A combination of microfiltration and high pressure treatment for the elimination of bacteria in bovine colostrum

Insights into the Research Trends on Bovine Colostrum: Beneficial Health Perspectives with Special Reference to Manufacturing of Functional Foods and Feed Supplements

Bovine colostrum (BC) is the initial mammary secretion after parturition, which is nature’s bountiful source consisting of nutritional and bioactive components present in a highly concentrated low-volume format. All mammalian newborns require colostrum to enhance physiological processes such as lifelong immunity, gastrointestinal development, and resistance to microbial infections. The genetic, environmental, and processing methods can all have an impact on the biochemical contents of BC and its supplements. BC and its derivatives have been intensively researched for their potential use in functional foods, medicines, and animal feed. Evidence from clinical studies suggests that BC products are well-tolerated, nontoxic, and safe for human ingestion. Functional foods, feed, and pharmaceutical formulations based on bovine colostrum are playing noteworthy roles in the development of innovative products for promoting health and the prevention of chronic illnesses. This systematic review sheds light on recent research on (a) the effects of processing techniques on BC components, (b) emerging techniques used in the isolation and identification of novel components, (c) BC-based functional foods for human consumption and animal feed supplements, and (d) the role of BC in current drug delivery, as well as future recommendations.

Role of Pascalization in Milk Processing and Preservation: A Potential Alternative towards Sustainable Food Processing

Renewed technology has created a demand for foods which are natural in taste, minimally processed, and safe for consumption. Although thermal processing, such as pasteurization and sterilization, effectively limits pathogenic bacteria, it alters the aroma, flavor, and structural properties of milk and milk products. Nonthermal technologies have been used as an alternative to traditional thermal processing technology and have the ability to provide safe and healthy dairy products without affecting their nutritional composition and organoleptic properties. Other than nonthermal technologies, infrared spectroscopy is a nondestructive technique and may also be used for predicting the shelf life and microbial loads in milk. This review explains the role of pascalization or nonthermal techniques such as high-pressure processing (HPP), pulsed electric field (PEF), ultrasound (US), ultraviolet (UV), cold plasma treatment, membrane filtration, micro fluidization, and infrared spectroscopy in milk processing and preservation.

Bovine Colostrum for Human Consumption—Improving Microbial Quality and Maintaining Bioactive Characteristics through Processing

The main purpose of bovine colostrum, being the milk secreted by a cow after giving birth, is to transfer passive immunity to the calf. The calves have an immature immune system as they lack immunoglobulins (Igs). Subsequently, the supply of good quality bovine colostrum is required. The quality of colostrum is classified by low bacterial counts and adequate Ig concentrations. Bacterial contamination can contain a variety of human pathogens or high counts of spoilage bacteria, which has become more challenging with the emerging use of bovine colostrum as food and food supplements. There is also a growing risk for the spread of zoonotic diseases originating from bovines. For this reason, processing based on heat treatment or other feasible techniques is required. This review provides an overview of literature on the microbial quality of bovine colostrum and processing methods to improve its microbial quality and keep its nutritional values as food. The highlights of this review are as follows: high quality colostrum is a valuable raw material in food products and supplements; the microbial safety of bovine colostrum is increased using an appropriate processing-suitable effective heat treatment which does not destroy the high nutrition value of colostrum; the heat treatment processes are cost-effective compared to other methods; and heat treatment can be performed in both small- and large-scale production.

Bovine Colostrum Silage: Physicochemical and Microbiological Characteristics at Different Fermentation Times

Bovine colostrum silage (BCS) is a technique used by milk producers for the conservation of bovine colostrum. However, it is necessary to ensure the safety and quality of BCS, as this food will be supplied to the animals. This study aimed to compare the physicochemical and microbiological compositions of colostrum silage at different fermentation times with milk and bovine colostrum (BC) quality parameters. BC samples were obtained from Jersey animals from one dairy farm. The BC samples (n = 21) were placed in 500-mL plastic bottles, stored vertically and anaerobically fermented for periods of 61-437 days. The following parameters of the physicochemical composition of the BCS were evaluated: acidity, protein, total solids and ash, using the methodologies of Adolfo Lutz Institute (2008). The microbiological analysis was developed according to the methodology proposed by Saalfeld et al. (2013), with adaptations. The acidity, total solids and protein over fermentation time (group 1: 61 to 154, group 2: 200 to 273, and group 3: 280 to 437 days) were not significantly different (P > 0.05). The ash content was significantly different (P < 0.05) in groups 1 and 3 and showed a decrease (moderate negative correlation of -0.63) with increasing fermentation time. Positive correlations were observed between total solids and the protein and ash contents. The genus of microorganisms with the highest occurrence was Lactobacillus spp. (95.2% of BCS) and those of lesser occurrence included Escherichia spp., Actinomadura spp., Streptococcus spp. and Leuconostoc spp. (4.8% of BCS). BCS has a physicochemical composition similar to BC and showed changes during the fermentation period; however, the presence of pathogenic microorganisms in BCSs reinforces the need to further explore the quality parameters for BCS to ensure the safety of animals who receive this food.

High Hydrostatic Pressure Treatment Ensures the Microbiological Safety of Human Milk Including Bacillus cereus and Preservation of Bioactive Proteins Including Lipase and Immuno-Proteins: A Narrative Review

Breast milk is the nutritional reference for the child and especially for the preterm infant. Breast milk is better than donated breast milk (DHM), but if breast milk is not available, DHM is distributed by the Human Milk Bank (HMB). Raw Human Milk is better than HMB milk, but it may contain dangerous germs, so it is usually milk pasteurized by a Holder treatment (62.5 °C 30 min). However, Holder does not destroy all germs, and in particular, in 7% to 14%, the spores of Bacillus cereus are found, and it also destroys the microbiota, lipase BSSL and immune proteins. Another technique, High-Temperature Short Time (HTST 72 °C, 5–15 s), has been tried, which is imperfect, does not destroy Bacillus cereus, but degrades the lipase and partially the immune proteins. Therefore, techniques that do not treat by temperature have been proposed. For more than 25 years, high hydrostatic pressure has been tried with pressures from 100 to 800 MPa. Pressures above 400 MPa can alter the immune proteins without destroying the Bacillus cereus. We propose a High Hydrostatic Pressure (HHP) with four pressure cycles ranging from 50–150 MPa to promote Bacillus cereus germination and a 350 MPa Pressure that destroys 10⁶ Bacillus cereus and retains 80–100% of lipase, lysozyme, lactoferrin and 64% of IgAs. Other HHP techniques are being tested. We propose a literature review of these techniques.

Cross-Flow Microfiltration of Glycerol Fermentation Broths with Citrobacter freundii

This paper reports the study of the cross-flow microfiltration (MF) of glycerol fermentation broths with Citrobacter freundii bacteria. A single channel tubular ceramic membrane with a nominal pore size of 0.14 µm was used. It has been demonstrated that the MF ceramic membrane has been successfully applied to bacteria cell removal and to effectively eliminate colloidal particles from glycerol fermentation broths. However, due to fouling, the significant reduction of the MF performance has been demonstrated. In order to investigate the impact of transmembrane pressure (TMP) and feed flow rate (Q) on MF performance, 24 experiments have been performed. The highest steady state permeate flux (138.97 dm3/m2h) was achieved for 0.12 MPa and 1000 dm3/h. Fouling analysis has been studied based on the resistance-in series model. It has been found that the percentage of irreversible fouling resistance during the MF increases with increasing TMP and Q. The permeate flux regeneration has been achieved by membrane cleaning with 3 wt % NaOH and 3 wt % H3PO4 at 45 °C. The results of this study are expected to be useful in industrially employing the MF process as the first step of glycerol fermentation broth purification.

Uso de microfiltração para melhoria da qualidade e extensão da vida de prateleira de leite pasteurizado

A microfiltração é uma das tecnologias utilizadas para melhorar a qualidade do leite fluido. O objetivo dessa revisão é abordar o uso da microfiltração do leite para estender sua vida de prateleira. A importância da qualidade do leite cru (microorganismos contaminantes e enzimas naturais do leite, provenientes das células somáticas ou do crescimento dos microrganismos psicrotróficos) e as condições de estocagem do leite cru (refrigeração), que são decisivas para a qualidade e vida de prateleira do leite pasteurizado, também serão discutidas. São mencionados os progressos já obtidos e em desenvolvimento da tecnologia de microfiltração para a extensão da vida de prateleira do leite pasteurizado e a importância da microfiltração para manter as características nutricionais do leite. Ainda serão descritos os problemas associados com incrustações da membrana que afetam o seu desempenho.