Diversity of lactic acid bacteria isolated from Kurdish ewe\u27s milk cheese

A total of 166 lactic acid bacteria were isolated from Khorasan Kurdish ewes\u27 milk cheese and identified phenotypically. They belonged to six genera and 26 species. Of the isolates, 65.7% were identified as Lactobacilli, 13.3% as Lactococci, 9.6% as Pediococci, 6.0% as Enterococci, 3.6% as Leuconostocs and 1.8% as Weissella. Lactobacilli were subdivided into three main groups: facultatively heterofermentative (30.12%); obligately heterofermentative (25.3%); and obligately homofermentative (10.24%). Lc. lactis subsp. lactis, Lb. plantarum, Lb. brevis, Lb. helveticus and Lb. buchneri were the dominant species of all the LABs isolated from the samples, while the dominant species of each genus were Lb. plantarum, Lc. lactis subsp. lactis, P. acidilactici, E. faecum, Leu. lactis and W. confusa. Non-starter lactic acid bacteria (NSLAB) constituted 73% of all isolates

Perinatal maternal probiotic intervention impacts immune responses and ileal mucin gene expression in a rat model of irritable bowel syndrome

Alterations in immune responses and intestinal secretory state are among features commonly observed in the maternal separation (MS) rat model of Irritable Bowel Syndrome. This study examined whether perinatal maternal introduction of probiotics influences plasma immune markers and ileal mucin-2 (MUC2) gene expression in rat offspring exposed to neonatal maternal separation (MS, 3 h/day, postnatal days (PND) 2-14) and/or subsequently to acute restraint stress in adulthood (AS, 30 min/day, PND 83-85). Data analysis indicated that stress protocols did not affect plasma tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interferon gamma (IFN-γ) and interleukin (IL)-6 levels in young offspring (PND 24) born to the vehicle-treated dams. Maternal probiotic intervention was associated with significantly decreased IFN-γ levels in young offspring compared with non-probiotic offspring (P≤0.05). It also induced a significant increase in IL-6 levels in MS pups (P≤0.05). Exposure of both non-MS and MS offspring to AS induced a significant increase in haptoglobin levels compared to controls (P≤0.05), whereas all offspring born to the probiotic-treated dams, irrespective of stress treatment conditions, exhibited significantly decreased haptoglobin levels to well below the control levels (P≤0.05). MS and/or AS did not affect ileal expression of MUC2 in offspring born to the non-probiotic treated dams. While maternal probiotic intake significantly downregulated ileal gene expression of MUC2 in MS male young offspring, it was associated with significantly upregulated MUC2 mRNA expression in MS or AS adult male offspring. These findings suggest that maternal probiotic intervention may exert long-lasting anti-inflammatory effects and impact gut outcomes in offspring at increased risk of dysfunctional gut

Perinatal maternal probiotic intervention impacts immune responses and ileal mucin gene expression in a rat model of irritable bowel syndrome

Alterations in immune responses and intestinal secretory state are among features commonly observed in the maternal separation (MS) rat model of Irritable Bowel Syndrome. This study examined whether perinatal maternal introduction of probiotics influences plasma immune markers and ileal mucin-2 (MUC2) gene expression in rat offspring exposed to neonatal maternal separation (MS, 3 h/day, postnatal days (PND) 2-14) and/or subsequently to acute restraint stress in adulthood (AS, 30 min/day, PND 83-85). Data analysis indicated that stress protocols did not affect plasma tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interferon gamma (IFN-γ) and interleukin (IL)-6 levels in young offspring (PND 24) born to the vehicle-treated dams. Maternal probiotic intervention was associated with significantly decreased IFN-γ levels in young offspring compared with non-probiotic offspring (P≤0.05). It also induced a significant increase in IL-6 levels in MS pups (P≤0.05). Exposure of both non-MS and MS offspring to AS induced a significant increase in haptoglobin levels compared to controls (P≤0.05), whereas all offspring born to the probiotic-treated dams, irrespective of stress treatment conditions, exhibited significantly decreased haptoglobin levels to well below the control levels (P≤0.05). MS and/or AS did not affect ileal expression of MUC2 in offspring born to the non-probiotic treated dams. While maternal probiotic intake significantly downregulated ileal gene expression of MUC2 in MS male young offspring, it was associated with significantly upregulated MUC2 mRNA expression in MS or AS adult male offspring. These findings suggest that maternal probiotic intervention may exert long-lasting anti-inflammatory effects and impact gut outcomes in offspring at increased risk of dysfunctional gut

Prophylactic role of maternal administration of probiotics in the prevention of irritable bowel syndrome

Neonatal stress is a common early life event which alters the development of the endocrine and immune systems. Specifically, exposure to neonatal stress results in alterations to the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis resulting in offspring who hyper-respond to stress in adulthood. Recently, this concept has been applied to the ontogeny of functional gastrointestinal (GI) disturbances such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The high prevalence of this disorder and the ineffectiveness of current treatments results in high direct and indirect costs to the society. Recently, administration of probiotics to neonates has been used as a safe and cost-effective preventative strategy to revoke the long term unfavourable imprinting induced on the gastrointestinal system by early life stressors in animal models of human IBS. It is not as yet known however, whether maternal supplementary probiotics may also contribute to improved GI integrity and gut-associated immune functioning in stressed neonates, if these possible improvements persist into adulthood, or how this protective effect may be mediated. Our hypothesis is an attempt to link this proposed nutritional approach and its possible preventive effects against GI dysfunctions provoked by neonatal stress. Crown Copyright © 2009

Diversity of lactic acid bacteria isolated from Kurdish ewe\u27s milk cheese

A total of 166 lactic acid bacteria were isolated from Khorasan Kurdish ewes\u27 milk cheese and identified phenotypically. They belonged to six genera and 26 species. Of the isolates, 65.7% were identified as Lactobacilli, 13.3% as Lactococci, 9.6% as Pediococci, 6.0% as Enterococci, 3.6% as Leuconostocs and 1.8% as Weissella. Lactobacilli were subdivided into three main groups: facultatively heterofermentative (30.12%); obligately heterofermentative (25.3%); and obligately homofermentative (10.24%). Lc. lactis subsp. lactis, Lb. plantarum, Lb. brevis, Lb. helveticus and Lb. buchneri were the dominant species of all the LABs isolated from the samples, while the dominant species of each genus were Lb. plantarum, Lc. lactis subsp. lactis, P. acidilactici, E. faecum, Leu. lactis and W. confusa. Non-starter lactic acid bacteria (NSLAB) constituted 73% of all isolates

Prophylactic role of maternal administration of probiotics in the prevention of irritable bowel syndrome

Neonatal stress is a common early life event which alters the development of the endocrine and immune systems. Specifically, exposure to neonatal stress results in alterations to the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis resulting in offspring who hyper-respond to stress in adulthood. Recently, this concept has been applied to the ontogeny of functional gastrointestinal (GI) disturbances such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The high prevalence of this disorder and the ineffectiveness of current treatments results in high direct and indirect costs to the society. Recently, administration of probiotics to neonates has been used as a safe and cost-effective preventative strategy to revoke the long term unfavourable imprinting induced on the gastrointestinal system by early life stressors in animal models of human IBS. It is not as yet known however, whether maternal supplementary probiotics may also contribute to improved GI integrity and gut-associated immune functioning in stressed neonates, if these possible improvements persist into adulthood, or how this protective effect may be mediated. Our hypothesis is an attempt to link this proposed nutritional approach and its possible preventive effects against GI dysfunctions provoked by neonatal stress

Growth of Salmonella and Other Foodborne Pathogens on Inoculated Inshell Pistachios during Simulated Delays between Hulling and Drying

During harvest, pistachios are hulled, separated in water into floater and sinker streams (in large part on the basis of nut density), and then dried before storage. Higher prevalence and levels of Salmonella were previously observed in floater pistachios, but contributing factors are unclear. To examine the behavior of pathogens on hulled pistachios during simulated drying delays, floater and sinker pistachios collected from commercial processors were inoculated at 1 or 3 log CFU/g with cocktails of Salmonella and in some cases Escherichia coli O157:H7 or Listeria monocytogenes and incubated for up to 30 h at 37°C and 90% relative humidity. Populations were measured by plating onto tryptic soy agar and appropriate selective agars. In most cases, no significant growth (P \u3e 0.05) of Salmonella was observed in the first 3 h after inoculation in hulled floaters and sinkers. Growth of Salmonella was greater on floater pistachios than on corresponding sinkers and on floater pistachios with ≥25% hull adhering to the shell surface than on corresponding floaters with \u3c25% adhering hull. Maximum Salmonella populations (2 to 7 log CFU/g) were ~2-log higher on floaters than on corresponding sinkers. The growth of E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella on hulled pistachios was similar, but a longer lag time (approximately 11 h) and significantly lower maximum populations (4 versus 5 to 6 log CFU/g; P \u3e 0.05) were predicted for L. monocytogenes. Significant growth of pathogens on hulled pistachios is possible when delays between hulling and drying are longer than 3 h, and pathogen growth is enhanced in the presence of adhering hull material. HIGHLIGHTS • Foodborne pathogens multiplied on undried inshell pistachios. • Pathogen growth was greater when hull material was present. • Drying delays of \u3e 3 h led to significant increases in pathogen populations. • Managing drying delays will reduce the risk for growth of foodborne pathogens

Growth of Salmonella on inoculated inhull pistachios during postharvest handling

Salmonella has been isolated from dried pistachios in both postharvest and retail surveys. The source of Salmonella in pistachios is unknown, but introduction is possible at points during production, harvest, and postharvest activities. To examine the behavior of Salmonella on pistachios during simulated postharvest conditions, early-, mid-, and late-season inhull pistachios were collected from two commercial processors over five different harvests. Pistachios were inoculated with cocktails of nalidixic acid– or rifampin-resistant Salmonella at 0.64 to 1.59 log CFU/g (low) or 2.73 to 3.27 or 4.29 to 4.31 log CFU/g (high) and were incubated for up to 30 h under commercially relevant conditions (23, 35, or 37°C and 50 or 90% relative humidity [RH]). Populations of Salmonella were measured by plating onto tryptic soy agar and CHROMagar Salmonella with added nalidixic acid or rifampin. Individual growth curves at the same temperature and RH differed significantly among different lots of pistachios. Except for a single late-season lot in which no significant growth was observed, Salmonella multiplied under all storage conditions. In the first 3 h after inoculation, insignificant (most cases) to small (0.41 to 0.67 log CFU/g) but significant (P\u3c 0.05) mean increases in Salmonella populations were measured; the mean predicted time to achieve maximum populations (5 to 8 log CFU/g) was 16 ±4 h. In paired samples, longer lag phases, lower growth rates, and lower maximum increases were observed with inoculated inhull pistachios incubated at 238C and 50% RH compared with 35 or 37°C and 90% RH. Similar growth curves were observed at the low and high inoculum levels; throughout the 30 h of incubation, Salmonella populations were consistently ~1 to 2 log CFU/g lower on pistachios inoculated at the low inoculum level. Managing the time between harvesting and hulling will reduce the potential for growth of Salmonella on pistachios during postharvest handling

Application of commercial immuno assay (ELISA) technique for determination of hepatitis A antigen (HAV) in raw milk

The objective of this study was to detect HAV antigen in raw cow\u27s milk supplied in Mashhad, Iran using ELISA technique. To ascertain the best recovery method for detecting HAV antigen in raw milk, different dilutions of HAV antigen (0.00, 1.0, 10-3, 10-6 and 10-9 ml/l) were added to UHT milk. Results obtained from the recovery of HAV antigen from treated milk showed that milk with acidic coagulation followed by filtration with paper filters and membrane filters, had the most optical density and considered to be the best recovery method. Then, the detection of HAV in raw milk in two seasons spring and summer was investigated. HAV antigen was detected in 13.3% and 34.48% of milk samples of spring and summer, respectively. © 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved