Suitability of the fluorescent techniques for the enumeration of probiotic bacteria in commercial non-dairy drinks and in pharmaceutical products

Osteopontin associated Bifidobacterium bifidum microencapsulation modulates infant fecal fermentation and gut microbiota development

Probiotic supplementation is an effective method for improving infant gut health, and probiotic encapsulation can enhance probiotic viability under adverse environmental conditions while ensuring an adequate amount of probiotic is delivered to the target site to confer a health benefit for the host. In this study, Bifidobacterium bifidum R0071 was microencapsulated using pectin or alginate, combined bovine milk osteopontin (OPN) as an excipient during the microencapsulation process. The microencapsulated probiotics were subjected to in vitro simulated infant gastrointestinal digestion and a fecal fermentation model to assess survival capacity and their impact on gas and organic acid production, as well as the development of gut microbiota. The results demonstrated that microencapsulation in the presence of osteopontin increased simulated gastrointestinal survival. During infant fecal fermentation, a significant increase in total gas production (5.5-9.1 mL) was observed for the microencapsulated probiotic with even higher level of gas production observed for osteopontin associated microencapsulated probiotic during the late stage of fermentation (8-24 h). Infant fecal fermentation of the microencapsulated probiotic also produced substantial amounts of acetate (8-17 mM) and lactate (12-35 mM), along with minor amounts of succinate (1-2 mM) and propionate (0.5-2 mM). A positive correlation was observed between metabolite production and the number of viable B. bifidum R0071 entering colon fermentation, which significantly increased with the use of OPN in the microencapsulation process. The osteopontin associated microencapsulated probiotic also significantly elevated the relative abundance of Veillonella, which, along with Bifidobacterium, influenced gas and metabolite production. Overall, our findings demonstrate that incorporating OPN as an excipient in the microencapsulation of Bifidobacterium bifidum R0071 enhances probiotic viability and positively influences the development of infant gut microbiota, highlighting its potential application in promoting infant health.

Electrochemical platform for detecting Escherichia coli bacteria using machine learning methods

We present an electrochemical platform designed to reduce time of Escherichia coli bacteria detection from 24 to 48-h to 30 min. The presented approach is based on a system which includes gallium-indium (eGaIn) alloy to provide conductivity and a hydrogel system to preserve bacteria and their metabolic species during the analysis. The work is dedicated to accurate and fast detection of Escherichia coli bacteria in different environments with the supply of machine learning methods. Electrochemical data obtained during the analysis is processed via multilayer perceptron model to identify i.e. predict bacterial concentration in the samples. The performed approach provides the effectiveness of bacteria identification in the range of 102-109 colony forming units per ml with the average accuracy of 97%. The proposed bioelectrochemical system combined with machine learning model is prospective for food analysis, agriculture, biomedicine.

Comparison of plate counting with flow cytometry, using four different fluorescent dye techniques, for the enumeration of Bacillus cereus in milk

This study aimed to compare the performance of flow cytometry methods with plate counting for the enumeration of bacteria, using Bacillus cereus as a model organism. It was found that the cFDA-propidium iodide, CellROX™ Green-propidium iodide, and DiOC2 dye techniques had similar accuracy to plate counting, while the SYTO 24-propidium iodide dye technique was not as accurate. The four dye techniques had comparable precision to plate counting, with the CellROX™ Green-propidium iodide dye having the greatest precision. The consistency of the position and shape of the cell clusters on the flow cytometry plots, and the extent of separation of the cell from background clusters, was greatest with the DiOC2 and CellROX™ Green-propidium iodide dyes. Furthermore, the DiOC2 and CellROX™ Green-propidium iodide dyes performed well, even when a sample was measured containing reconstituted whole milk powder at a 10-1 dilution, without the use of sample preparation to specifically remove the milk constituents prior to measurement. Given gating of only one cell cluster was required to be managed with the DiOC2 dye, to determine the viable number of cells, it was found that the DiOC2 dye had the greatest ease-of-use. Overall, results indicated that the DiOC2 dye is an ideal candidate for the enumeration of viable bacteria in dairy samples on a high-throughput, routine basis.

The Use of Probiotics during Rearing of Hermetia illucens: Potential, Caveats, and Knowledge Gaps

Given the novelty of the industrial production of the edible insects sector, research has primarily focused on the zootechnical performances of black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) in response to different substrates and rearing conditions as a basis to optimize yield and quality. However recently, research has started to focus more on the associated microbes in the larval digestive system and their substrates and the effect of manipulating the composition of these communities on insect performance as a form of microbiome engineering. Here we present an overview of the existing literature on the use of microorganisms during rearing of the BSFL to optimize the productivity of this insect. These studies have had variable outcomes and potential explanations for this variation are offered to inspire future research that might lead to a better success rate for microbiome engineering in BSFL.

Sensory and flavor-aroma profiles of passion fruit juice fermented by potentially probiotic Lactiplantibacillus plantarum CCMA 0743 strain

Several non-dairy probiotic beverages are already available to consumers and have been considered suitable carriers for probiotic bacteria. This study aimed to investigate the effect of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum CCMA 0743 in single and co-culture on the volatile compounds and sensory profiles of fermented passion fruit juice. The viability of strains inoculated in juice and MRS matrices was evaluated in a simulated gastrointestinal condition. The bacterial viability after 28 days of refrigerated storage of the juices was also evaluated. L. plantarum CCMA 0743 showed high viability (6.18 Log CFU/mL) after passage throughout simulated digestion in the passion fruit juice matrix. Both juices maintained high probiotic counts (>8.0 Log CFU/mL) during storage. Also, the yellow color was stable after 28 days of storage. Volatile compounds of passion fruit juices were modified after the fermentation process, such as ketones and alcohol formation degradation. The sensory profile of passion fruit juice was modified by single and co-culture fermentations. The fermented samples were mainly correlated with the terminologies "salty, acidic and bitter tastes" and "sweetener aftertaste". Overall, passion fruit juice proved to be an adequate food matrix to deliver the evaluated strains. However, individual strains or strain-strain interactions with the food matrix affect the fermented product, demonstrating that strain and matrices evaluations are essential for developing novel products with acceptable characteristics.

Soft Hydrogel Actuator for Fast Machine-Learning-Assisted Bacteria Detection

We demonstrate that our bio-electrochemical platform facilitates the reduction of detection time from the 3-day period of the existing tests to 15 min. Machine learning and robotized bioanalytical platforms require the principles such as hydrogel-based actuators for fast and easy analysis of bioactive analytes. Bacteria are fragile and environmentally sensitive microorganisms that require a special environment to support their lifecycles during analytical tests. Here, we develop a bio-electrochemical platform based on the soft hydrogel/eutectic gallium-indium alloy interface for the detection of Streptococcus thermophilus and Bacillus coagulans bacteria in various mediums. The soft hydrogel-based device is capable to support bacteria' viability during detection time. Current-voltage data are used for multilayer perceptron algorithm training. The multilayer perceptron model is capable of detecting bacterial concentrations in the 10⁴ to 10⁸ cfu/mL range of the culture medium or in the dairy products with high accuracy (94%). Such a fast and easy biodetection is extremely important for food and agriculture industries and biomedical and environmental science.

Potential of Flow Cytometric Approaches for Rapid Microbial Detection and Characterization in the Food Industry-A Review

As microbial contamination is persistent within the food and bioindustries and foodborne infections are still a significant cause of death, the detection, monitoring, and characterization of pathogens and spoilage microorganisms are of great importance. However, the current methods do not meet all relevant criteria. They either show (i) inadequate sensitivity, rapidity, and effectiveness; (ii) a high workload and time requirement; or (iii) difficulties in differentiating between viable and non-viable cells. Flow cytometry (FCM) represents an approach to overcome such limitations. Thus, this comprehensive literature review focuses on the potential of FCM and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) for food and bioindustry applications. First, the principles of FCM and FISH and basic staining methods are discussed, and critical areas for microbial contamination, including abiotic and biotic surfaces, water, and air, are characterized. State-of-the-art non-specific FCM and specific FISH approaches are described, and their limitations are highlighted. One such limitation is the use of toxic and mutagenic fluorochromes and probes. Alternative staining and hybridization approaches are presented, along with other strategies to overcome the current challenges. Further research needs are outlined in order to make FCM and FISH even more suitable monitoring and detection tools for food quality and safety and environmental and clinical approaches.

Viability assessment of Bifidobacterium longum ATCC 15707 on non-dairy foods using quantitative fluorescence microscopy

This study demonstrates an effective technique for separating and purifying viable bacteria from samples that interfere with viability staining. The viability of Bifidobacterium longum ATCC 15707 was assessed using Percoll Buoyant Density Gradient Centrifugation (PBDC) to separate bacteria from complex non-dairy food matrices and Quantitative Fluorescence Microscopy (QFM) to determine individual cells using LIVE/DEAD BacLight bacterial viability staining. Water agar (3%) was used to retain cells of B. longum and offered a lower fluorescence background with BacLight viability staining, compared with fixation on polycarbonate (PC) black membrane. The effect of drying temperatures and non-dairy foods on viability of B. longum was assessed. B. longum coated on oat, peanut or raisin was separated by filtration, low- and high-speed centrifugation, flotation and sedimentation buoyant density centrifugation. Purified cells were subsequently deposited on water agar for rehydration followed by LIVE/DEAD BacLight viability staining and enumeration. Conventional plate counting was also conducted to compare viability results. Finally, this method was applied to assess cell membrane damages of B. longum incorporated onto non-dairy foods during 24 h drying. Furthermore, viability assessment of B. longum coated onto oat, peanut, or raisin was much lower by plate counting compared to viability staining. Drying appeared to have a greater impact when viability was assessed by plate counting compared to viability staining. IMPORTANCE: Enumeration of viable beneficial bacteria from function foods presents a significant bottleneck for product development and quality control. Interference with microscopic and/or fluorescent techniques by ingredients, time required to incubate plated microbes, and the transient nature of the colony forming unit make rapid assessment of viable bacteria difficult. Viability assessment of Bifidobacterium longum ATCC 15707 by Percoll Buoyant Density Gradient Centrifugation with LIVE/DEAD BacLight viability staining on water agar (3%) was in agreement with serial dilution enumeration. Without the need for incubation viability assessment by staining provided a more rapid means to assess the impact of drying on the viability of B. longum coated onto oat, peanut or raisin.

Diversity and Probiotic Potential of Lactic Acid Bacteria Isolated from Horreh, a Traditional Iranian Fermented Food

The aim of this study was to evaluate the probiotic potential of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains isolated from Horreh. Some probiotic properties, e.g., resistance to acid, bile tolerance, antibacterial activity, and antibiotic susceptibility, were investigated. A total of 140 Gram-positive and catalase-negative isolates from Horreh were subjected to identification and grouping by cultural methods and the 16S rRNA sequencing. The new isolates were identified to be Lactobacillus (fermentum, plantarum, and brevis) Weissella cibaria, Enterococcus (faecium and faecalis), Leuconostoc (citreum and mesenteroides subsp. mesenteroides) and Pediococcus pentosaceus. Probiotic potential study of LAB isolates showed that Lb. plantarum and Leu. mesenteroides subsp. mesenteroides isolates were able to grow at pH 2.5 and 3.5. Lactobacillus plantarum (isolate A44) showed the highest cell hydrophobicity (84.5%). According to antibacterial activity tests, Listeria innocua and Staphylococcus aureus were the most sensitive indicators against the selected LAB strains, while Escherichia coli and Bacillus cereus were the most resistant. In addition, all the isolated LAB species were resistant to vancomycin. The results of the present study suggested that the Lactobacillus fermentum and plantarum isolated from Horreh, characterized in this study, have potential use for industrial purposes as probiotics.

Traditional low-alcoholic and non-alcoholic fermented beverages consumed in European countries: a neglected food group

Fermented beverages hold a long tradition and contribution to the nutrition of many societies and cultures worldwide. Traditional fermentation has been empirically developed in ancient times as a process of raw food preservation and at the same time production of new foods with different sensorial characteristics, such as texture, flavour and aroma, as well as nutritional value. Low-alcoholic fermented beverages (LAFB) and non-alcoholic fermented beverages (NAFB) represent a subgroup of fermented beverages that have received rather little attention by consumers and scientists alike, especially with regard to their types and traditional uses in European societies. A literature review was undertaken and research articles, review papers and textbooks were searched in order to retrieve data regarding the dietary role, nutrient composition, health benefits and other relevant aspects of diverse ethnic LAFB and NAFB consumed by European populations. A variety of traditional LAFB and NAFB consumed in European regions, such as kefir, kvass, kombucha and hardaliye, are presented. Milk-based LAFB and NAFB are also available on the market, often characterised as 'functional' foods on the basis of their probiotic culture content. Future research should focus on elucidating the dietary role and nutritional value of traditional and 'functional' LAFB and NAFB, their potential health benefits and consumption trends in European countries. Such data will allow for LAFB and NAFB to be included in national food composition tables.

Direct flow cytometry measurements reveal a fine-tuning of symbiotic cell dynamics according to the host developmental needs in aphid symbiosis

Endosymbiotic associations constitute a driving force in the ecological and evolutionary diversification of metazoan organisms. Little is known about whether and how symbiotic cells are coordinated according to host physiology. Here, we use the nutritional symbiosis between the insect pest, Acyrthosiphon pisum, and its obligate symbiont, Buchnera aphidicola, as a model system. We have developed a novel approach for unculturable bacteria, based on flow cytometry, and used this method to estimate the absolute numbers of symbionts at key stages of aphid life. The endosymbiont population increases exponentially throughout nymphal development, showing a growing rate which has never been characterized by indirect molecular techniques. Using histology and imaging techniques, we have shown that the endosymbiont-bearing cells (bacteriocytes) increase significantly in number and size during the nymphal development, and clustering in the insect abdomen. Once adulthood is reached and the laying period has begun, the dynamics of symbiont and host cells is reversed: the number of endosymbionts decreases progressively and the bacteriocyte structure degenerates during insect aging. In summary, these results show a coordination of the cellular dynamics between bacteriocytes and primary symbionts and reveal a fine-tuning of aphid symbiotic cells to the nutritional demand imposed by the host physiology throughout development.

Novel cyanine dyes and homodimeric styryl dyes as fluorescent probes for assessment of lactic acid bacteria cell viability

Innovations in labeling techniques and in the design and synthesis of dye structures are closely related to the development of service equipment such as light sources and detection methods. Novel styryl homodimers and monomethine cyanine dyes were synthesized and their staining abilities for discrimination between live and dead lactic acid bacterial cells were investigated. The dyes were combined in pairs based on their excitation and emission maxima and the capacity to penetrate through cell membranes of viable bacterial cells. The absorption maxima in the same region and the large Stocks shifts of the styryl derivatives allowed viability analysis to be done with epifluorescent microscope with a very basic configuration - one light source about 480nm and one filter for the fluorescent emissions. A staining protocol was developed and applied for live/dead analysis of Bulgarian yoghurt starters. The live cells quantification by the fluorescence dyes coincided well with the results of the much more time-consuming tests by plate counting. Thus, the proposed dye combinations are appropriate for rapid viability estimation in small laboratories that may have conventional equipment.

New fluorogenic dyes for analysis of cellular processes by flow cytometry and confocal microscopy

Fluorescent microscopy and fluorescent imaging by flow cytometry are two of the fastest growing areas in the medical and biological research. Innovations in fluorescent chemistry and synthesis of new dye probes are closely related to the development of service equipment such as light sources, and detection techniques. Among compounds known as fluorescent labels, the cyanine-based dyes have become widely used since they have high excitation coefficients, narrow emission bands and high fluorescence upon binding to nucleic acids. The key methods for evaluation of apoptosis and cell cycle allow measuring DNA content by several flow cytometric techniques. We have synthesized new monomethine cyanine dyes and have characterized their applicability for staining of live and/or apoptotic cells. Imaging experiments by flow cytometry and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) have been also performed. Two of the dyes have shown high-affinity binding to the nuclei at high dilutions, up to 10(-9)M. Flow cytometry and CLSM have confirmed that these dyes labeled selectively non-living, e.g. ethanol-fixed cells that makes them appropriate for estimations of cell viability and apoptosis. The novel structures proved to be appropriate also for analysis of the cell cycle.

A combined pharmacodynamic quantitative and qualitative model reveals the potent activity of daptomycin and delafloxacin against Staphylococcus aureus biofilms

Biofilms are associated with persistence of Staphylococcus aureus infections and therapeutic failures. Our aim was to set up a pharmacodynamic model comparing antibiotic activities against biofilms and examining in parallel their effects on viability and biofilm mass. Biofilms of S. aureus ATCC 25923 (methicillin-sensitive S. aureus [MSSA]) or ATCC 33591 (methicillin-resistant S. aureus [MRSA]) were obtained by culture in 96-well plates for 6 h/24 h. Antibiotic activities were assessed after 24/48 h of exposure to concentrations ranging from 0.5 to 512 times the MIC. Biofilm mass and bacterial viability were quantified using crystal violet and the redox indicator resazurin. Biofilms stained with Live/Dead probes were observed by using confocal microscopy. Concentration-effect curves fitted sigmoidal regressions, with a 50% reduction toward both matrix and viability obtained at sub-MIC or low multiples of MICs against young biofilms for all antibiotics tested. Against mature biofilms, maximal efficacies and potencies were reduced, with none of the antibiotics being able to completely destroy the matrix. Delafloxacin and daptomycin were the most potent, reducing viability by more than 50% at clinically achievable concentrations against both strains, as well as reducing biofilm depth, as observed in confocal microscopy. Rifampin, tigecycline, and moxifloxacin were effective against mature MRSA biofilms, while oxacillin demonstrated activity against MSSA. Fusidic acid, vancomycin, and linezolid were less potent overall. Antibiotic activity depends on biofilm maturity and bacterial strain. The pharmacodynamic model developed allows ranking of antibiotics with respect to efficacy and potency at clinically achievable concentrations and highlights the potential utility of daptomycin and delafloxacin for the treatment of biofilm-related infections.

An exometabolomics approach to monitoring microbial contamination in microalgal fermentation processes by using metabolic footprint analysis

The early detection of microbial contamination is crucial to avoid process failure and costly delays in fermentation industries. However, traditional detection methods such as plate counting and microscopy are labor-intensive, insensitive, and time-consuming. Modern techniques that can detect microbial contamination rapidly and cost-effectively are therefore sought. In the present study, we propose gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS)-based metabolic footprint analysis as a rapid and reliable method for the detection of microbial contamination in fermentation processes. Our metabolic footprint analysis detected statistically significant differences in metabolite profiles of axenic and contaminated batch cultures of microalgae as early as 3 h after contamination was introduced, while classical detection methods could detect contamination only after 24 h. The data were analyzed by discriminant function analysis and were validated by leave-one-out cross-validation. We obtained a 97% success rate in correctly classifying samples coming from contaminated or axenic cultures. Therefore, metabolic footprint analysis combined with discriminant function analysis presents a rapid and cost-effective approach to monitor microbial contamination in industrial fermentation processes.

Recommendations for the viability assessment of probiotics as concentrated cultures and in food matrices

Due to the fact that probiotic cells need to be alive when they are consumed, culture-based analysis (plate count) is critical in ascertaining the quality (numbers of viable cells) of probiotic products. Since probiotic cells are typically stressed, due to various factors related to their production, processing and formulation, the standard methodology for total plate counts tends to underestimate the cell numbers of these products. Furthermore, products such as microencapsulated cultures require modifications in the release and sampling procedure in order to correctly estimate viable counts. This review examines the enumeration of probiotic bacteria in the following commercial products: powders, microencapsulated cultures, frozen concentrates, capsules, foods and beverages. The parameters which are specifically examined include: sample preparation (rehydration, thawing), dilutions (homogenization, media) and plating (media, incubation) procedures. Recommendations are provided for each of these analytical steps to improve the accuracy of the analysis. Although the recommendations specifically target the analysis of probiotics, many will apply to the analysis of commercial lactic starter cultures used in food fermentations as well.

Inactivation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA01 biofilms by hyperthermia using superparamagnetic nanoparticles

The primary goal of this study was to develop a new strategy to inactivate bacterial biofilms using the thermal stress derived from superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) in an alternating current (AC) magnetic field. A large number of studies have examined the inactivation of bacterial biofilms using antimicrobial agents; however, there have been no attempts to inactivate biofilms by hyperthermia using SPIONs. In this study, a SPION solution was added to Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) PA01 biofilm, and heat was generated by placing the nanoparticle-containing biofilm in an AC magnetic field. The heating temperature was dependent on the concentration of the added SPION solution. More than 4 log inactivation of the PA01 biofilm was obtained using a 60 mg mL(-1) SPION solution in 8 min, and this resulted in a dramatic disintegration of the bacterial cell membrane in the biofilm. This inactivation was largely due to the thermal effect. Local heating of a specific area is also possible using this method, and the heating temperature can be easily adjusted by controlling the concentration of the SPION solution. Therefore, hyperthermia using magnetic nanoparticles holds promise as an effective tool for inactivating the bacterial biofilm.

Probiotic table olives: microbial populations adhering on olive surface in fermentation sets inoculated with the probiotic strain Lactobacillus paracasei IMPC2.1 in an industrial plant

This study reports the dynamics of microbial populations adhering on the surface of debittered green olives cv. Bella di Cerignola in fermentation sets inoculated with the probiotic strain Lactobacillus paracasei IMPC2.1 in different brining conditions (4% and 8% (w/v) NaCl) at room temperature and 4 degrees C. The probiotic strain successfully colonized the olive surface dominating the natural LAB population and decreasing the pH of brines to <or=5.0 after 30 days until the end of fermentation. The dynamics of microbial populations associated with olive surface and belonging to the different groups indicated that inoculated olives held at room temperature did not host Enterobacteriaceae at the end of fermentation. Yeast populations were present in a low number (<or=log(10) 5.7 CFU/g) throughout the process. A considerable genetic diversity of LAB species colonizing the olive surface was found mainly in inoculated set brined in 8% NaCl, as indicated by the Shannon diversity index calculated for each set. Generally, strains of Lactobacillus coryniformis, L. paracasei, L. plantarum, L. pentosus, L. rhamnosus, L. brevis, L. mali, L. vaccinostercus, L.casei, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Leuc. pseudomesenteroides, Lactococcus lactis, Weissella paramesenteroides, W. cibaria, Enterococcus casseliflavus group and E. italicus were identified during the whole process. In particular, L. pentosus was the most frequently isolated species and it showed a high strain diversity throughout fermentation in all processes except for the one held at 4 degrees C. Also a notable incidence of Leuc. mesenteroides on olives was highlighted in this study during all fermentation. Results indicated that the human strain L. paracasei IMPC2.1 can be considered an example of a strain used in the dual role of starter and probiotic culture which allowed the control of fermentation processes and the realization of a final probiotic product with functional appeal.

Development of a PCR assay for the strain-specific identification of probiotic strain Lactobacillus paracasei IMPC2.1

Recent investigations clearly indicate that the probiotic bacterium Lactobacillus paracasei IMPC2.1 can be incorporated into vegetables to obtain innovative probiotic foods whose marketing has been authorized by the Italian Ministry of Health. In this study, strain IMPC2.1 was characterized at a molecular level in order to define its taxonomic position and to develop a PCR test for strain-specific identification. Molecular methods, such as 16S rRNA gene sequencing and multiplex PCR, have provided evidence that strain IMPC2.1 indeed belongs to the L. paracasei species. In addition, a cluster analysis of fluorescent amplified fragment length polymorphism (f-AFLP) data strongly indicated that strain IMPC2.1 and nine other L. paracasei strains (including strain ATCC 334) belong to the same species and are definitely differentiated from the type strain L. casei ATCC 393. The f-AFLP technique was also used to identify a strain-specific DNA fragment of L. paracasei IMPC2.1 - encoding an amino acid sequence similar to a glycosyltransferase of probiotic strain Lactobacillus rhamnosus HN001 - which enabled us to develop a rapid PCR test for strain-specific identification. The strain-specificity of the PCR test was assessed by comparison with a total of 73 bacterial strains mainly isolated from vegetable products that did not produce any amplified fragment. These strains belonged to the L. paracasei species, to 6 additional species of Lactobacillus and to Weissella cibaria, W. confusa, Lactococcus lactis, Leuconostoc mesenteroides and Pediococcus pentosaceus. A method similar to the one used in this study can be adopted to develop easy, rapid detection techniques for monitoring other bacteria in complex microbiota.

Comparison of the antimicrobial effects of chlorine, silver ion, and tobramycin on biofilm

The systematic understanding of how various antimicrobial agents are involved in controlling biofilms is essential in order to establish an effective strategy for biofilm control, since many antimicrobial agents are effective against planktonic cells but are ineffective when they are used against the same bacteria growing in a biofilm state. Three different antimicrobial agents (chlorine, silver, and tobramycin) and three different methods for the measurement of membrane integrity (plate counts, the measurement of respiratory activity with 5-cyano-2,3-ditolyl tetrazolium chloride [CTC] staining, and BacLight Live/Dead staining) were used along with confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and epifluorescence microscopy to examine the activities of the antimicrobials on biofilms in a comparative way. The three methods of determining the activities of the antimicrobials gave very different results for each antimicrobial agent. Among the three antimicrobials, tobramycin appeared to be the most effective in reducing the respiratory activity of biofilm cells, based upon CTC staining. In contrast, tobramycin-treated biofilm cells maintained their membrane integrity better than chlorine- or silver-treated ones, as evidenced by imaging by both CLSM and epifluorescence microscopy. Combined and sequential treatments with silver and tobramycin showed an enhanced antimicrobial efficiency of more than 200%, while the antimicrobial activity of either chlorine or tobramycin was antagonized when the agents were used in combination. This observation makes sense when the different oxidative reactivities of chlorine, silver, and tobramycin are considered.

Fermentation technologies for the production of probiotics with high viability and functionality

There is growing scientific evidence supported by mechanistic and clinical studies that probiotics can provide health benefits. As probiotics are highly sensitive to many environmental factors, and because the propagation of many strains of intestinal origin is not straightforward, most commercial strains are selected on the basis of their technological properties - ruling out some strains with promising health properties. To date, probiotic production has almost exclusively been carried out using conventional batch fermentation and suspended cultures, in some cases combined with the use of sublethal stresses to enhance cell viability, the addition of protectants or microencapsulation to provide cell protection. However, other less conventional fermentation technologies, such as continuous culture and immobilized cell systems, could have potential for enhancing the performance of these fastidious organisms. These technologies might be employed to develop strains with improved physiology and functionality in the gut and to enlarge the range of commercially available probiotics, as well as expanding product applications.