Characterization of chemical, biological, and antiproliferative properties of fermented black carrot juice, shalgam

Nutritional and functional aspects of European cereal-based fermented foods and beverages

European cereal-based fermented foods (ECBFFs) and alcoholic beverages have been fundamental components of regional diets for centuries, providing unique flavor profiles, essential nutrients, and a diverse array of health benefits. These foods, which encompass breads, beverages, and porridges, derive their functional and culinary properties from the activity of lactic acid bacteria and yeasts. This review examines the nutritional and functional characteristics of ECBFFs, with a focus on their microbial composition and fermentation processes. It highlights various ECBFFs and alcoholic beverages, including conventional and sourdough breads, tarhana, boza, kvass, and beers examining their health-promoting properties and potential for commercial expansion. Key findings from the literature show that certain ECBFFs are abundant in prebiotics and probiotics, primarily due to the fermentation processes involving lactic acid bacteria and yeasts. These microorganisms generate bioactive compounds such as organic acids, bacteriocins, and phenolic compounds, which exhibit antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities. ECBFFs can also enhance digestibility, improve mineral bioavailability, and support gut health, thereby promoting overall well-being. From a commercial perspective, products like Yosa and Proviva demonstrate the feasibility of developing innovative ECBFFs that align with contemporary dietary preferences. The future of ECBFFs is promising, offering extensive opportunities for research, innovation, and large-scale commercialization to meet the increasing consumer demand for functional, plant-based foods.

Valorization of Dairy By-Products, Sweet Whey, and Acid Whey, in the Production of Fermented Black Carrot Juice: A Comparative Study of the Phytochemical, Physicochemical, Microbiological, and Sensorial Aspects

The aims of this study were to improve the functional and nutritional properties of fermented black carrot juice by using sweet and acid whey in the production of fermented black carrot juice, to transform whey into a value-added product and to determine the effect of whey addition on the fermentation process. Whey was utilized as a water substitute in the formulation of the beverage prior to fermentation, and five distinct formulations were developed based on the type and proportion of whey (0% whey (control sample), 25% acid whey, 100% acid whey, 25% sweet whey, 100% sweet whey). Microbiological, sensorial, phytochemical, and physicochemical analyses were performed on samples taken during fermentation and on samples fermented and then resting. The addition of whey into the formulation resulted in an increase in acidity and turbidity of the beverage, with lower anthocyanin content observed in samples containing whey compared to the control throughout the fermentation process. The samples containing 100% whey exhibited lower a*, b*, h, and C* values and lower amounts of individual anthocyanins. The microbial load in these samples was high in the early stages of fermentation and reached a minimum towards the end of fermentation. The incorporation of whey led to an acceleration in the fermentation process, an enhancement in the microbiological characteristics of the beverage, and a substantial variation in phenolic compounds through the formation of a reversible protein complex. The resting process provided significant increases in color, anthocyanins, and gentisic and chlorogenic acids of whey-containing samples. The results showed that it is possible to produce whey-based functional fermented black carrot juice that is close to the control sample in terms of sensory and phytochemical properties and better than the control sample in terms of lactic acid bacteria count. It is recommended that both sweet and acid whey be utilized at a ratio of 25% in the production of fermented black carrot juice and to rest at 4 °C before consumption.

Effects of heat treatment and ultraviolet radiation on physicochemical, microbiological, and bioactive properties of shalgam juice

Herein, we aimed to investigate the physicochemical, bioactive, microbial, and sensory properties of 5 different ultraviolet (UV) treatment conditions, varying in flow rate (1.5-2.5-3.5 L/min), temperature (5-25°C), and UV-intensities (5.1-10.1 mW/cm2), along with heat treatment (HT, 72°C for 20 s), and untreated samples (C) over a storage period of 150 days. At the beginning of storage, the samples exhibited a dry matter content ranging from 2.15% to 2.38%, pH levels ranging from 3.46 to 3.53, and total acidity between 6.35 and 6.51 mg/L. L* values were recorded between 33.09 and 33.50, while ΔC values ranged from 9.13 to 9.24. However, by the end of storage, these values had changed to 2.28-2.43% for dry matter, 3.47-3.49 for pH, 6.22-6.35 mg/L for acidity, 34.94-35.57 for L* values, and 6.95-7.01 for ΔC values. Throughout storage, total mesophilic aerobic bacteria (TMAB), lactic acid bacteria (LAB), and yeast and molds were measured at the highest levels in the C samples when compared to HT and UV-treated samples. At the end of storage, compared to the initial values, TMAB levels in UV-treated samples decreased from 3.29-4.80 log cfu/mL to 3.13-3.92 log cfu/mL. On the other hand, compared to the initial values (3.29-4.01 log cfu/mL), LAB levels decreased by 1.93-2.42 log cfu/mL by the end of storage. Initially, in UV-treated samples, the TPC (total phenolic content) ranged from 398.15 to 403.86 mg GAE/g, DPPH antioxidant activity ranged from 811.52 to 834.89 mg TE/L, and TAC (total anthocyanin content) ranged from 5.58 to 5.74 mg/L. By the end of storage, an increase was observed in all bioactive properties analyzed. Furthermore, UV treatment positively impacted the bioaccessibility of bioactive compounds compared to the HT-treated sample. Overall, this study confirms that UV-C technology can be used as an alternative method for extending the shelf life of shalgam juice while preserving its sensory and bioactive attributes.

Alternative Plant-Based Gluten-Free Sourdough Pastry Snack Production by Using Beetroot and Legumes: Characterization of Physical and Sensorial Attributes

Objective of this study was to design a formula of a sourdough pastry snack by adding starter inoculum into the formulation which was obtained by the fermentation process through beetroot (Beta vulgaris) puree with black-eyed pea (Vigna unguiculata) and fava bean (Vicia faba). With this development process, it was aimed to review the functional impact of legumes as gluten replacement and emphasize the importance regarding physical and sensory attributes in a pastry snack product. First, a starter inoculum was developed based on modification of the shalgam fermentation process with legumes. An experimental design suggested by the response surface methodology was used to optimize its microbial properties and level of antioxidants with the factors of amounts of beetroot puree, fava bean/black-eyed pea ratio, and fermentation time. In the second part, this starter inoculum was mixed with fava bean flour to obtain a sourdough pastry snack (FBS) with improved physical and sensory attributes and compared to the wheat control sourdough (WCS) pastry snack after the baking process. According to the optimization results to produce starter inoculum with the optimum results of lactic acid bacteria 9.55 log cfu/mL, the level of antioxidant activity 91.86 μM TE/mL, and total yeast level 6.96 log cfu/mL; 75 mL of beetroot puree, 100% for fava bean, and fermentation for 24 h were obtained. Compared to WCS, FBS has approximately 16% higher hardness values. Also, a significant difference was observed for stiffness and springiness among samples. The retention of moisture was higher in the first 4 days following the storage for 8 days; the moisture content continuously decreased with the final moisture content of 12.6%. When compared with the results of textural profile analysis in terms of hardness, stiffness, and springiness, sensory results were correlated. Comparing the overall acceptability of the FBS to WCS, FBS was from moderate to higher scores, which indicated that it could be a promising alternative to chemically developed snack products and a preferred product for people suffering from celiac disease and other gluten intolerances.

Assessment of Genomic and Metabolic Characteristics of Cholesterol-Reducing and GABA Producer Limosilactobacillus fermentum AGA52 Isolated from Lactic Acid Fermented Shalgam Based on "In Silico" and "In Vitro" Approaches

This study aimed to characterize the genomic and metabolic properties of a novel Lb. fermentum strain AGA52 which was isolated from a lactic acid fermented beverage called "shalgam." The genome size of AGA52 was 2,001,184 bp, which is predicted to carry 2024 genes, including 50 tRNAs, 3 rRNAs, 3 ncRNAs, 15 CRISPR repeats, 14 CRISPR spacers, and 1 CRISPR array. The genome has a GC content of 51.82% including 95 predicted pseudogenes, 56 complete or partial transposases, and 2 intact prophages. The similarity of the clusters of orthologous groups (COG) was analyzed by comparison with the other Lb. fermentum strains. The detected resistome on the genome of AGA52 was found to be intrinsic originated. Besides, it has been determined that AGA52 has an obligate heterofermentative carbohydrate metabolism due to the absence of the 1-phosphofructokinase (pfK) enzyme. Furthermore, the strain is found to have a better antioxidant capacity and to be tolerant to gastrointestinal simulated conditions. It was also observed that the AGA52 has antimicrobial activity against Yersinia enterocolitica ATCC9610, Bacillus cereus ATCC33019, Salmonella enterica sv. Typhimurium, Escherichia coli O157:h7 ATCC43897, Listeria monocytogenes ATCC7644, Klebsiella pneumoniae ATCC13883, and Proteus vulgaris ATCC8427. Additionally, AGA52 exhibited 42.74 ± 4.82% adherence to HT29 cells. Cholesterol assimilation (33.9 ± 0.005%) and GABA production capacities were also confirmed by "in silico" and "in vitro." Overall, the investigation of genomic and metabolic features of the AGA52 revealed that is a potential psychobiotic and probiotic dietary supplement candidate and can bring functional benefits to the host.

Insights into the current status of bioactive value, postharvest processing opportunities and value addition of black carrot

Black carrots are a type of carrot that is naturally dark purple or black in color. They are a good source of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, and have been shown to have several health benefits, including reducing the risk of cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. This review article discusses the bioactive compounds present in black carrot, including anthocyanins, phenolic acids, carotenoids, and organic acids and sugars. It also compares the bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity of black carrot with other carrot varieties. Furthermore, it discusses various postharvest processing methods, both conventional and novel, such as encapsulation, drying, and microbial decontamination, highlighting their effects on preserving and stabilizing the bioactive compounds. The review also emphasizes the incorporation of black carrot into different food products, including dairy items, beverages, and baked goods, and their impact on nutritional enhancement. The article provides knowledge on utilizing black carrot for improved nutritional and functional outcomes.

Safety assessment of European cranberrybush (Viburnum opulus L.) fruit juice: Acute and subacute oral toxicity

European cranberrybush (ECB) (Viburnum opulus L.) fruits are abundant in phenolic compounds associated with various health benefits. However, the toxicity and safety of ECB juice have not been systematically studied. In the present study, acute and subacute oral toxicities of ECB fruit juice were evaluated on Sprague-Dawley rats and BALB/c mice to establish a toxicity profile. In acute tests, a single administration of 2000 mg/kg body weight of extract to rats exhibited no clinical signs of toxicity or mortality, indicating that the lethal dose (LD50) was over 2000 mg/kg. In subacute tests, repeated administration for 28 days at 0 (control), 500, and 2000 mg/kg doses of extract in mice did not display adverse clinical signs or deaths. However, in the 2000 mg/kg subacute group, platelet counts were significantly high, which correlated with histopathological analyses revealing that ECB extract at 2000 mg/kg was toxic to the kidney, liver, and adipose tissue. The NOAEL value of ECB extract was found as 500 mg/kg/day, but further sub-chronic and chronic toxicity studies are warranted to comprehensively evaluate the long-term safety implications. The study's results emphasize the importance of considering the dosage of dietary supplements containing high levels of phenolic compounds over an extended period to avoid potential cumulative effects from prolonged consumption of high doses.

Simultaneous determination of benzoic acid and sorbic acid in non-alcoholic beverages by a validated HS-GC-MS method with reduced waste

A headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-GC-MS) method is presented for the simultaneous determination of benzoic acid (BA) and sorbic acid (SoA) in different types of non-alcoholic beverages. Sensitive and reliable results were achieved together with minimising consumption of reagents and samples. Salicylic acid (SalA) was used as internal standard (IS). It was necessary to derivatise BA, SoA and SalA to their methyl esters for HS-GC-MS measurement and extensive optimisation studies for in-vial derivatisation were carried out on the temperature, incubation time, injection time of the loopless HS, as well as on the concentration of sulphuric acid used as a catalyst. Validation studies carried out under optimum conditions after mixing 50 µL of sample and IS solutions with 200 µL of 4.5 M sulphuric acid in 22 mL HS vials revealed that the developed method was both very precise (relative standard deviation < 5%) and accurate (average recovery%: 101.0% for BA and 100.4% for SoA). The validated method was applied to a wide range of beverage types and the results compared with the relevant regulation and product label declarations.

Genomic, probiotic, and metabolic potentials of Liquorilactobacillus nagelii AGA58, a novel bacteriocinogenic motile strain isolated from lactic acid-fermented shalgam

This study aimed to perform genomic, probiotic, and metabolic characterization of a novel Liquorilactobacillus nagelii AGA58 isolated from a lactic acid-fermented shalgam beverage to understand its metabolic potentials and probiotic features. AGA58 is gram-positive, motile, catalase-negative and appears as short rods under the light-microscope. The AGA58 chromosome comprises a single linear chromosome of 2,294,635 bp that is predicted to carry 2135 coding sequences, including 45 tRNA genes, 3 mRNA, and 3 rRNA operons. The genome has a G+C content of 36.9%, including 55 pseudogenes and a single intact prophage. AGA58 is micro-anaerobic due to achieving a shorter doubling time and faster growth rate than micro-aerophilic conditions. It carries flagellar biosynthesis protein-encoding genes predicting motile behavior, which was confirmed with the in vitro motility test. AGA58 is an obligatory homofermentative lactobacillus that can ferment hexose sugars such as galactose, glucose, fructose, sucrose, mannose, N-acetyl glucosamine, maltose, and trehalose to lactate through glycolysis. No acid production from pentoses implies that five-carbon sugars are being utilized for purine and pyrimidine synthesis. Putative pyruvate metabolism revealed formate, malate, oxaloacetate, acetate, acetaldehyde, acetoin, and lactate forms from pyruvate. AGA58 is predicted to encode the LuxS gene and biosynthesis of class IIa and Blp family class-II bacteriocins suggesting this bacterium's antimicrobial potential, linked to antagonism tests that AGA58 can inhibit Escherichia coli ATCC 43895, Salmonellaenterica serovar Typhimurium ATCC 14028, and Klebsiellapneumonia ATCC 13883. Moreover, AGA58 is tolerant to acid and bile concentrations simulating the human gastrointestinal conditions depicting the probiotic potential of the organism as the first report in literature within the same species.

Delving into the Nutraceutical Benefits of Purple Carrot against Metabolic Syndrome and Cancer: A Review

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) constitutes a group of risk factors that may increase the risk of cancer and other health problems. Nowadays, researchers are focusing on food compounds that could prevent many chronic diseases. Thus, people are shifting from dietary supplements towards healthy nutritional approaches. As a nutritious and natural food source, purple carrot (Daucus carota spp. Sativus var. atrorubens Alef.) roots could have an important role in the prevention of MetS as well as cancer. This review provides deep insight into the role of purple carrot’s main bioactive compounds and their effectiveness against MetS and cancer. Phenolic compounds, such as anthocyanin, present in purple carrot roots may be especially productive in avoiding or delaying the onset of cardiovascular disease (CVDs), obesity, diabetes, and cancer. Anthocyanins and other phenolics are successful in reducing metabolic changes and inflammation by inhibiting inflammatory effects. Many researchers have made efforts to employ this vegetable in the prevention and treatment of MetS and cancer. However, more advanced studies are required for the identification of its detailed role, effectiveness, suitable intake, and the effect of its bioactive compounds against these diseases.

Effect of different mineral salt mixtures and dough extraction procedure on the physical, chemical and microbiological composition of Şalgam: A black carrot fermented beverage

NaCl is utilized in Şalgam at 1-2% (w/w). The aim of this study was to reduce the NaCl content by addition of different concentrations of KCl and CaCl₂ during production and evaluate their effects on quality. An innovation in production process was also employed, specifically dough extraction and use of the resulting liquid as a starter inoculum. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) species (13) were identified using a combined approach of (RAPD)-PCR and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Lactobacillus paracasei and Lactobacillus plantarum were dominant, but Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. jonggajibkimchii, Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris, Lactobacillus coryniformis subsp. coryniformis, Lactobacillus paraplantarum were also found. Mineral compositons were determined using ICP-OES and the most abundant were potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium and phosphorus, respectively. A mixture of NaCl and KCl protected anthocyanin contents and improved colour parameters. Dough extraction also accelerated production of şalgam.

Ready to Use Therapeutical Beverages: Focus on Functional Beverages Containing Probiotics, Prebiotics and Synbiotics

The growing global interest in functional foods containing nutrients capable of adding possible beneficial health effects is rapidly increasing both interest and consumer demand. In particular, functionalized beverages for their potential positive effect on health e.g., decreasing cholesterol level, lowering sugar, high fiber content, ability to enhance the immune system, and help digestion, have recently received special attention. Among the different beverages available on the market, probiotic dairy and non-dairy products have attracted much attention because of their affordable cost and their numerous therapeutic activities. Fermented milk and yogurt are currently worth €46 billion, with 77% of the market reported in Europe, North America, and Asia. Consumption of dairy beverages has some limitations due for example to lactose intolerance and allergy to milk proteins, thereby leading consumers to use non-dairy beverages such as fruit, grains, and vegetable juices to add probiotics to diet as well as driving the manufacturers to food matrices-based beverages containing probiotic cultures. The purpose of this review article is to evaluate the therapeutic performance and properties of dairy and non-dairy beverages in terms of probiotic, prebiotic, and synbiotic activities.