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Health-conscious consumers are looking for functional foods to improve their body's well-being. Kefir-based foods provide improvements in quality of life. Kefir has a nutritional and probiotic function. This study aimed to elaborate on kefir-based Petit Suisse flavored with nibs and cocoa honey, as well as to evaluate the physicochemical and microbiological parameters and sensorial acceptance. The kefir-based Petit Suisse developed in this study proved to be a viable proposition as a food source. All items listed in the sensory analysis received positive ratings by the majority of the evaluating public, which made the product exceed the value established as a criterion for acceptance. Kefir-based Petit Suisse flavored with nibs and cocoa honey can be considered a promising product for the market with nutritional values and probiotic potential.

Psychobiotics are probiotic microorganisms that beneficially affect the central nervous system functions mediated by the gut-brain axis, improving the host's immune system. Psychobiotic microorganisms can regulate brain pathways and serotonin production (mood controller). The main microbial genera with psychobiotic characteristics are

The use of non-dairy matrices for probiotic delivery can be beneficial for vegetarian, vegan and lactose intolerant consumers. Stevia rebaudiana extract can be used as sweetener to replace sucrose for glucose intolerants. This research evaluated the use of kefir grains to prepare a low-calorie, fruit-based kefir beverage. Fermentation was carried out by inoculating kefir grains into a mixture of mango and umbu pulps. Two beverages, one containing sucrose, and the other, stevia, were characterized according to their proximate composition and submitted to a 30-day shelf-life period at 5°C, evaluating lactic acid bacteria, yeasts, pH, acidity, color parameters, soluble solids, ascorbic acid, sensory acceptance, and purchase intention every 10 days. Lactic and acetic acids were analyzed at the beginning and end of the shelf-life. Both beverages showed probiotic potential. The stevia-sweetened beverage had lower calorie content and good sensory acceptance. These results support the possibility to develop low-calorie, fruit-based kefir beverages.

The present study aims to produce arrowroot flour fermented by kefir grains, in addition to assessing the physicochemical, nutritional, and microbiological characteristics. Fermented arrowroot flour was produced at room temperature (approximately 25 to 28 °C). Fermentation was conducted in batch (6 kg of the substrate and 10% of kefir grains were added with homogenization every 3 hr). Samples were evaluated every 12 hr for both fermentation processes (fermentation process 1: 24 hr and fermentation process 2: 48 hr). The flours were evaluated for physicochemical, nutritional, and microbiological qualities, using a completely randomized design, considering only the variation in the duration of both fermentation processes (from 24 to 48 hr). The fermentation process positively modified the physicochemical, nutritional, and microbial characteristics of the flours. An increase in antioxidant activity (IC50 : control flour [CF] = 18.9 ± 0.13; arrowroot kefir flour [24 hr of fermentation; AKF1] = 15.36 ± 0.14; and arrowroot kefir flour [48 hr of fermentation; AKF2] = 13.84 ± 0.15), protein percentage (CF = 3.08 ± 0.12; AKF1 = 4.87 ± 0.33; and AKF2 = 6.00 ± 0.07), and organic acid (lactic, acetic, and propionic acids) production was observed, as well as modification in color (browning), the conformation of starch structures, and carbohydrate reduction. These results suggested that the "arrowroot kefir flours" open a new perspective for introduction in the market as a new product that can be used as food in nature or food ingredient for making bread, biscuits, pasta, and others, showing microbiological safety and functions properties. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The fermented flours present improved nutritional characteristics due to the fermentation process, such as higher antioxidant activity and protein levels. Regarding the population growth and societal demand for healthier food, one possibility is to provide a fermented flour with added nutritional value and raise knowledge about the arrowroot. Thus, these flours can be used in various food items or as an ingredient in food preparations for consumers that desire a healthy diet.

Introduction: Communication between intestine-brain axis is complex and uses different pathways. This communication forms a bidirectional axis whose equilibrium depends on the composition of the microbial community that inhabits the intestines. This ecosystem has a modulator role on the intestine-brain axis. Because of this, intestine-brain axis becomes a fascinating growing study area. The intestinal dysbiosis hurts the host's health and can lead to several psychiatric diseases. Aim: The present opinion described highlight an emerging theme in medicine, the interesting communication that is established between the intestine-brain axis. The function that intestinal probiotic microorganisms play in the health and disease of the host's has been gaining prominence. This is a promising area with an increasing number of studies which demonstrates its importance. Conclusion: In this context, the new class of probiotic microorganisms "psychobiotic" appear to have a significant role in the maintenance of eubiosis, revealing a new therapeutic potential for mental health.

O objetivo do estudo foi avaliar a qualidade microbiologica de carnes de hamburguer comercializadas na cidade de Salvador, Bahia. Foram realizadas as analises microbiologicas: aerobios mesofilos, psicrotroficos, bolores e leveduras, coliformes 45 °C, Clostridium sulfito redutor, Staphylococcus sp e Salmonella sp, as analises foram realizadas segundo a metodologia descrita por Silva et al. (2017) e os resultados comparados com o padrao estabelecido pela RDC no 12/2001 da Agencia Nacional de Vigilância Sanitaria. Os resultados demonstram que as amostras estao de acordo com os parâmetros dispostos pela legislacao e nao oferecem risco a saude do consumidor do ponto de vista microbiologico.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of Maldi-Tof MS biosensor in microbial assessment of Brazilian kefir grains. Maldi-Tof MS is a new methodology for the rapid diagnosis of microorganisms. A total of 358 microorganisms were isolated, 31 were yeasts and 327 were bacteria (divided into lactic and acetic bacteria). Microbial colonies were grown in Luria-Bertani agar medium and incubated at 35 °C for 18h and used in the identification of species by Maldi-Tof MS. The microbial population identified in Brazilian kefir grains was Lactobacillus paracasei, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Lactobacillus plantarum, Acetobacter pasteurianus, and Acetobacter syzygii. This study demonstrated a rapid and accurate identification of the Brazilian kefir grains microorganisms using the Maldi-Tof MS biosensor. In conclusion, the Maldi-Tof MS technology can facilitate the microbiological control in a fermentation process using kefir grains as starter cultures.

The aim of the present work was to evaluate the use of the sugary kefir grains as a starter culture for the production of a new quinoa-based (Chenopodium quinoa) kefir beverage flavored with cocoa (Theobroma cacao) powder. Fermentation was performed by inoculating kefir grains in quinoa extract and 5% brown sugar. Flasks containing kefir grains and substrates were statically incubated at 28 °C for 24 h. The microbiota of sugary kefir grains were genera Lactobacillus, Leuconostoc and Acetobacter, as well as yeasts Saccharomyces, Kluyveromyces, Lachancea and Kazachstania. After fermentation, the beverage was flavored with cocoa powder. The product was positively qualified by sensory analysis (~ 75% acceptance). This study is the first to report the production of quinoa-based kefir beverage. This result opens up perspectives for this innovative application of sugary kefir grains for developing cereal-based beverages.

Novel bioactive nanoparticles derived from crude palm oil (CPO), palm olein, and palm stearin for use in foodstuff products were produced, and their physicochemical characteristics and stability were evaluated. The nanoparticles were prepared by homogenization, using biodegradable casein or gum arabic as an encapsulating material. The encapsulation efficiency (EE), morphology, long-term stability, particle size, polydispersity index, zeta potential, pH, apparent viscosity, color parameters, total carotenoids, and antioxidant activity were determined. All nanoparticles methods produced spherical nanoparticles with EE higher than 85%. Highly homogeneous small particles (300 nm) showing a tendency toward a yellow color were observed after 60 days of storage at 4 °C. The nanoparticles showed a carotenoid retention index higher than 40% and an antioxidant activity higher than 1,000 µM Trolox/g oil. The bioactive nanoparticles retained the carotenoids and are proposed as a green innovative product to replace synthetic colorants and antioxidants in foodstuffs.

Use of microbial systems for functional foods supplementation can be defined into fermentative process by starter cultures, use of probiotics microorganisms and use of microbial biomass. Scientific and technical aspects as related to use of microorganisms in functional foods supplementation are highly diverse and complex, since they have to deal with the viability of probiotic strains as well as with the safe production, nutritional composition and acceptability of the new product. However, limited information is available on the microorganisms which can be used in functional food supplements, as well as how to use these microorganisms and generation of products. This review reports details of this information. The data from this review can be useful to support the development of new functional products, with microbial supplementation, for the market. Key words: Kefir, yeast, microalgae, lactic acid bacteria, probiotic.

This study aims to characterize the physicochemical properties of cocoa’s residual honey and evaluate its fermentative capacity as a substrate, using Saccharomyces cerevisiae AWRI726 as the starter culture for alcoholic fermentation. The research hypothesis was that cocoa’s residual honey can be used for the production of fermented beverages. Cocoa’s honey has 14.14 g.100 mL−1 of dry material, containing 11.80 g.100 mL−1 of carbohydrates and 1.20% crude protein, in addition to other minor components, such as pectin, lipids, and Fe, Mn, Na, and Zn, with a carbon-to-nitrogen (C/N) ratio (9.8) most suitable for fermentation. Fermentation at 20°C for 240 hours produced a liquid with 16% v/v ethanol (14 g.L−1 in 144 h). However, 24 hours of fermentation produced the maximum ethanol yield (0.373 g.g−1) and volumetric productivity (0.168 g.L−1.h−1), which were associated with a significant increase in the specific cell growth rate. Saccharomyces cerevisiae AWR1726 performed satisfactorily in the alcoholic fermentation of cocoa’s residual honey, similar to that observed in other fruit beverages, thus suggesting the suitability of cocoa’s residual honey for future commercial applications.

Cell immobilization comprises the retention of metabolically active cells inside a polymeric matrix. In this study, the production of jabuticaba (Myrciaria jaboticaba) vinegar using immobilized Acetobacter aceti and Gluconobacter oxydans cells is proposed as a new method to prevent losses of jabuticaba fruit surplus. The pulp of jabuticaba was processed and Saccharomyces cerevisiae CCMA 0200 was used to ferment the must for jabuticaba wine production. Sugars, alcohols (ethanol and glycerol) and organic acids were assayed by high-performance liquid chromatography. Volatile compounds were determined by gas chromatography-flame ionization detector. The ethanol content of the produced jabuticaba wine was approx. 74.8 g/L (9.5 % by volume) after 168 h of fermentation. Acetic acid fermentation for vinegar production was performed using a mixed culture of immobilized A. aceti CCT 0190 and G. oxydans CCMA 0350 cells. The acetic acid yield was 74.4 % and productivity was 0.29 g/(L·h). The vinegar had particularly high concentrations of citric (6.67 g/L), malic (7.02 g/L) and succinic (5.60 g/L) acids. These organic acids give a suitable taste and flavour to the vinegar. Seventeen compounds (aldehydes, higher alcohols, terpene, acetate, diether, furans, acids, ketones and ethyl esters) were identified in the jabuticaba vinegar. In conclusion, vinegar was successfully produced from jabuticaba fruits using yeast and immobilized mixed cultures of A. aceti and G. oxydans. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to use mixed culture of immobilized cells for the production of jabuticaba vinegar.

The nanoencapsulation of carotenoids is presented as a positive alternative to broaden the application of these pigments in the food industry. In this study, we investigated the use of yellow passion fruit albedo flour as an encapsulating material for the production of nanodispersions of carotenoid extract obtained from Spirulina sp. LEB 18. Nanodispersions were characterized for their physicochemical properties, antioxidant activity, stability, and retention of carotenoids after 60 days of storage (4 °C). The nanodispersions made from yellow passion fruit albedo flour and microalgae carotenoid extract presented an average particle diameter at the nanometer scale, high antioxidant activity, and carotenoid retention compared to nanodispersions containing synthetic β-carotene. Yellow passion fruit albedo flour as a polymeric material in the production of carotenoid nanodispersions is an alternative to commercial polymers and allows greater stability and broader application of these pigments.

The aim of this study was to develop a kefir apple-based vinegar and evaluate this fermentation process using new methodology with Biospeckle Laser. Brazilian kefir grains were inoculated in apple must for vinegar production. In this study, the microbial community present in kefir, and correspondent vinegar, was investigated using Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization - Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) technique. Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Lactobacillus paracasei, Lactobacillus plantarum, Acetobacter pasteurianus and Acetobacter syzygii were the microbial species identified. S. cerevisiae, L. plantarum, A. pasteurianus and A. syzygii were found in smaller quantities at the beginning of the alcoholic fermentation, but were found throughout the alcoholic and acetic fermentation. Kefir grains were able to utilize apple must as substrate to produce ethanol, and acetic acid. Acetate, volatile alcohols and aldehydes in the vinegar-based kefir were also produced. The yield of acetic acid in the kefir vinegars was ∼79%. The acetic acid concentration was ∼41 g L-1, reaching the required standard for the Brazilian legislation accepts it as vinegar (4.0% acetic acid). Kefir vinegar showed good acceptance in the sensory analysis. The technology proposed here is novel by the application of immobilized-cell biomass (kefir grains) providing a mixed inocula and eliminating the use of centrifuge at the end of the fermentative process. This step will save energy demand and investment. This is the first study to produce apple vinegar using kefir grains.

This work presents the biospeckle laser technique as a potential tool to analyse the kefir grains activity. In the present work, the kefir grains biological activity was measured from quantitative measurements by means of their speckle activity. The aim was to show that the biospeckle laser is a potential methodology to assess kefir grains viability, monitoring the kefir grains during the beverage production. The monitoring of the activity of the kefir is a key factor to guarantee the efficiency of the production of beverages, however the routine ways it is done compromise its use in the online production. The kefir grains were illuminated by a laser HeNe 17 mW 632 nm and analysed by the numerical biospeckle laser method. The results presented the statistical separation of the kefir in distinct levels of activity as expected. This can be an innovative technique to be used in the beverage industries for kefir grains inoculum control. Key words: Kefir, speckle activity, inoculum control.

A total of 307 yeasts strains were isolated from native Cerrado (Brazilian Savannah) soils collected at Passos, Luminarias and Arcos areas in Minas Gerais State, Brazil. The soils were chemically characterized. Ten yeast genera (Candida, Cryptococcus, Debaryomyces, Kazachstania, Kodamaea, Lindnera, Pichia, Schwanniomyces, Torulaspora and Trichosporon) and 23 species in both rainy and dry seasons were identified. All genera were abundant during the dry season. The pH values of the soil from the Passos, Luminarias and Arcos areas varied from 4.1 to 5.5. There were no significant differences in the concentrations of phosphorus, magnesium and organic matter in the soils among the studied areas. The Arcos area contained large amounts of aluminum during the rainy season and both hydrogen and aluminum in the rainy and dry seasons. The yeast populations identified seemed to be unaffected by the high levels of aluminum in the soil. The API ZYM® (BioMerieux, France) system was employed to characterize the extracellular enzymatic activity profiles of the yeast isolates. The results of the API ZYM® test showed differences in the extracellular enzyme profiles among the yeast species. Some isolates that belong to the same species showed enzymatic profiles that differed from one another. Our study is the first to describe yeasts isolated from Brazilian Cerrado soils from Minas Gerais State and demonstrates their ability to produce enzymes that may be of potential industrial interest. Key words: Enzymes, Brazilian soils, yeasts biodiversity, Cerrado.

This study describes the use of a nested PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) approach and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to monitor the microbial diversity and distribution involved in spontaneous box fermentation of cocoa beans in Brazil. The nearly complete 16S rRNA and 18S rRNA genes were amplified using universal primers, and the resulting products were subsequently used as a template in a nested PCR to obtain suitable fragments for DGGE. Only two bands corresponding to the yeast species Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Hanseniaspora sp. were detected throughout the fermentation process. Sequencing of purified 16S rDNA amplicons indicated Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus fermentum and Acetobacter sp. to be the major bacterial groups during the fermentation course. Other partial 16S rDNA sequences corresponded to close relatives of Lactobacillus sp., Bacillus sp., Bacillus licheniformis, Bacillus firmus, Frateuria aurantia, Tatumella ptyseos, Xanthomonas sp. and an uncultured bacterium. SEM showed a well-defined microbial succession that was initially dominated by lemon-shaped yeast cells growing in close association with Lactobacillus (long and curved), and subsequently surpassed by short bacilli-shaped cells. This is the first report of SEM being used for following the microbial distribution during cocoa fermentation. Therefore, the nested PCR-DGGE and SEM techniques seem to offer a relatively fast and reliable method in monitoring microbial diversity and distribution during cocoa fermentation, providing real-time information and theory basis for the development of the starter.

Biochemical and molecular analysis was used for identification of different kefir yeasts species from Brazil, Canada and the United States of America. The sugar/ethanol-resistant activity of the yeasts was evaluated. Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Kluyveromyces marxianus had the highest growth rates, suggesting biotechnological applications possible for these strains.