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.
Lactic acid bacteria bioconversion of food-industry by-products: a pro...
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.
Development of innovative additive(s) with reduced allergenic potential (M24)
Protocol of innovative microbiological cultures and fermentation for food improvement.
There are many critical challenges in the use of primary and secondary cultures and their biological compounds in food commodities. An alternative is the application of postbiotics from the starter and protective lactic acid bacteria (LAB). The word “postbiotics” is currently used to refer to bioactive compounds, which did not fit the traditional definitions of probiotics, prebiotics, and paraprobiotics. Postbiotics prepared from LAB contain several bioactive metabolites such as organic acids, short-chain fatty acids, carbohydrates, antimicrobial peptides, enzymes, vitamins, cofactors, immune-signaling compounds, and complex agents. Owing to their preservative and antimicrobial effects, postbiotics (organic acids, bacteriocin and antimicrobial peptides) are promising natural components for the food industry.
Antimicrobial compounds (organic acids, polyphenols, bacteriocin and peptides), obtained from bioconversion of food-industry by-products produced by probiotic Lactobacillus spp, will be identified and characterised for their relevant antibacterial and antifungal action, without cytotoxic action on human cells. The postbiotics will be also selected for their ability to inhibit in labscale foodborne pathogenic bacteria (e.g. Listeria monocytogenes, Bacillus cereus, E. coli, Clostridium botulinum, Salmonella) and provide a protection against spoilage microbiota such as Pseudomonas, Enterobacteriaceae, yeasts and moulds. This will allow to identify the dose/response relationship and the best protection effect. Different postbiotic combinations/concentration will be optimised. Control of foodborne pathogens will be considered in specific challenge studies. Testing of the best performing peptides in industrial conditions using experimental approaches designed to provide quantitative data to determine a statistically significant shelf-life increase, spoilage reduction and pathogens control, together with the maintenance of the original organoleptic quality of the product.
To investigate the prospect of harnessing postbiotics from LAB as antibiofilm agents, antifungal and antibacterial activity, the reduction rate of pathogenic/spoilage microorganisms by the use of a known dose will be evaluated. Moreover the durability in different food matrices will be also considered, as well as the potential toxicity at the concentration of use and the interference with other food ingredients.
