Applications and Action Mechanisms of Probiotic-Based Multi-Components

editorial reviewedProbiotic-based multi-component preparations refer to a mixture of bioactive agents, containing probiotics or postbiotics as main functional ingredients, and prebiotics, protectants, stabilizers, encapsulating agents, and other compounds as additional constituents.One Health approaches to support agroecological transformation of peri-urban farming1. No poverty2. Zero hunger3. Good health and well-being10. Reduced inequalities11. Sustainable cities and communities12. Responsible consumption and production13. Climate action17. Partnerships for the goal

Nature-based One Health approaches to urban agriculture can deliver food and nutrition security

peer reviewedThe increasing global human population is projected to reach 9.7 billion people by 2050. This population growth is currently linked to the trends of world-wide urbanization, growth of megacities and shifting dietary patterns. While humankind faces the daunting challenge of feeding and providing healthy lives for its teeming populations, urban agriculture holds promise for improving the quality of life in cities. Fortunately, policymakers and planners are accepting the need to support urban fringe farmers to increase the resilience of food systems while efficiently managing already strained natural resources. We argue that for urban agriculture to significantly increase food yields, it is crucial to adopt a One Health approach to agriculture and environmental stewardship. Here, we propose six nature-based and climate-smart approaches to accelerate the transition towards more sustainable food systems. These approaches include reducing the reliance on synthetic agricultural inputs, increasing biodiversity through producing locally adapted crops and livestock breeds, using probiotics and postbiotics, and adopting portable digital decision support systems. Such radical approaches to transforming food production will require cross-sectoral stakeholder engagement at international, national, and community levels to protect biodiversity and the environment whilst ensuring sustainable and nutritious diets that are culturally acceptable, accessible, and affordable for all.1. No poverty2. Zero hunger3. Good health and well-being10. Reduced inequalities11. Sustainable cities and communities12. Responsible consumption and production13. Climate action17. Partnerships for the goal

The use of microorganisms of cassava retting for the production of pectinolytic enzymes

Pectinolytic enzymes are used in the food industry for the extraction, clarification and filtration of fruit juice and wine. Depending on their mode of action, these enzymes are classified into two major groups, namely: esterases (methylesterase) and depolymerases (polygalacturonase and lyase). Among the methods for their preparation, fermentation is the most used, and its application depends upon knowledge of the strain’s requirements; many parameters are taken into consideration most of which relate to the strain used. Knowledge and control of these parameters are required for optimal production of these enzymes. Many microorganisms (Aspergillus niger; Kluyveromyces marxianus; Trichoderma viride BITRS-1001; Bacillus licheniformis; Saccharomyces pastorianus etc.) have already been studied and we suggested that there is a possibility of producing these enzymes using the microorganisms employed for the retting of cassava. This review provides a wealth of knowledge on the production of pectinolytic enzymes, using different substrates and microorganisms

Screening of microorganisms producing polygalacturonase (PG) in microbiota of fermented cassava

peer reviewe

Biochemical Engineering Approaches for Increasing Viability and Functionality of Probiotic Bacteria.

The literature presents a growing body of evidence demonstrating the positive effect of probiotics on health. Probiotic consumption levels are rising quickly in the world despite the fluctuation of their viability and functionality. Technological methods aiming at improving probiotic characteristics are thus highly wanted. However, microbial metabolic engineering toolbox is not available for this kind of application. On the other hand, basic microbiology teaches us that bacteria are able to exhibit adaptation to external stresses. It is known that adequately applied sub-lethal stress, i.e., controlled in amplitude and frequency at a given stage of the culture, is able to enhance microbial robustness. This property could be potentially used to improve the viability of probiotic bacteria, but some technical challenges still need to be overcome before any industrial implementation. This review paper investigates the different technical tools that can be used in order to define the proper condition for improving viability of probiotic bacteria and their implementation at the industrial scale. Based on the example of Bifidobacterium bifidum, potentialities for simultaneously improving viability, but also functionality of probiotics will be described