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This study aimed to assess the growth of spoilage bacteria in Brazilian vacuum-packed beef across different pH ranges (5.4-5.8, 5.8-6.1, ≥6.1) stored at temperatures of 0 °C, 4 °C, and 7 °C. Additionally, the research sought to identify predominant spoilage bacteria at the genus level using 16S rDNA gene sequencing and analyze the principal volatile organic compounds (VOCs) produced by this microbiota through HS-SPME/GC-MS. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) consistently exhibited counts exceeding 6.0 Log CFU/g, regardless of temperature and pH conditions. The bacterial diversity in the meat samples reflected the influence of slaughterhouse environments, with Pseudomonas and Serratia remaining dominant across different cuts and pH levels. Post-storage, variations in pH and temperature modulated the initial bacterial diversity, leading to a reduction in diversity and an increase in LAB such as Lactobacillus, Lactococcus, Leuconostoc, and Carnobacterium. Notably, these changes were observed within pH ranges of 5.4-5.8 and 5.8-6.1, irrespective of beef cuts and storage temperatures. Based on high throughput sequencing and VOCS, correlation analysis revealed a relationship between the growth of specific spoilage microorganisms under vacuum conditions and the presence of VOCs such as alcohols (e.g., 1-propanol, 2-methyl-) and ketones (e.g., 2-nonanone, 2-octanone, 2-heptanone), identifying them as potential indicators of spoilage bacteria growth., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Orange juice is widely consumed worldwide due to its sensory and nutritional characteristics. This beverage is susceptible to contamination by acidic-tolerant microorganisms due to its low pH, especially filamentous fungi and yeasts. To minimize fungal spoilage, companies usually submit juice to thermal treatments; sanitizers are also applied on surfaces to maintain the microbiological quality. This study aimed to identify potential contamination sources in a juice processing line and to verify the susceptibility of isolated yeasts and filamentous fungi to food-grade sanitizers. Also, their ability to form single and binary adherent cells was assessed. The results revealed the presence of fungi in all samplings performed, with the most prominent microorganisms identified as Paecilomyces variotii, P. paravariotii, Pichia kudriavzevii and Wickerhamomyces anomalus. After obtaining results for sanitizer resistance and adhesion ability of the isolates, these were submitted to multivariate analysis using hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), and two groups were found: one composed mostly of filamentous fungi (16/18) with low adhesion potential and one group formed by yeasts with high adhesion ability and resistance to sanitizers. Microscopy images corroborate those data, demonstrating the importance of yeast cell agglomerates along germinated spores of filamentous fungi and the importance of adhered biomass to protect cells against the sanitizers tested. This study is the first to combine fungi isolated from a beverage processing line and aims to contribute to the current knowledge of fungal adhesion and sanitizer resistance., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

This study aimed to evaluate the behavior of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PSA) in natural mineral water sourced from three different extraction wells and stored at various temperatures (10, 12, 20, 23, and 30 °C) to calculate the kinetic growth parameters of this microorganism through predictive modeling. The physicochemical characterization of waters was also evaluated at the time of collection, and included the analysis of 40 different minerals, and quality parameters such as pH, conductivity, oxidation-reduction potential (ORP), total dissolved solids (TDS), salinity (PSU), and temperature (T). PSA survived in raw mineral water incubated at 12, 20, 23, and 30 °C; however, no growth was observed at 10 °C. Growth curves started with an initial population of ∼ 2.5-3 log CFU/mL, and final PSA populations ranged from 3.5 to 4.9 log CFU/mL. The maximum specific growth rate (μ max ) at 30 °C varied among the wells, with Well P-07 showing the highest growth rate (0.2 h -1 ), followed by Well P-08 (0.195 h -1 ) and well P-01 (0.133 h -1 ). At 12 °C, well P-01 exhibited the highest growth rate (μ max  = 0.22 h -1 ), indicating a influence of mineral composition in the growth of PSA. The lag time (λ) also varied, with minimum values of 2.4 ± 0.1 h at 30 °C and maximum values of 41.6 ± 0.2 h at 12 °C. From these primary estimated parameters, it was possible to obtain five robust secondary models to describe the influence of temperature on the maximum growth rates and lag phase of PSA in the well. The estimated PSA growth parameters at 20 and 23 °C were subjected to a hierarchical cluster analysis and correlation plots to verify the influence of the physicochemical composition of the waters on the PSA behavior at each well's specific annual average temperature. This analysis confirmed a positive relationship (p < 0.05) between the presence of minerals (Ca, Fe, Sr, Mn, Na) and ions (SO 4 -3 , Cl - ) and the PSA lag phase time. These results underscore the need for tailored water quality management strategies that consider chemical composition and temperature to address specific microbial contamination risks., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

This study presents comprehensive insights into the microbiological profile across all concentrated chicken broth processing stages, utilizing a combination of amplicon sequencing based on metataxonomic and culturing techniques. Samples were systematically collected throughout the production chain, with each batch yielding 10 samples per day across eight different dates. These samples underwent thorough analysis, including 16S rRNA and ITS sequencing (n = 30), culture-dependent microbiological tests (n = 40), and physical-chemical characterization (n = 10). Culturing analysis revealed the absence of Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella spp. at any stage of processing, counts of various microorganisms such as molds, yeasts, Enterobacteria, and others remained below detection limits. Notably, spore counts of selected bacterial groups were observed post-processing, indicating the persistence of certain species, including Bacillus cereus and Clostridium perfringens, albeit in low counts. Furthermore, the study identified a diverse array of bacterial and fungal species throughout the processing chain, with notable occurrence of spore-forming bacteria. The presence of spore-forming bacteria in the final product, despite thermal processing, suggests the need for enhanced strategies to mitigate their introduction and persistence in the processing premises. Thus, this study offers valuable insights into microbial dynamics and diversity through processing concentrated chicken broth., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Microbiologically contaminated water is a significant source of infections in humans and animals, with Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PSA) being particularly concerning due to its ability to thrive in water environments and its resistance to many disinfectants. Therefore, this study investigates the adhesion potential of PSA strains on various materials used in mineral water extraction wells, focusing on hydrophobic and hydrophilic properties. Mineral water samples were collected from three wells (P-01, P-07, and P-08) within the Guarani Aquifer System and Fractured Aquifer System (SAF) in Brazil. The physicochemical properties of the water, including concentrations of Sr (strontium), Fe (iron), Si (silicon), SO 4 2- (sulfate ions), Cl - (chloride ions), and ORP (oxidation-reduction potential), were analyzed. Results indicated higher PSA adhesion on hydrophobic materials, particularly high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and geomechanically plasticized polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Multiple correlation analyses revealed positive correlations between PSA adhesion on hydrophilic materials and Sr, Fe, Si, SO 4 2- , and Cl - concentrations. Conversely, ORP negatively correlated with bacterial adhesion on PVC surfaces, suggesting higher ORP values reduced PSA attachment. These findings highlight the importance of water composition and material properties in influencing bacterial adhesion and potential biofilm formation in mineral water extraction systems.

Although less studied than bacterial biota, the presence of yeast during the artisanal cheese's production is of fundamental importance. Yeasts can prevent the growth of undesirable species in the cheese's core and surface and actively participate in the aromatic development of these products. On the other hand, reintroducing the most abundant yeast species can help mitigate potential health risks related to artisanal production. The main objective of this study was to carry out an extensive mapping of the cultivable yeast diversity present in the central Brazilian artisanal cheeses (n = 582 cheese samples). Torulasporadelbrueckii, Candidaparapsilosis, Candidazeylanoides, Yarrowialipolytica, Debaryomycesprosopidis, and Kluyveromyceslactis were amongst the 300 clusters detected, respectively. In Canastra, Cerrado, and Serro-type cheeses, the predominant species was T.delbrueckii, while in Coalho and Manteiga cheeses, Y.lipolytica was the main species detected. The findings of this study reveal the yeast cultivable diversity present in a large set of Brazilian artisanal cheeses. Furthermore, these data can serve as a basis for promoting new Brazilian origin designation policies based on microbiological data., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The present study aimed to assess the occurrence and counts of Staphylococcus aureus in Brazilian artisanal cheeses (BAC) produced in five regions of Brazil: Coalho and Manteiga (Northeast region); Colonial and Serrano (South); Caipira (Central-West); Marajó (North); and Minas Artisanal cheeses, from Araxá, Campos das Vertentes, Cerrado, Serro and Canastra microregions (Southeast). The resistance to chlorine-based sanitizers, ability to attach to stainless steel surfaces, and antibiogram profile of a large set of S. aureus strains (n = 585) were assessed. Further, a total of 42 isolates were evaluated for the presence of enterotoxigenic genes (sea, seb, sec, sed, see, seg, sei, sej, and ser) and submitted to typing using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). BAC presented high counts of S. aureus (3.4-6.4 log CFU/g), varying from 25 to 62.5%. From the S. aureus strains (n = 585) assessed, 16% could resist 200 ppm of sodium hypochlorite, whereas 87.6% produced strong ability to attach to stainless steel surfaces, corroborating with S. aureus ability to persist and spread in the environment. Furthermore, the relatively high frequency (80.5%) of multidrug-resistant S. aureus and the presence of enterotoxin genes in 92.6% of the strains is of utmost attention. It reveals the lurking threat of SFP that can survive when conditions are favorable. The presence of enterotoxigenic and antimicrobial-resistant strains of S. aureus in cheese constitutes a potential risk to public health. This result calls for better control of cheese contamination sources, and taking hygienic measures is necessary for food safety. More attention should be paid to animal welfare and hygiene practices in some dairy farms during manufacturing to enhance the microbiological quality of traditional cheese products., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This study aimed to evaluate technological (acidification, proteolysis, lipolysis, resistance to low pH, NaCl, and bile salts) and biopreservation (antimicrobial activity against foodborne pathogens) features of 1002 LAB by high throughput screening (HTS) methods. The LAB was isolated from 11 types of Brazilian artisanal cheeses (BAC) marketed in the main 5 producing regions. Remarkable intra-species variability in acidification rates have been found, which was most pronounced between isolates from Mina's artisanal cheeses, Caipira and Coalho cheeses. Lacticaseibacillus paracasei and Levilactobacillus brevis showed the fastest acidification rate; however, all isolates showed slower acidification rates than a lactococcal control strain (4.3 × lower). When testing inhibitory effects, > 75% of LAB isolates could inhibit the growth of Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 19095 and Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 7644. Two of these isolates, identified as Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and Lentilactobacillus buchneri, the sterile and neutral supernatants alone, were sufficient to inhibit L. monocytogenes growth. Principal component analysis (PCA) allowed the identification of functional groups based on proteolytic and lipolytic activity, osmotic stress resistance, and inhibition of L. monocytogenes. The type of cheese the isolates were recovered from influenced properties such as anti-listerial compounds and lipolytic enzyme production. The use of HTS and multivariate statistics allowed insights into a diverse set of LAB technological and biopreservation properties. These findings allow a profound knowledge of the heterogeneity of a large set of isolates, which can be further used to design starter cultures with varied and combined properties, such as biopreservation and technological features. Besides that, HTS makes it possible to analyze a vast panel of LAB strains, reducing costs and time within laboratory analysis, while avoiding the loss of information once all LAB are tested at the same time (differently from the traditional labor-intensive approach, in which a few numbers of strains is tested per time)., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The effect of different types of sugar (sucrose, demerara, brown, fructose, coconut sugar, and honey) on sheep milk kefir was evaluated. Microbial counts (Lactobacillus, Lactococcus, Leuconostoc, yeast), antagonistic activity against foodborne pathogens, microstructure (scanning electron microscopy), and antiproliferative activity of cancer cells were evaluated. Furthermore, the antioxidant activity (DPPH), inhibitory activity of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), α-amylase, and α-glucosidase, lactose content, lactic and acetic acids and ethanol, fatty acid profile and volatile organic compounds were determined. The addition of sugars increased the Lactobacillus population (up to 2.24 log CFU/mL), metabolites concentration, antagonistic activity against pathogens, antioxidant activity (11.1 to 24.1%), ACE inhibitory activity (27.5 to 37.6%), α-amylase inhibition (18 to 37.4%), and anti-proliferative activity. Furthermore, it improved the fatty acid profile and volatile compounds. The results suggest that the replacement of sucrose with different types of sugar constitute an interesting option to be used in sheep milk kefir formulations., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The survival kinetics of Listeria monocytogenes (9 log CFU/mL) as a post-fermentation contaminant in probiotic fermented milk (Lactobacillus acidophilus La-5, 8-9 log CFU/mL) processed with milk subjected to ohmic heating (0, 4, 6, and 8 V/cm; CONV, OH 4 , OH 6 , OH 8 , 90-95 °C/5 min) was investigated using Weibull predictive model. Additionally, the presence of bioactive compounds (antioxidant activity, inhibition of the enzymes α-glucosidase, α-amylase, and angiotensin-converting) and sensory analysis (consumer test) of probiotic fermented milks were evaluated. Overall, OH provided a decrease in the viability of Listeria monocytogenes, suitable Lactobacillus acidophilus counts, and satisfactory results in the gastrointestinal tract survival. The Weibull model presented an excellent fit to the data of all conditions. Furthermore, lower δ values (217-298 against 665 h, CONV), and increased R 2 values (0.99 against 0.98, CONV) were obtained for the OH-treated samples, emphasizing the best performance of OH data. In addition, OH improved the generation of bioactive compounds as well as the sensory acceptance. Indeed, considering functional and safety purposes, OH presented as an interesting technology to be used in milk for manufacturing probiotic fermented milk., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The increased consumption of plant-based foods has intensified the concern related to mycotoxin intoxication. This study aimed to investigate the effect of selected lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains on the growth of Aspergillus parasiticus NRRL 2999 and its production of aflatoxin (AF). The ability of the heat-killed (100°C for 1 h) LAB strains to bind aflatoxin M 1 (AFM 1 ) in milk and aflatoxin B 1 (AFB 1 ), ochratoxin A (OTA), and zearalenone (ZEN) in potassium phosphate buffer (PPB) was also evaluated in vitro . Ten LAB strains were tested individually, by inoculating them simultaneously with the fungus or after incubation of the fungus for 24 or 48 h at 25°C. Double layer yeast extract sucrose (YES) agar, de Man Rogosa and Sharpe (MRS) agar, and YES broth were incubated for 7 days at 25°C to follow the development of the fungus. Levilactobacillus spp. 3QB398 and Levilactobacillus brevis 2QB422 strains were able to delay the growth of A. parasiticus in YES broth, even when these strains were inoculated 24 h after the fungus. The inhibitory effect of these LAB strains was confirmed by the reduction of fungus colony size, suggesting dominance of LAB by competition (a Lotka-Voltera effect). The production of AFB 1 by A. parasiticus was inhibited when the fungus was inoculated simultaneously with Lactiplantibacillus plantarum 3QB361 or L. plantarum 3QB350. No AFB 1 was found when Levilactobacillus spp. 2QB383 was present, even when the LAB was inoculated 48 h after the fungus. In binding studies, seven inactivated LAB strains were able to promote a reduction of at least 50% the level of AFB 1 , OTA, and ZEN. This reduction varied depending on the pH of the PPB. In milk, however, only two inactivated LAB strains were able to reduce AFM 1 , with a reduction of 33 and 45% for Levilactobacillus spp. 3QB398 ( Levilactobacillus spp.) and L. brevis 2QB422, respectively. Nevertheless, these results clearly indicate the potential of using LAB for mycotoxin reduction., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Møller, Freire, Rosim, Margalho, Balthazar, Franco, Sant’Ana, Corassin, Rattray and Oliveira.)

The increasing interest in products with functional properties has encouraged the search for new lactic acid bacteria (LAB) present in natural sources, as traditional fermented foods. In this study, a large set of wild LAB isolates (n = 220) from Brazilian artisanal cheeses (BAC) were assessed for their probiotic and biopreservation potential. First, the rational selection was performed. From the tested isolates, 92 (41.8 %) were resistant to low pH (2 and 3). These isolates were submitted to bile salt (0.4 % Oxgall powder) resistance, and 22 were selected and submitted to adhesion assays. The autoaggregation values ranged from 68.5-99% and were considered moderate to high (20-70 %). Hydrophobicity values varied significantly between LAB (5.0-64.3%), and seven isolates presented values higher than 40 %. All selected LAB (n=22) were capable of adhering to Caco-2 (> 70 %) cells, and none isolate displayed any tested gene for biogenic amine production. Most isolates (18/22) showed less than 1 log CFU reduction after passage through the simulated gastrointestinal tract (GIT) conditions. A total of twenty isolates satisfied key in vitro criteria to be considered as probiotics. A hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) was performed, and two clusters were observed, showing high variability between Lactobacillus plantarum isolates regarding adhesion properties and survival to GIT stress and one influence of the source of isolation on these properties. After screening, the antimicrobial activity of Lb. plantarum (1QB77) was tested in microcheeses in which survival of two relevant pathogenic bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes) was monitored along ripening and after a simulated GIT passage, concomitantly. L. plantarum (1QB77) has shown the ability to reach high counts (∼ 9 log CFU/g) at the end of ripening. This isolate was also able to reduce counts of S. aureus and L. monocytogenes in microcheeses in approx. 2.3 and 2.5 log CFU/g, respectively, until the 21st day of ripening; and about 3.2 and 3.5 log CFU/g after simulated GIT passage. Overall, the assessment of the probiotic properties of a large set of LAB was fundamental for gaining insights on the technological, functional, and potential regional traits of wild LAB isolates that can be used to develop starter cultures for tailored applications., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

In this study a total of 220 isolates of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) recovered from 10 types of Brazilian artisanal cheeses marketed in 4 main regions of Brazil were evaluated regarding their safety and ability to produce diacetyl (a precursor of aromatic compounds), exopolysaccharides (EPS; from different sugar sources), and antagonistic activity against Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus. The results indicated that 131 isolates (59.6%) were classified as strong (40.5%) and moderate (19.1%) diacetyl producers; 28 isolates (12.7%) stood out due to their remarkable production of EPS from different sugars, including sucrose (3.2%), fructose (2.3%), lactose (2.3%), and glucose (6%). Furthermore, 94.1% and 95.9% of isolates presented antagonistic activity against S. aureus and L. monocytogenes, respectively, even though only 27 isolates (12.3%) exhibited positive results in the bacteriocin production test. None of the isolates tested presented hemolytic activity, and 117 were classified as safe, due to their intrinsic resistance to a maximum of 4 different antibiotics. The data obtained for assessment of antibiogram profile and technological potential (moderate and high production of diacetyl, EPS, and bacteriocins) were submitted to a multiple correspondence analysis to correlate them with the cheese of isolation. Regarding the antimicrobial profile of LAB strains, it was possible to verify an association between isolates from Minas artisanal cheeses from Araxá and resistance to tetracycline; Minas artisanal cheeses from Serro and resistance to erythromycin; Coalho and Minas artisanal cheese from Cerrado and resistance to penicillin; and isolates from Serrano and Colonial cheeses with clindamycin and ceftazidime resistance. Although the susceptibility of strains to these antibiotics was considered high (71.8-80.5%), these data may be related to the horizontal transfer of genes in the production chain of these cheeses. Results of multiple correspondence analysis also showed that isolates with antagonistic activity were mostly isolated from Manteiga, Colonial, and Coalho cheeses. The isolates with high or moderate EPS-producer ability from sucrose, glucose, and fructose were mainly associated with Minas artisanal cheeses from Cerrado. In contrast, isolates with high or moderate EPS-producer ability from lactose were isolated from Serrano, Minas artisanal cheeses from Canastra, and Campo das Vertentes microregions. Finally, isolates from Minas artisanal cheeses (from Araxá microregion), Coalho, and Caipira cheeses were associated with moderate/high diacetyl production. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this study provides, for the first time, data indicating that the dominant technological, biopreservative, and safety properties of LAB isolates can be correlated with the type of Brazilian artisanal cheeses, which denotes its singularity. This knowledge is of utmost relevance for the development of starter or adjunct cultures with tailored properties., (The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. and Fass Inc. on behalf of the American Dairy Science Association®. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).)

Background: Leprosy has a global presence; more than 180 thousand new cases were registered in 2013, 15% of which were found in the Americas. The elderly are a very susceptible demographic in terms of developing illnesses, mainly because of characteristics natural to the senescence of the human organism. This study's goals were to analyze leprosy in an elderly population from a hyperendemic region of the Brazilian Amazon in a historical series from 2004 to 2013 and to determine the clinical and epidemiological profile of a series of leprosy cases of elderly people in the period spanning from 2009 to 2013., Methods: To achieve these goals, an observational, longitudinal, retrospective and descriptive study was put together to analyze leprosy in elderly people from data acquired from the Notification Aggravations Information System. Furthermore, a profile of the disease from a retrospective cohort based on data collected from medical records was developed., Results: The number of new cases and the leprosy detection rate decreased across the observed period but remained stable among the elderly. The trend for the next ten years indicates decreases in the number of cases and in the detection rate in the general population and an increase in only the elderly. The overall profile was characterized by a predominance of males (64.32%), the multibacillary clinical form (87.57%), Type 1 reaction episodes (37.50%) and some physical incapacity at diagnosis (49.19%). The risk of reaction was greater in the first six months of multidrug therapy, and the positive result from the skin smear was associated with the greater chance of reactional condition development., Conclusions: The resulting data demonstrate that leprosy amongst the elderly deserves attention because of the increased susceptibility to disability in this age group, with their higher risk of reaction and their greater level of co-morbidity., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Artisanal raw milk cheeses are highly appreciated dairy products in Brazil and ensuring their microbiological safety has been a great need. This study reports the isolation and characterization of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains with anti-listerial activity, and their effects on Listeria monocytogenes during refrigerated shelf-life of soft Minas cheese and ripening of semi-hard Minas cheese. LAB strains (n = 891) isolated from Minas artisanal cheeses (n = 244) were assessed for anti-listerial activity by deferred antagonism assay at 37 °C and 7 °C. The treatments comprised the production of soft or semi-hard Minas cheeses using raw or pasteurized milk, and including the addition of selected LAB only [Lactobacillus brevis 2-392, Lactobacillus plantarum 1-399 and 4 Enterococcus faecalis (1-37, 2-49, 2-388 and 1-400)], L. monocytogenes only, selected LAB co-inoculated with L. monocytogenes, or without any added cultures. At 37 °C, 48.1% of LAB isolates showed anti-listerial capacity and 77.5% maintained activity at 7 °C. Selected LAB strains presented a bacteriostatic effect on L. monocytogenes in soft cheese. L. monocytogenes was inactivated during the ripening of semi-hard cheeses by the mix of LAB added. Times to attain a 4 log-reduction of L. monocytogenes were 15 and 21 days for semi-hard cheeses produced with raw and pasteurized milk, respectively. LAB with anti-listerial activity isolated from artisanal Minas cheeses can comprise an additional barrier to L. monocytogenes growth during the refrigerated storage of soft cheese and help shorten the ripening period of semi-hard cheeses aged at ambient temperature., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The viability and survival of Lactobacillus acidophilus La5 under in vitro simulated gastrointestinal in probiotic dairy dessert was assessed. In addition, the effects of regular consumption of the dessert (5g/day) on the lipid profile, immune system, and antioxidant/biochemical status of Wistar rats were also evaluated after 2weeks of treatment. Adequate counts of L. acidophilus La-5 were observed regards the viability and gastrointestinal conditions. The probiotic dairy dessert was efficient in reducing the LDL-cholesterol, triacylglycerol and increased the HDL-cholesterol in serum. Aspartate amino transferase, alanine aminotransferase, total protein, albumin, heat shock proteins, immune system responses, and blood-cells counts (monocyte, lymphocyte, neutrophil and leucocyte) were not affected (p>0.05) after 15days of treatment. Overall, the probiotic dairy dessert may be a viable alternative to enhance the blood lipid profile and could be used to improve the antioxidant defenses., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)