Funded under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), Mission 4 Component 2 Investment 1.3, Theme 10.
Funded under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), Mission 4 Component 2 Investment 1.3, Theme 10.
Detoxification pathways of lactic acid bacteria and yeast for the redu...
The task includes: a) the development of advanced predictive models describing the effects of uncontrolled or unexpected processing/storage conditions on chemical biological risks; b) the reduction of the allergenic potential/toxicity of foods
Innovative mitigation measures to reduce the risks through the application of bacterial pathogens challenges in food models. Tailored fermentation processes, based on QPS microorganisms (i.e., biocontrol agents, lactic acid bacteria, non-conventional yeasts, symbiotic culture of microorganisms) and hydrolysed food matrices, will be set-up and integrated in traditional food production protocols to increase food safety. Selected natural antimicrobials (e.g., essential oils) and hydrolysed raw matrices will be used to inactivate pathogens at food processing, storage, and retail levels.
Report on integrated methodologies for RA and RBA of novel foods (M30)
Protocol of innovative microbiological cultures and fermentation for food improvement.
Different bacteria’s and yeasts’ genomic functional traits are linked to specific degradation pathways responsible for the detoxification of contaminated environments (e.g. allergens, metals and mycotoxins) and are known to improve macro- and micronutrient bioavailability. The efficient reduction of environmental contaminants is of crucial importance in the detoxification processes and can be applied to traditional and novel foods in which the huge enzymatic portfolio of autochthonous lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and yeasts may be used in terms of bioremediation.
Functional differences in species-specific enzymatic activities related to trace element and toxic compound metabolism will be analysed. The genome-based knowledge resulting from the complete sequencing and annotation of strains collected in the microbial biobank, available as facility among the involved partners, will allow the comparison of the complex enzymatic portfolio. To test viability, robustness and resilience in presence of trace elements and environmental toxins, real time qPCR gene profiles of key genes will be obtained before and after supplementation with metals, toxicants and allergens. Moreover to monitor spatial chemotactic response to metals, culture media will be supplemented with trace elements at different concentrations. Additionally, evidence of LAB and yeasts changes in toxicant absorption and relative metabolisms will be detected by using spectrophotometric assays where the recorded absorbance profiles will be monitored and compared.
Definition of a consortia (LAB and yeasts) effective in detoxification of traditional plant-based and novel food substrates from toxicants and environmental contaminants.
The multi-omics approach will reveal differences in gene’ and transcript’ profiles fundamental for the metabolism of environmental contaminant and consequently impacting viability, resilience and robustness of key player LAB and yeast species.
