic acid bacteria (NSLAB), such as Lacticaseibacillus paracasei and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, arise. Sometimes, unusual bacteria may be present, which all may produce biogenic amines or result in other defects, such as cracks and spots. Also, Listeria monocytogenes contamination is still of concern. This paper highlights new insights into the microbiota and current defects of Gouda cheese production.

The by-products generated by agri-food industries represent an interesting and valuable source of potential health-promoting compounds. Increasing scientific evidences highlight the role of food-related bioactive compounds in the prevention or amelioration of some diseases. In this regard, efficient and sustainable extraction procedures, followed by comprehensive chemical and functional characterization with high-throughput bioanalytical and omics technologies, represent significant methodological advances to scientifically support health claims of new food-related bioactive molecules. This short review critically summarizes selected cutting-edge scientific investigations dealing with advanced strategies to obtain and evaluate the biological activity of new functional ingredients from food by-products.