Halomonas beimenensis sp. nov., isolated from an abandoned saltern.

A Gram-staining negative, motile, non-spore-forming, short rod-shaped (0.8-1.5 × 1.

Free radical-scavenging and tyrosinase-inhibiting activities of extracts from sorghum distillery residue.

This study evaluated the potential free radical-scavenging and tyrosinase-inhibiting activities of extracts from sorghum distillery residue (SDR). The results demonstrated that methanol was a more efficient solvent for extracting the active components of SDR, and methanol extracts showed the highest radical-scavenging and tyrosinase-inhibiting activities.

Lactic acid bacterial fermentation on the production of functional antioxidant herbal Anoectochilus formosanus Hayata.

This study evaluated a novel use of the traditional Asian herb Anoectochilus formosanus. This plant is a traditional food item, generally used for the treatment of liver disorder, hepatitis, hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disorder, etc. In this study, the root, stem, and leaf of A.

Probiotic properties of Lactobacillus strains isolated from the feces of breast-fed infants and Taiwanese pickled cabbage.

This study assessed potential probiotic Lactobacillus strains isolated from the feces of breast-fed infants and from Taiwanese pickled cabbage for their possible use in probiotic fermented foods by evaluating their (i) in vitro adhesive ability, resistance to biotic stress, resistance to pathogenic bacteria, and production of β-galactosidase; (ii) milk technological properties; and (iii) in vivo adhesive ability, intestinal survival and microbial changes during and after treatment. Five Lactobacillus isolates identified as Lactobacillus reuteri F03, Lactobacillus paracasei F08, Lactobacillus rhamnosus F14, Lactobacillus plantarum C06, and Lactobacillus acidophilus C11 that showed resistance to gastric juice and bile salts were selected for further evaluation of their probiotic properties. All the strains demonstrated the ability to adhere to Caco-2 cells, particularly, strain L.

Marinobacter szutsaonensis sp. nov., isolated from a solar saltern.

A Gram-negative, aerobic, non-spore-forming, halophilic bacterial strain, NTU-104(T), was isolated from the Szutsao saltern in southern Taiwan, which was previously used as salt production field. The novel isolate grew optimally at 35-40 degrees C, at pH 7.5-8.

Probiotic potential of noni juice fermented with lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria.

The present study assesses the feasibility of noni as a raw substrate for the production of probiotic noni juice by lactic acid bacteria (Lactobacilluscasei and Lactobacillus plantarum) and bifidobacteria (Bifidobacteriumlongum). Changes in pH, acidity, sugar content, cell survival and antioxidant properties during fermentation were monitored. All tested strains grew well on noni juice, reaching nearly 10⁹ colony-forming units/ml after 48 h fermentation.

Lactic fermentation and antioxidant activity of Zingiberaceae plants in Taiwan.

The present study evaluated functional properties of lactic-fermented ginger products. Three Zingiberaceae species were used as the substrate for fermentation using three lactic acid bacteria. The fermentation process ended 35-40 h after inoculation and reached a pH value of 3.

Virgibacillus chiguensis sp. nov., a novel halophilic bacterium isolated from Chigu, a previously commercial saltern located in southern Taiwan.

A Gram-positive, motile, endospore-forming, irregular rod-shaped (0.7-0.9 x 2.

Antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of Zingiberaceae plants in Taiwan.

The rhizomes of the Zingiberaceae family are a vegetable widely used in many Asian countries, and their medicinal functions have been broadly discussed and accepted in many traditional recipes. In this study, 18 species of five genus of Zingiberaceae plants from Taiwan area were collected and analyzed for their functional properties. Methanolic extracts of the plants were analyzed for their total phenol compounds, alpha,alpha-diphenyl-beta-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging activity, and reducing power.

Microbial diversity analysis of former salterns in southern Taiwan by 16S rRNA-based methods.

The microbiota diversity of the former salterns in southern Taiwan was investigated by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Soil samples from three salterns were analyzed using DGGE and 16S rRNA from 502 colonies representing 5 archaea and 18 bacteria taxonomic groups. Each representative taxonomic group was further identified, whereas 8.