Food microbiology最新文献

{"title":"Geographical origin authentication of whole garlic using 16S ribosomal RNA profiling of garlic microbiota and machine learning","authors":"Zhihan Xian ,&nbsp;Shaoting Li ,&nbsp;David A. Mann ,&nbsp;Xiangyu Deng","doi":"10.1016/j.fm.2026.105039","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fm.2026.105039","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Food fraud through false declarations of geographical origin poses major economic and regulatory challenges, particularly for commodities subject to trade restrictions or premium provenance labeling. Fresh garlic (<em>Allium sativum</em> L.), a globally traded crop, is vulnerable to origin fraud because of long-standing antidumping duties on Chinese imports to the United States. Here, we present a proof-of-concept study demonstrating that microbiota profiling provides a robust and accessible alternative to conventional chemometric approaches for garlic origin authentication. We characterized the surface bacterial communities of 153 garlic samples collected between 2021 and 2024 from China (n = 60), the United States (n = 50), and multiple other countries (n = 43) using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. Comparative analyses revealed significant differences in alpha and beta diversity across countries, with U.S. samples exhibiting the highest microbial richness and Chinese samples the lowest. Dimensionality reduction methods showed clear clustering by country of origin, supporting the presence of distinct microbial signatures. Machine-learning classifiers trained on 16S profiles achieved &gt;0.87 accuracy across Random Forest, k-nearest neighbors, logistic regression, and support vector machine models using only five genus-level microbial features. Multi-year sampling confirmed that these microbial signals remained stable across harvest seasons. Differential abundance analyses further identified ecologically relevant taxa driving country-level separation. Together, these results establish microbiota profiling as an additional laboratory tool to help investigate garlic origin fraud.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12399,"journal":{"name":"Food microbiology","volume":"137 ","pages":"Article 105039"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146034772","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Aroma modulation of wet Spirulina by a microbial consortium: Deciphering the role of community succession and metabolic pathways","authors":"Kerui Su ,&nbsp;Feihang Wang ,&nbsp;Anqi Zhao ,&nbsp;Beixiao Zhang ,&nbsp;Zhihao Fan ,&nbsp;Qi Wang ,&nbsp;Xuejing Duan ,&nbsp;Hanyu Dong ,&nbsp;A.E. Solovchenko ,&nbsp;Ayesha Shahid ,&nbsp;Jingliang Xu","doi":"10.1016/j.fm.2026.105043","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fm.2026.105043","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The commercialization of wet <em>Spirulina</em> is severely hindered by its rapid spoilage and the development of fishy off-flavors (e.g., trimethylamine, indole) by its endogenous microbiota. This study pioneered a microbial ecosystem engineering strategy using a multi-strain consortium to address this issue. Fermentation with Effective Microorganisms (EM) consortium (achieving 8.48 log CFU/mL and a final pH of 3.67) triggered a dramatic microbial succession, effectively suppressing native spoilage bacteria and protists while enriching a functional consortium dominated by <em>B. subtilis, S. fibuligera,</em> and <em>D. hansenii</em>. This ecological remodeling significantly enhanced nutritional quality, increasing total free amino acids from 420 mg/L to 1568.54 mg/L, total essential amino acids from 140 mg/L to 288.20 mg/L, and hydroxyl radical scavenging activity by 33.82 % compared to the unfermented group. Concurrently, it drove a flavor revolution, quantitatively replacing undesirable volatiles with pleasant, fruity, and floral compounds, which was corroborated by peak sensory acceptability on fourth day of fermentation. Key aroma-active contributors included phenylethyl alcohol (floral, 218.82 μg/kg), ethyl butyrate (fruity, 100.95 μg/kg), and benzeneacetaldehyde (fruity, floral, 99.16 μg/kg). Additionally, EM consortium fermentation significantly inhibits the accumulation of biogenic amines, such as putrescine, cadaverine, and spermine. Mechanistically, integrated analysis of microbial community and metabolome analysis revealed that the functional microbiota upregulated 2-oxocarboxylic acid metabolism and the shikimate pathway for aromatic amino acid biosynthesis, funneling these precursors into the Ehrlich pathway for efficient conversion into key acidic and alcoholic VOCs. This research clarified the correlation between targeted microbial succession and flavor regulation, providing a mechanistic framework for transforming wet <em>Spirulina</em> targeted fermentation into palatable components for novel food applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12399,"journal":{"name":"Food microbiology","volume":"137 ","pages":"Article 105043"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146073588","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Adaptive hydrophobicity shifts in Listeria monocytogenes under subinhibitory exposure to benzalkonium chloride, peracetic acid and sodium hypochlorite","authors":"Aminta Vega-Sánchez,&nbsp;Josep-Maria deDios-Pont,&nbsp;Paula Cruz-Vera,&nbsp;Carolina Ripolles-Avila","doi":"10.1016/j.fm.2025.105035","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fm.2025.105035","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The phospholipid layer is central to <em>Listeria monocytogenes</em> tolerance to disinfectants. We profiled surface hydrophobicity by Microbial Adhesion to Solvents (MATS) in 19 strains, tested in wild type and after adaptation to ½ MIC of benzalkonium chloride (BKC), peracetic acid (PAA), or sodium hypochlorite (SHY). We first compared two hydrocarbons for MATS (<em>i.e.</em> xylene <em>vs</em> hexadecane) to optimize solvent choice. Wild strains measured with xylene clustered near zero or negative affinity, whereas hexadecane shifted distributions to positive values with lower intra-strain variability. Across three representative strains adapted to each disinfectant, hexadecane showed significantly greater affinity than xylene (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.001), and overall solvent effects were significant (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05), supporting hexadecane as the analytical solvent. Using hexadecane, wild strains were weakly hydrophobic (&lt;20 % MATS) and not different among themselves (<em>P</em> &gt; 0.05). BKC adaptation produced minimal change as most strains remained &lt;20 %; the only shift to moderate hydrophobicity was S2-1 (22.32 ± 2.57 %). Adaptation to PAA increased hydrophobicity in a subset of strains, being EDG-e, A7, and S2bac the ones that reached intermediate levels (26.87 ± 7.02 % to 49.46 ± 11.00 %) whereas 11 of the 19 strains remained below 20 %. SHY drove the largest changes with 11/19 strains transitioning to strong hydrophobicity (&gt;50 %), with MATS means ranging from 50.58 ± 18.75 % to 73.54 ± 7.64 %. Moreover, four strains (<em>i.e.</em> CECT 5672, 4423, R6, S1(R)) stayed weakly hydrophobic (6.64 ± 39.49 % to 17.97 ± 23.61 %), and two (Lm4, Lm5) were moderate (20–50 %). Overall, adaptation to subinhibitory disinfectant concentrations revealed distinct, strain-dependent surface responses that may influence bacterial persistence potential. These findings contribute to understanding how routine disinfectant exposure can shape the phenotypic resilience of <em>L. monocytogenes</em>, providing insights relevant to food safety management and contamination control in food-processing environments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12399,"journal":{"name":"Food microbiology","volume":"137 ","pages":"Article 105035"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145922794","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Uncovering genetic and phenotypic diversity connections in Lachancea thermotolerans: impact on wine aromatics","authors":"Theo R. Jacobs ,&nbsp;Stéphanie Rollero ,&nbsp;Arnaud Delaherche ,&nbsp;Mathabatha E. Setati ,&nbsp;Benoit Divol","doi":"10.1016/j.fm.2026.105048","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fm.2026.105048","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Lachancea thermotolerans</em> is increasingly valued in winemaking for its ability to enhance acidity through lactic acid production, reduce acetic acid, and improve aroma complexity, among other beneficial traits. It has considerable strain variability offering opportunities, but necessitates thorough characterisation to select strains suited to specific oenological applications. Although high intraspecific genetic and phenotypic diversity has been reported, the relationship between the two remains unclear. This study aimed to genetically profile 20 <em>Lachancea</em> isolates from the SAGWRI microbial collection using microsatellite typing (and SAU-PCR where relevant) and to evaluate their phenotypic diversity in sterile Chenin blanc fermentations. The isolates were successfully differentiated into nine genetic groups. Phenotypic screening also revealed significant variability in fermentation kinetics, primary metabolites, and secondary metabolites, which generally aligned with the genetic groupings —with a few exceptions— indicating a clear genotype-phenotype link. Surprisingly, only five of the strains produced lactic acid, despite it being a metabolic marker of <em>L. thermotolerans</em>. Of these, two strains produced excessively high levels (∼9 g/L), significantly lowering pH. All strains yielded less ethanol and more succinic acid than <em>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</em> strain SafOeno™ CKS102, and several consumed over 50% of initial malic acid. Secondary metabolite profiling showed elevated levels of higher alcohols and fruity esters in some strains. Interestingly, some also produced high levels of terpenes and aldehydes, which are underexplored in <em>L. thermotolerans</em>, suggesting further potential to enhance aroma complexity. These findings advance understanding of <em>L. thermotolerans</em> strain diversity and highlight untapped potential for selecting strains with desirable traits for tailored wine production.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12399,"journal":{"name":"Food microbiology","volume":"137 ","pages":"Article 105048"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146188843","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Polymorphism exploration of Schizosaccharomyces japonicus strains based on single nucleotide polymorphism and phenotypic analysis","authors":"Zhanyan Zhang ,&nbsp;Chunxiao Wang ,&nbsp;Cheng Wu ,&nbsp;Yuxuan Zhang ,&nbsp;Qiming Wang ,&nbsp;Angxin Song ,&nbsp;Yuangen Wu ,&nbsp;Shuyi Qiu","doi":"10.1016/j.fm.2026.105044","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fm.2026.105044","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Strain polymorphism of non-<em>Saccharomyces</em> has not yet been fully explored due to the limitation of genome information compared to <em>Saccharomyces</em> yeast. This study targeted <em>Schizosaccharomyces japonicus</em> (<em>S. japonicus</em>) for polymorphism exploration. On one hand, single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) primers with short-amplicon target were newly designed based on genome-wide SNP variations, and could discriminate strains from different isolation sources. Primer <em>S. japonicus</em>-3 could classify 195 strains into 13 haplotypes, and the haplotypes TA and TCA checked by primer <em>S. japonicus</em>-3 only presented in <em>S. japonicus</em> isolates from spontaneous fermentation of the Ziqiu variety of grape. On the other hand, high polysaccharide production and high flocculence in <em>S. japonicus</em> correlated with specific haplotypes: GC and TTA were exclusively detected in polysaccharide high producing strains, while TC and CA were uniquely associated with high flocculence phenotypes. This study provides a new method for the strain differentiation of <em>S. japonicus</em>, and would be helpful for the application of <em>S. japonicus</em> in wine industry.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12399,"journal":{"name":"Food microbiology","volume":"137 ","pages":"Article 105044"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146073583","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prevalence of foodborne pathogens and indicator microorganisms on Arizona and California grown commercial cantaloupe melons and in environmental samples","authors":"Richard Park ,&nbsp;David Rowlands ,&nbsp;Libin Zhu ,&nbsp;Victoria Obergh ,&nbsp;Martin Porchas ,&nbsp;Paul Brierley ,&nbsp;Kevin Crosby ,&nbsp;Mendel Friedman ,&nbsp;Tom Turini ,&nbsp;Bhimanagouda Patil ,&nbsp;Kerry K. Cooper ,&nbsp;Sadhana Ravishankar","doi":"10.1016/j.fm.2025.105023","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fm.2025.105023","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In the United States, California and Arizona are the two main cantaloupe melon producing states. However, there have been multiple multistate foodborne outbreaks linked to cantaloupe melons. In this study, a total of 428 cantaloupe melon composites (1284 fruits total) and their respective environmental samples, including 87 soil, 87 rhizosphere, 56 air and 18 water samples, were collected and tested for the prevalence of foodborne pathogens as well as indicator microorganisms from 11 different fields in Arizona and two fields in California. Arizona samples were collected in 2018, 2019 and 2021 and California samples were collected in 2019. Commercial cantaloupe melons grown in Arizona had enterococci and coliform populations ranging between &lt;1 and 6.13 and &lt;1–7.45 Log CFU/melon, respectively. Enterococci populations ranged between &lt;1 and 5.89 Log CFU/sample for Arizona environmental samples. Coliform counts for Arizona field environmental samples ranged between &lt;1 and 7.47 Log CFU/sample. California commercial cantaloupe melons had enterococci and coliform populations ranging between &lt;1–5.70 Log CFU/melon and &lt;1−&gt;8.57 Log CFU/melon, respectively. Coliform and enterococci counts ranged from &lt;1−&gt;7.78 Log CFU/sample and &lt;1–5.29 Log CFU/sample for California field environmental samples, respectively. No <em>Escherichia coli</em> O157:H7<em>, Listeria</em> species, or <em>Salmonella enterica</em> were detected in any melon, rhizosphere, soil, or air samples from either Arizona or California. This information helps in understanding the risk of contamination from <em>Salmonella</em>, <em>Listeria</em> species and <em>E. coli</em> O157:H7 in commercial melon fields, as well as their environmental samples in Arizona and California.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12399,"journal":{"name":"Food microbiology","volume":"137 ","pages":"Article 105023"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145882349","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Unraveling the stress regulatory mechanisms and biological roles of the novel RimI-ArsR type Ⅱ toxin-antitoxin system in Tetragenococcus halophilus CICC 10469","authors":"Yu Zhang ,&nbsp;Fangming Lan ,&nbsp;Chi Zhao ,&nbsp;Jvliang Dai ,&nbsp;Dongdong Sun ,&nbsp;Lixin Luo","doi":"10.1016/j.fm.2025.105031","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fm.2025.105031","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Tetragenococcus halophilus</em> is a halotolerant bacterium widely used in food fermentation, capable of withstanding various environmental stresses. However, the potential contribution of toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems to its stress tolerance remains poorly studied. Addressing this gap, this study identified and characterized a novel GNAT-Helix-Turn-Helix (HTH) TA system, designated <em>RimI-ArsR</em>, in <em>Tetragenococcus halophilus</em> CICC 10469. This study employed electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA), plasmid retention assays, persister cell formation tests, and proteomic analysis to systematically investigate the characteristics and functions of <em>RimI-ArsR</em>. The results demonstrated that this system exhibits canonical type Ⅱ toxin-antitoxin features and associated biological functions. Of these, <em>RimI-ArsR</em> exhibited a plasmid retention rate of over 50 % within the first 72 h. Under fermentation stress, the expression of <em>RimI</em> in <em>T. halophilus</em> was differentially altered, with 3.42-fold and 2.38-fold up-regulation following oxidative and acid stress, respectively. Furthermore, comparative proteomic analysis between <em>RimI</em> toxin-overexpressing strains and wild-type controls revealed a translation-inhibition mechanism mediated by this toxin. This study identifies the <em>RimI</em> acetyltransferase as a type Ⅱ toxin and characterizes the GNAT-HTH toxin-antitoxin system. These findings provide novel insights into the stress adaptation of <em>Tetragenococcus halophilus</em>, with potential implications for controlling fermentation processes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12399,"journal":{"name":"Food microbiology","volume":"137 ","pages":"Article 105031"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145882347","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effect of blue light at different wavelengths on the inactivation of foodborne bacteria: evaluation of microbial susceptibility","authors":"Alessia Lena,&nbsp;Clara Comuzzi,&nbsp;Marisa Manzano,&nbsp;Michela Maifreni","doi":"10.1016/j.fm.2026.105052","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fm.2026.105052","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study evaluated the effects of Blue light technology at different wavelengths (405, 420, and 450 nm) and doses (144–1000 J cm⁻²) on the inactivation of food-related bacteria: <em>Escherichia coli</em>, <em>Salmonella enterica</em> subsp. <em>enterica</em>, <em>Pseudomonas fluorescens</em>, <em>Listeria monocytogenes</em>, <em>Staphylococcus aureus</em>, and <em>Bacillus subtilis</em>.</div><div>Microbial responses varied with wavelength and dose. At the same dose, lower wavelengths achieved greater reductions. <em>P. fluorescens</em> and <em>L. monocytogenes</em> were the most susceptible (ca. 7.5 log CFU/mL reduction at 405 nm), while <em>S. enterica</em> was the most resistant (ca. 1.1 log CFU/mL reduction at 405 nm). Overall, 405 nm yielded the highest inactivation across all species, followed by 420 nm. At 450 nm, Gram (+) bacteria remained susceptible, indicating potential use in sanitation protocols, whereas Gram (−) bacteria were generally resistant, except for <em>P. fluorescens</em>.</div><div>Blue light (BL) technology is an eco-friendly approach for bacterial inactivation in the food sector, leaving no residues and minimizing the risk of microbial resistance.</div><div>These results can provide guidelines for selecting the wavelength and delivered dose to achieve microbial reductions, proposing the direct use of BL as a sanitization method in food processing.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12399,"journal":{"name":"Food microbiology","volume":"137 ","pages":"Article 105052"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146188836","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Biocontrol of Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis in raw meat using bacteriophage-loaded gelatine-pullulan composite films incorporating cellulose nanofibers","authors":"Jean Carlos Correia Peres Costa ,&nbsp;Asma Entezari ,&nbsp;Ramón Morcillo-Martín ,&nbsp;Araceli Bolívar ,&nbsp;Arícia Possas ,&nbsp;Esther Rincón ,&nbsp;Eduardo Espinosa ,&nbsp;Fernando Pérez-Rodríguez","doi":"10.1016/j.fm.2025.105012","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fm.2025.105012","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study aimed to develop a novel bioactive film based on a 1:4 gelatine and pullulan copolymer (GEL20:PUL80) reinforced with cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) and incorporating lytic bacteriophages (S16 and FO1a) for the biocontrol of <em>Salmonella enterica</em> serovar Enteritidis in raw meat. Physicochemical, mechanical, optical, thermal, and morphological properties of the bioactive films were characterized. Results revealed that incorporating 3–5% CNFs significantly improved phage stability during 5 weeks at 25 °C. Despite variations in CNFs content, the GEL20:PUL80 matrix maintained a high and stable release profile. Tested mechanical properties indicated that CNFs enhanced tensile strength and reduced water vapor permeability, while phage incorporation increased elasticity but slightly decreased transparency. <em>In vitro</em> assays demonstrated that higher CNFs content delayed initial phage release. When applied to artificially contaminated beef, chicken, and pork fillets stored at 4 and 12 °C, the films showed significant reductions in <em>S.</em> Enteritidis, especially at 12 °C, with the highest efficacy observed at day 7 of storage in chicken meat, resulting in a growth inhibition of 2.5 log CFU/g. The observed antimicrobial effect was attributed to the increased host metabolic activity at mild abuse temperatures, which may enhance phage infectivity rates. This effect, combined with the sustained release of active phages and the protective structure provided by CNFs, contributed to the overall performance, although the level of effectiveness varied among the different meat types. Results also evidenced a slight loss of efficacy toward the end of storage (i.e., 9 days). These findings highlight the potential of CNFs-reinforced GEL:PUL films loading phages as an eco-friendly and effective packaging solution for mitigating <em>S.</em> Enteritidis contamination in raw meat products, supporting the development of safe and sustainable food preservation technologies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12399,"journal":{"name":"Food microbiology","volume":"137 ","pages":"Article 105012"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145882348","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluation and predictive modelling of okara (poly)phenol metabolite production via lactic acid fermentation","authors":"Vicente Agulló ,&nbsp;Martina Marrella ,&nbsp;Lorena Sanchez Martinez ,&nbsp;Sonia Figuccia ,&nbsp;Luca Fontechiari ,&nbsp;Jasmine Hadj Saadoun ,&nbsp;Luca Calani ,&nbsp;Daniele Del Rio ,&nbsp;Pedro Mena ,&nbsp;Camilla Lazzi ,&nbsp;Annalisa Ricci ,&nbsp;Letizia Bresciani","doi":"10.1016/j.fm.2026.105050","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fm.2026.105050","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Okara, a soy-processing by-product rich in bioactive compounds like isoflavones, represents a promising substrate for valorisation. This study explored how lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and <em>Bacillus subtilis</em>, used either in mono- or in co-culture, can enhance the phenolic composition of okara through controlled fermentation. The design of experiment was applied for testing four strains across different inoculum levels, fermentation temperatures, and times, and phenolic profiles were quantified using UHPLC-QqQ-MS/MS. LAB fermentation significantly improved the phenolic content and profile of okara, particularly using <em>Pediococcus pentosaceus</em> and <em>Lactobacillus paracasei</em> under extended fermentation at 25 °C, resulting in up to 38% increase in total phenolics. Fermentation promoted the bioconversion of isoflavone glycosides into aglycones through <em>β</em>-glucosidase activity. Phenyllactic acid derivatives were detected, although no other low molecular weight phenolics were observed. Thanks to the application of predictive modelling the variables most affecting phenolic outcomes were identified and optimal fermentation conditions could be defined. When co-cultures were used, the fermentation process strongly influenced bioactive compound profile, highlighting the need for tailored microbial combinations. Overall, these findings demonstrated an efficient biotechnological approach for converting okara into a functional food ingredient with enhanced potential health-promoting properties, supporting its industrial valorisation within circular bioeconomy frameworks.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12399,"journal":{"name":"Food microbiology","volume":"137 ","pages":"Article 105050"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146188713","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}