The use of autochthonous Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains as a strategy to enhance aroma variability and typicity of Savatiano wines; RNAseq-based transcriptome comparison of indigenous strains under winemaking conditions.

The connection between wine microbiota and terroir has become increasingly significant in the wine industry in recent years. Indigenous yeasts have emerged as a valuable tool for imparting unique qualities to wine, enhancing the aroma characteristics specific to a given wine-producing region. This study aimed to isolate indigenous Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains from spontaneous fermentations and assess their impact on the fermentative performance, chemical composition, and wine aroma profiles, using two commercial strains serving as controls.

New Insights into the Production of Assyrtiko Wines from the Volcanic Terroir of Santorini Island Using .

Assyrtiko is a rare ancient grape variety of Greece, which is known to produce Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) Santorini white wines. Besides the famous character of the volcanic terroir, Assyrtiko of Santorini is also marked by a low pH value and sharp acidity. The aim of the present study was to apply a new inoculation procedure that modulates the fermentation process by maintaining the unique sensorial characteristics of Assyrtiko wines based on acidity.

Special Issue 'Food Fermentations: Microorganisms in Food Production and Preservation': Editorial.

For centuries, microorganisms have been exploited for the production and preservation of substates intended for human consumption [...

Comparative Genomic Analysis Reveals the Functional Traits and Safety Status of Lactic Acid Bacteria Retrieved from Artisanal Cheeses and Raw Sheep Milk.

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are valuable for the production of fermented dairy products. We investigated the functional traits of LAB isolated from artisanal cheeses and raw sheep milk, assessed their safety status, and explored the genetic processes underlying the fermentation of carbohydrates. had the largest and more functional genome compared to all other LAB, while most of its protein-encoding genes had unknown functions.

Influence of temperature on regulation of key virulence and stress response genes in Listeria monocytogenes biofilms.

Temperature is a major determinant of Listeria (L.) monocytogenes adherence and biofilm formation on abiotic surfaces. However, its role on gene regulation of L.

Molecular Targets for Foodborne Pathogenic Bacteria Detection.

The detection of foodborne pathogenic bacteria currently relies on their ability to grow on chemically defined liquid and solid media, which is the essence of the classical microbiological approach. Such procedures are time-consuming and the quality of the result is affected by the selectivity of the media employed. Several alternative strategies based on the detection of molecular markers have been proposed.

Deciphering the induction of Listeria monocytogenes into sublethal injury using fluorescence microscopy and RT-qPCR.

The adaptive response of bacterial cells to changing environmental conditions depends on the behavior of single cells within the population. Exposure of Listeria monocytogenes to sublethal acidic conditions in foods or in the gastrointestinal track of the host may induce injuries relevant to difficult physiological states within the dormancy continuum. In this study, exposure to acidic conditions (acetic-AA and hydrochloric acid-HCl adjusted to pH 3.

A Comparative Genomic and Safety Assessment of Six subsp. Strains Isolated from Spontaneously Fermented Greek Wheat Sourdoughs for Potential Biotechnological Application.

The comparative genome analysis of six subsp. strains previously isolated from spontaneously fermented Greek wheat sourdoughs is presented. Genomic attributes related to food safety have been studied according to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) suggestions for the use of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in the production of foods.

Fate of Bioactive Compounds during Lactic Acid Fermentation of Fruits and Vegetables.

Consumption of lactic acid fermented fruits and vegetables has been correlated with a series of health benefits. Some of them have been attributed to the probiotic potential of lactic acid microbiota, while others to its metabolic potential and the production of bioactive compounds. The factors that affect the latter have been in the epicenter of intensive research over the last decade.

Microbial Ecology of Artisanal Feta and Kefalograviera Cheeses, Part I: Bacterial Community and Its Functional Characteristics with Focus on Lactic Acid Bacteria as Determined by Culture-Dependent Methods and Phenotype Microarrays.

Artisanal cheesemaking is still performed using practices and conditions derived from tradition. Feta and Kefalograviera cheeses are very popular in Greece and have met worldwide commercial success. However, there is a lack of knowledge regarding their lactic acid microecosystem composition and species dynamics during ripening.

Virulence Potential, Surface Attachment, and Transcriptional Response of Sublethally Injured Listeria monocytogenes following Exposure to Peracetic Acid.

The disinfectant peracetic acid (PAA) can cause high levels of sublethal injury to Listeria monocytogenes. This study aims to evaluate phenotypic and transcriptional characteristics concerning the surface attachment and virulence potential of sublethally injured L. monocytogenes ScottA and EGDe after exposure to 0.

High-quality draft genome sequence data of six subsp. strains isolated from various Greek wheat sourdoughs.

is a species found in a wide range of foods and other commodities. It can be used as starter or adjunct culture in fermented foods. Herein the annotated high-quality draft genome (scaffolds) of six subsp.

Technological and Safety Attributes of Lactic Acid Bacteria and Yeasts Isolated from Spontaneously Fermented Greek Wheat Sourdoughs.

The aim of the present study was to assess the technological and safety potential of 207 lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and 195 yeast strains isolated from spontaneously fermented Greek wheat sourdoughs. More accurately, the amylolytic, proteolytic, lipolytic, phytase and amino acid decarboxylase activities, along with the production of exopolysaccharides and antimicrobial compounds by the LAB and yeast isolates, were assessed. A well diffusion assay revealed seven proteolytic LAB and eight yeast strains; hydrolysis of tributyrin was evident only in 11 LAB strains.

Prior exposure to different combinations of pH and undissociated acetic acid can affect the induced resistance of Salmonella spp. strains in mayonnaise stored under refrigeration and the regulation of acid-resistance related genes.

The innate and inducible resistance of six Salmonella strains (4/74, FS8, FS115, P167807, ATCC 13076, WT) in mayonnaise at 5 °C following adaptation to different pH/undissociated acetic acid (UAA) combinations (15mM/pH5.0, 35mM/pH5.5, 45mM/pH6.

Microbial Ecology of Greek Wheat Sourdoughs, Identified by a Culture-Dependent and a Culture-Independent Approach.

The aim of the present study was to assess the microecosystem of 13 homemade spontaneously fermented wheat sourdoughs from different regions of Greece, through the combined use of culture-dependent (classical approach; clustering by Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RAPD-PCR) and identification by PCR species-specific for , and sequencing of the 16S-rRNA and 26S-rRNA gene, for Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) and yeasts, respectively) and independent approaches [DNA- and RNA-based PCR-Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (DGGE)]. The pH and Total Titratable Acidity (TTA) values ranged from 3.64-5.

Microbial Profile Antibacterial Properties and Chemical Composition of Raw Donkey Milk.

The human interest in donkey milk is growing due to its nutritional, functional properties and excellent microbiological quality according to published reports. However, more research needs to be conducted to assess the above variables from various breeds. In the present study, milk samples were collected from 17 Cypriot and six Arcadian healthy Greek donkeys.

Differential Modulation of Listeria monocytogenes Fitness, Virulence, and Transcription of Virulence-Associated Genes in Response to the Presence of Different Microorganisms.

Interactions between and food-associated or environmental bacteria are critical not only for the growth but also for a number of key biological processes of the microorganism. In this regard, limited information exists on the impact of other microorganisms on the virulence of In this study, the growth of was evaluated in a single culture or in coculture with , , , or in tryptic soy broth (10°C/10 days and 37°C/24 h). Transcriptional levels of 9 key virulence genes (, , , , , , , , and ) and invasion efficiency and intracellular growth in Caco-2 cells were determined for following growth in mono- or coculture for 3 days at 10°C or 9 h at 37°C.

Traditional fermented foods with anti-aging effect: A concentric review.

Fermentation has been applied since antiquity as a way to preserve foodstuff or as a necessary step in the production of a variety of products. The research was initially focused on accurate description of production procedure and identification of parameters that may affect the composition and dynamics of the developing micro-communities, since the major aim was standardization and commercial exploitation of the products. Soon it was realized that consumption of these products was associated with an array of health benefits, such as anti-hypertensive, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, anti-carcinogenic and anti-allergenic activities.

In Vitro Gene Transcription of after Exposure to Human Gastric and Duodenal Aspirates.

The aim of the present study was to assess, for the first time to our knowledge, CFU changes, as well as to determine the transcription of key virulence genes, namely, and after in vitro exposure to human gastric and duodenal aspirates. Furthermore, investigations of the potential correlation between CFU changes and gene regulation with factors influencing gastric (proton pump inhibitor intake and presence of gastric atrophy) and duodenal pH were the secondary study aims. Gastric and duodenal fluids that were collected from 25 individuals undergoing upper gastrointestinal endoscopy were inoculated with serotype 4b strain LQC 15257 at 9 log CFU·mL and incubated at 37°C for 100 min and 2 h, respectively, with the time corresponding to the actual exposure time to gastric and duodenal fluids in the human gastrointestinal tract.

The Sustainability Challenge of Food and Environmental Nanotechnology: Current Status and Imminent Perceptions.

Nanotechnology is a connection among various branches of science with potential applications that extend over a variety of scientific disciplines, particularly in the food science and technology fields. For nanomaterial applications in food processing, such as antimicrobials on food contact surfaces along with the improvement of biosensors, electrospun nanofibers are the most intensively studied ones. As in the case of every developing skill, an assessment from a sustainability point of view is necessary to address the balance between its benefits to civilization and the unwanted effects on human health and the environment.

Dual Transcriptional Profile of during Co-Culture with and Aflatoxin B1 Production: A Pathogen-Pathogen Interaction.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of growth temperature and co-culture of with on the production of Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and the transcriptional profile of associated regulatory and biosynthetic genes. The transcription of virulence- and homeostasis-associated genes of was also assessed. For this purpose, mono- and co-cultures of strain LQC 15257 and strain 18.

Evaluation of Plantaricin Genes Expression During Fermentation of Raphanus sativus Roots with a Plantaricin-Producing Lactobacillus plantarum Starter.

The aim of the present study was to assess the transcription of the plnE/F, plnN, plnG, plnD and plnI genes during lactic acid fermentation of radish (Raphanus sativus) roots by Lactobacillus plantarum strain LQC 740 at 20 and 30 °C. At both temperatures, this strain dominated the fermentation process, as indicated by (GTG) analysis. A total of five pln genes were detected in the genome of this strain, namely plnE/F, plnN, plnG, plnD and plnI.