Fermented Foods: New Concepts and Technologies for the Development of New Products, Quality Control and Preservation

A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Microbiology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 October 2021) | Viewed by 38108

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Dairy Research, Institute of Technology of Agricultural Products, Hellenic Agricultural Organization “DEMETER”, Ethnikis Antistaseos 3, 45221 Ioannina, Greece
Interests: molecular microbiology; bioinformatics; ecology of fermented foods; food safety and quality control; foodborne pathogens; predictive microbiology; microbial risk assessment; statistical process and quality control; udder health of ruminants; dairy farming precision
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Guest Editor
Department of Dairy Research, Institute of Technology of Agricultural Products, Hellenic Agricultural Organization “DIMITRA”, Ethnikis Antistaseos 3, 45221 Ioannina, Greece
Interests: dairy technology; dairy microbiology; probiotics; fermented food technology; fermentation processes and bioprocesses
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Fermentation is a dynamic process which leads to the conversion of food. It is based on the microbial activity of lactic acid bacteria, yeasts, and/or filamentous fungi which significantly contribute to food preservation and the organoleptic characteristics of the products (e.g., flavor (taste and odor) and texture). Methods belonging to molecular microbiology (whole-genome sequencing or PCR-based techniques) and bioinformatics have a major impact on both the study of fermented foods’ ecology and starter culture properties in more detail. Genomics and other omics technologies (metataxonomics, metagenomics, metatranscriptomics, metametabolomics) will be an integral part of the toolkit for the assessment and monitoring of microbiological and physicochemical changes occurring in fermented foods. New approaches in food processing and technology have been also developed to meet consumer needs for healthier, safe, and high-quality food products. Therefore, articles dealing with the discussed topics related to fermented foods are welcome for submission in this Special Issue.

Dr. Marios Mataragas
Dr. Loulouda Bosnea
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • molecular microbiology
  • next-generation sequencing
  • whole-genome sequencing
  • PCR-based methods
  • bioinformatics
  • fermented foods
  • starter cultures
  • food preservation
  • food quality control
  • food technology

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Published Papers (8 papers)

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Editorial

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3 pages, 170 KiB  
Editorial
Fermented Foods: New Concepts and Technologies for the Development of New Products, Quality Control
by Marios Mataragas and Loulouda Bosnea
Foods 2022, 11(3), 441; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11030441 - 2 Feb 2022
Viewed by 1678
Abstract
Fermentation has been of great interest for humans since antiquity and has been extensively used in all cultures worldwide [...] Full article

Research

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11 pages, 2043 KiB  
Article
Occurrence and Levels of Biogenic Amines in Beers Produced by Different Methods
by Katarzyna Nalazek-Rudnicka, Wojciech Wojnowski and Andrzej Wasik
Foods 2021, 10(12), 2902; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10122902 - 23 Nov 2021
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2572
Abstract
The concentration of biogenic amines (BAs) in beer depends, among other factors, on the activity of microorganisms, in particular lactic acid bacteria. In this work an analytical method based on derivatization with tosyl chloride and high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) was used [...] Read more.
The concentration of biogenic amines (BAs) in beer depends, among other factors, on the activity of microorganisms, in particular lactic acid bacteria. In this work an analytical method based on derivatization with tosyl chloride and high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) was used to determine 17 BAs in samples of commercially available beers, and to monitor the changes in concentration of several BAs throughout the fermentation process. In some of the analysed samples the concentration of BAs exceeded the safety threshold for consumers. During the fermentation stage of home-brewing of ale the concentration of spermine in the wort increased until the end of the stormy fermentation, to then drop below the initial concentration at the end of fermentation, and below the LOQ after refermentation. The results of the study indicate that monitoring the total content of BAs is required due to the potential risk to human health. Full article
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16 pages, 1124 KiB  
Article
Functional, Nutritional, and Sensory Quality of Mixed Flours-Based Breads as Compared to Durum Wheat Semolina-Based Breads
by Mariagrazia Molfetta, Giuseppe Celano and Fabio Minervini
Foods 2021, 10(7), 1613; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10071613 - 12 Jul 2021
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2984
Abstract
Increasing preference of consumers and bakers towards bread manufactured with mixed flours and/or sourdough drove us to investigate about influence of flours and sourdough on crumb grain, chemical, sensory, and in vitro glycaemic index (GI) and antioxidant activity of bread. To this aim, [...] Read more.
Increasing preference of consumers and bakers towards bread manufactured with mixed flours and/or sourdough drove us to investigate about influence of flours and sourdough on crumb grain, chemical, sensory, and in vitro glycaemic index (GI) and antioxidant activity of bread. To this aim, we produced and compared six experimental breads: three were based on a mixture of flours (soft wheat, durum wheat semolina, barley, oat, rye, and buckwheat); three were semolina-based breads. Two different sourdoughs (wheat or mixed flours) were assessed. Compared to semolina breads, those containing a mixture of flours showed higher specific volume. The use of sourdough led to increased concentrations of total free amino acids (FAA). Mixed flours bread with addition of mixed flours sourdough was rich in some essential FAA and amino acid derivative bioactive gamma-aminobutyric acid. Type of flours had higher influence than sourdough addition on volatile organic compounds. All the mixed flours breads, although showing profiles of volatile organic compounds differing from those of semolina breads, resulted acceptable. In addition, they had lower GI and higher antioxidant activity than semolina breads. Type of flours had much higher impact on GI and antioxidant activity than sourdough. Full article
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11 pages, 1316 KiB  
Article
Use of Invasive Green Crab Carcinus maenas for Production of a Fermented Condiment
by Delaney M. Greiner, Denise I. Skonberg, Lewis B. Perkins and Jennifer J. Perry
Foods 2021, 10(4), 659; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10040659 - 24 Mar 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2771
Abstract
To control the population of an invasive species of green crab, we investigated the feasibility of producing a fermented crab condiment. Commercial fermented fish condiments were tested to assess variability in the marketplace and to identify targets for lab-fermented sauces. Finely chopped crab [...] Read more.
To control the population of an invasive species of green crab, we investigated the feasibility of producing a fermented crab condiment. Commercial fermented fish condiments were tested to assess variability in the marketplace and to identify targets for lab-fermented sauces. Finely chopped crab was combined with 100 mg g−1, 200 mg g−1, or 300 mg g−1 NaCl, and spontaneously fermented for up to 120 days. Chromatographic analysis revealed that histamine content was not a safety concern as all treatments were below the current U.S. legal threshold (50 mg 100 mL−1). The majority of microbial and physicochemical properties measured within salt level (proteolytic bacterial population, total volatile basic nitrogen (TVBN), amine nitrogen, water activity, moisture, and biogenic amines) were statistically unchanged between days 60 and 120 of fermentation, suggesting that most of the biochemical changes happened early in the fermentation. While the production of a fermented condiment was successful and could represent an opportunity for the valorization of this invasive species, additional work is needed to accelerate the process and further understand the dynamics of the early fermentation stages. Full article
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17 pages, 2081 KiB  
Article
Effects of Different Controlled Temperatures on Spanish-Style Fermentation Processes of Olives
by Daniel Martín-Vertedor, Thaís Schaide, Emanuele Boselli, Manuel Martínez, Rocío Arias-Calderón and Francisco Pérez-Nevado
Foods 2021, 10(3), 666; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10030666 - 20 Mar 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3036
Abstract
This work aimed to determine the effect of applying different temperatures during the fermentation process of Spanish-style table olives. ‘Manzanilla de Sevilla’ (southwest of Spain, Badajoz) and ‘Manzanilla Cacereña’ (northwest of Spain, Caceres) olives were processed at an industrial scale in table olive [...] Read more.
This work aimed to determine the effect of applying different temperatures during the fermentation process of Spanish-style table olives. ‘Manzanilla de Sevilla’ (southwest of Spain, Badajoz) and ‘Manzanilla Cacereña’ (northwest of Spain, Caceres) olives were processed at an industrial scale in table olive fermenters whose brine was subjected to different thermal treatments. One of the three conducted experiments found that maintaining brine at 20–24 °C over a 3-month period led to optimum firmness, better color indices, and greater free acidity and lactic acid bacteria populations in comparison to an unheated control. Furthermore, raising the temperature of the fermenter to 20–24 °C accelerated the fermentation process, provoking better lactic bacteria and yeast growth without affecting olive firmness. The higher fermentation rate (shorter time to completion) associated with temperature-controlled olives also reduced the marketing time of the final product. Controlling brine temperature led to a better aspect and color, higher acidity, lower bitterness, and better overall assessment of processed olives. In addition, ‘Manzanilla de Sevilla’ olives presented a higher phenolic content than ‘Manzanilla Cacereña’ olives. Preliminary evidence is presented suggesting that ‘Manzanilla Cacereña’ olives appear highly amenable to Sevillian-style processing. The present innovative work demonstrates the importance of applying different thermal treatments to brine to control the temperature during the industrial fermentation of table olives during the cold season. Full article
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20 pages, 3462 KiB  
Article
Microbial Ecology of Greek Wheat Sourdoughs, Identified by a Culture-Dependent and a Culture-Independent Approach
by Maria K. Syrokou, Christina Themeli, Spiros Paramithiotis, Marios Mataragas, Loulouda Bosnea, Anthoula A. Argyri, Nikos G. Chorianopoulos, Panagiotis N. Skandamis and Eleftherios H. Drosinos
Foods 2020, 9(11), 1603; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods9111603 - 4 Nov 2020
Cited by 31 | Viewed by 2803
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to assess the microecosystem of 13 homemade spontaneously fermented wheat sourdoughs from different regions of Greece, through the combined use of culture-dependent (classical approach; clustering by Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RAPD-PCR) and identification by [...] Read more.
The aim of the present study was to assess the microecosystem of 13 homemade spontaneously fermented wheat sourdoughs from different regions of Greece, through the combined use of culture-dependent (classical approach; clustering by Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RAPD-PCR) and identification by PCR species-specific for Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, and sequencing of the 16S-rRNA and 26S-rRNA gene, for Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) and yeasts, respectively) and independent approaches [DNA- and RNA-based PCR-Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (DGGE)]. The pH and Total Titratable Acidity (TTA) values ranged from 3.64–5.05 and from 0.50–1.59% lactic acid, respectively. Yeast and lactic acid bacteria populations ranged within 4.60–6.32 and 6.28–9.20 log CFU/g, respectively. The yeast: LAB ratio varied from 1:23–1:10,000. A total of 207 bacterial and 195 yeast isolates were obtained and a culture-dependent assessment of their taxonomic affiliation revealed dominance of Lb. plantarum in three sourdoughs, Levilactobacillus brevis in four sourdoughs and co-dominance of these species in two sourdoughs. In addition, Companilactobacillusparalimentarius dominated in two sourdoughs and Fructilactobacillussanfranciscensis and Latilactobacillus sakei in one sourdough each. Lactococcus lactis, Lb. curvatus, Leuconostoc citreum, Ln. mesenteroides and Lb. zymae were also recovered from some samples. Regarding the yeast microbiota, it was dominated by Saccharomyces cerevisiae in 11 sourdoughs and Pichia membranifaciens and P. fermentans in one sourdough each. Wickerhamomyces anomalus and Kazachstania humilis were also recovered from one sample. RNA-based PCR-DGGE provided with nearly identical results with DNA-based one; in only one sample the latter provided an additional band. In general, the limitations of this approach, namely co-migration of amplicons from different species to the same electrophoretic position and multiband profile of specific isolates, greatly reduced resolution capacity, which resulted in only partial verification of the microbial ecology detected by culture-dependent approach in the majority of sourdough samples. Our knowledge regarding the microecosystem of spontaneously fermented Greek wheat-based sourdoughs was expanded, through the study of sourdoughs originating from regions of Greece that were not previously assessed. Full article
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18 pages, 404 KiB  
Article
Semi-Industrial Production of Kashkaval of Pindos Cheese Using Sheep or a Mixture of Sheep–Goat Milk and Utilization of the Whey for Manufacturing Urda Cheese
by Eleni C. Pappa, Efthymia Kondyli, Loulouda Bosnea, Marios Mataragas, Agathi Giannouli and Maria Tsiraki
Foods 2020, 9(6), 736; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods9060736 - 3 Jun 2020
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3183
Abstract
Kashkaval of Pindos cheese was successfully produced using 100% sheep milk (KS) or with the addition of 10% goat milk (KG). Urda cheese was manufactured using 100% sheep (US) or 90% sheep–10% goat (UG) whey from the production of kashkaval of Pindos cheese. [...] Read more.
Kashkaval of Pindos cheese was successfully produced using 100% sheep milk (KS) or with the addition of 10% goat milk (KG). Urda cheese was manufactured using 100% sheep (US) or 90% sheep–10% goat (UG) whey from the production of kashkaval of Pindos cheese. Both cheeses were made taking into account their traditional cheese-making methods. The cheeses were assessed for their chemical, microbiological and organoleptic characteristics. Generally, no significant differences were observed between KS and KG cheese and between US and UG cheese regarding their physicochemical, textural characteristics, soluble nitrogen fraction and total fatty acid content. The fat content of Urda cheese was low, in accordance with the demand of consumers for healthy products. KS cheeses showed higher total volatile compounds than KG cheeses at 60 and 90 days of ripening and storage as well as lower counts of thermophilic–mesophilic lactic acid bacteria. No differences were observed in the microbial counts between US and UG cheeses. Acetone, hexanal, 2 heptanone, ethanol and toluene were found in abundance in Urda cheeses. Both kashkaval of Pindos and Urda cheeses received high scores during the organoleptic evaluation. The obtained data may lead to the production of both cheeses with standard characteristics according to the traditional recipes and improve their recognition. Full article
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Review

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13 pages, 302 KiB  
Review
Lactic Acid Bacteria as Antimicrobial Agents: Food Safety and Microbial Food Spoilage Prevention
by Salam A. Ibrahim, Raphael D. Ayivi, Tahl Zimmerman, Shahida Anusha Siddiqui, Ammar B. Altemimi, Hafize Fidan, Tuba Esatbeyoglu and Reza Vaseghi Bakhshayesh
Foods 2021, 10(12), 3131; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10123131 - 17 Dec 2021
Cited by 127 | Viewed by 17647
Abstract
In the wake of continual foodborne disease outbreaks in recent years, it is critical to focus on strategies that protect public health and reduce the incidence of foodborne pathogens and spoilage microorganisms. Currently, there are limitations associated with conventional microbial control methods, such [...] Read more.
In the wake of continual foodborne disease outbreaks in recent years, it is critical to focus on strategies that protect public health and reduce the incidence of foodborne pathogens and spoilage microorganisms. Currently, there are limitations associated with conventional microbial control methods, such as the use of chemical preservatives and heat treatments. For example, such conventional treatments adversely impact the sensorial properties of food, resulting in undesirable organoleptic characteristics. Moreover, the growing consumer advocacy for safe and healthy food products, and the resultant paradigm shift toward clean labels, have caused an increased interest in natural and effective antimicrobial alternatives. For instance, natural antimicrobial elements synthesized by lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are generally inhibitory to pathogens and significantly impede the action of food spoilage organisms. Bacteriocins and other LAB metabolites have been commercially exploited for their antimicrobial properties and used in many applications in the dairy industry to prevent the growth of undesirable microorganisms. In this review, we summarized the natural antimicrobial compounds produced by LAB, with a specific focus on the mechanisms of action and applications for microbial food spoilage prevention and disease control. In addition, we provide support in the review for our recommendation for the application of LAB as a potential alternative antimicrobial strategy for addressing the challenges posed by antibiotic resistance among pathogens. Full article
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