34 research outputs found
Physical characterisation of an alginate/lysozyme nano-laminate coating and its evaluation on ‘coalho’ cheese shelf life
This work aimed at the characterisation of a nanolaminate
coating produced by the layer-by-layer methodology
and its evaluation on the preservation of ‘Coalho’ cheese.
Initially, five alternate layers of alginate and lysozyme were
assembled in an aminolysed/charged polyethylene terephthalate
(A/C PET) and physically characterised by UV/VIS
spectroscopy, contact angle, water vapour (WVTR) and oxygen
(OTR) transmission rates and scanning electron microscopy.
Afterwards, the same methodology was used to
apply the nano-laminate coating in ‘Coalho’ cheese and its
shelf life was evaluated during 20 days in terms of mass
loss, pH, lipid peroxidation, titratable acidity and microbial
count. UV/VIS spectroscopy and contact angle analyses
confirmed the layers’ deposition and the successful assembly
of nano-laminate coating on A/C PET surface. The coating
presented WVTR and OTR values of 1.03×10−3 and 1.28×
10−4 g m−2 s−1, respectively. After 20 days, coated cheese
showed lower values of mass loss, pH, lipidic peroxidation,
microorganisms’ proliferation and higher titratable acidity in
comparison with uncoated cheese. These results suggest that
gas barrier and antibacterial properties of alginate/lysozyme
nanocoating can be used to extend the shelf life of ‘Coalho’
cheese.The author Bartolomeu G. de S. Medeiros is recipient of a scholarship from Coordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior (CAPES-Brazil). The author Marthyna P. Souza is recipient of a scholarship from Fundacao de Amparo a Ciencia e Tecnologia do Estado de Pernambuco (FACEPE, Brazil) and was recipient of a scholarship from Coordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior (CAPES/PDEE-Brazil). The authors Ana C. Pinheiro, Ana I. Bourbon and Miguel A. Cerqueira are recipients of a fellowship (SFRH/BD/48120/2008, SFRH/BD/73178/2010 and SFRH/BPD/72753/2010, respectively), supported by Fundacao para a Ciencia e Tecnologia, POPH-QREN and FSE (FCT, Portugal). Maria G. Carneiro-da-Cunha express is gratitude to the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico (CNPq) for research grant. The present work was supported by CAPES/PROCAD/NF/1415/2007. The support of EU Cost Action FA0904 is gratefully acknowledged
Surgical anatomy of vascularized submental lymph node flap: Sharing arterial supply of lymph nodes with the skin and topographic relationship with anterior belly of digastric muscle
Horizontal-to-Vertical Spectral Ratio (HVSR) Method for Earthquake Risk Determination of Jakarta City with Microtremor Data
Novel Strategy to Fabricate PLA/Au Nanocomposites as an Efficient Drug Carrier for Human Leukemia Cells in Vitro
Turning of nerve growth cones induced by localized increases in intracellular calcium ions
Extracellular hydrolase enzyme production by soil fungi from King George Island, Antarctica
Various microbial groups are well known to produce a range of extracellular enzymes and other secondary metabolites. However, the occurrence and importance of investment in such activities have received relatively limited attention in studies of Antarctic soil microbiota. In order to examine extracellular enzyme production in this chronically low-temperature environment, fungi were isolated from ornithogenic, pristine and human-impacted soils collected from the Fildes Peninsula, King George Island, Antarctica during the austral summer in February 2007. Twenty-eight isolates of psychrophilic and psychrotolerant fungi were obtained and screened at a culture temperature of 4°C for activity of extracellular hydrolase enzymes (amylase, cellulase, protease), using R2A agar plates supplemented with (a) starch for amylase activity, (b) carboxymethyl cellulose and trypan blue for cellulase activity or (c) skim milk for protease activity. Sixteen isolates showed activity for amylase, 23 for cellulase and 21 for protease. One isolate showed significant activity across all three enzyme types, and a further 10 isolates showed significant activity for at least two of the enzymes. No clear associations were apparent between the fungal taxa isolated and the type of source soil, or in the balance of production of different extracellular enzymes between the different soil habitats sampled. Investment in extracellular enzyme production is clearly an important element of the survival strategy of these fungi in maritime Antarctic soils