Molecular characterization and toxigenic profiles of Bacillus cereus isolates from foodstuff and food poisoning outbreaks in Brazil.

Bacillus cereus sensu stricto (s.s.) is a well-known foodborne pathogen that produces a range of enterotoxins and is able to cause two different types of foodborne illnesses-the emetic and the diarrheal syndromes.

Bioactive activities and chemical profile characterization using paper spray mass spectrometry of extracts of Eriobotrya japonica Lindl. leaves.

Rationale: The loquat (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl.) is a fruit tree that has been used in Chinese medicine for thousands of years for the treatment of various diseases. The loquat leaf extracts contain several bioactive compounds with antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, and identification of these substances using quick and simple methods has been an analytical trend.

Antagonistic lactic acid bacteria in association with as starter cultures for standardization of sour cassava starch production.

In order to improve cassava's palatability and reduce its toxicity, this root is fermented and applied in foods, such as sour cassava starch used to prepare cheese bread and biscuits. This fermentation occurs spontaneously with lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and yeasts. However, it remains an empirical process, with long duration and lack of product quality homogeneity.

Selection of starter cultures for the production of sour cassava starch in a pilot-scale fermentation process.

Sour cassava starch (Polvilho azedo) is obtained from a spontaneous fermentation conducted by microorganisms from raw materials and fermentation tanks. This product is traditionally used in the baking industry for the manufacture of biscuits and Brazilian cheese breads. However, the end of fermentation is evaluated empirically, and the process occurs without standardization, which results in products of inconsistent quality.

Identification of the bacterial community responsible for traditional fermentation during sour cassava starch, cachaça and minas cheese production using culture-independent 16s rRNA gene sequence analysis.

We used a cultivation-independent, clone library-based 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis to identify bacterial communities present during traditional fermentation in sour cassava starch, cachaça and cheese production in Brazil. Partial 16S rRNA gene clone sequences from sour cassava starch samples collected on day five of the fermentation process indicated that Leuconostoc citreum was the most prevalent species, representing 47.6% of the clones.

Identification of lactic acid bacteria associated with traditional cachaça fermentations.

During the production of traditional cachaça (alembic´s cachaça), contamination of the fermented must is one of the factors leading to economic losses in the beverage manufacturing industry. The diversity of bacterial populations and the role of these microorganisms during the cachaça production process are still poorly understood in Brazil. In our work, the fermentation process was followed in two distilleries located in the state of Minas Gerais.

Lactic acid bacteria and yeasts associated with spontaneous fermentations during the production of sour cassava starch in Brazil.

Sour cassava starch is a traditional fermented food used in the preparation of fried foods and baked goods such as traditional cheese breads in Brazil. Thirty samples of sour cassava starch were collected from two factories in the state of Minas Gerais. The samples were examined for the presence of lactic acid bacteria, yeasts, mesophilic microorganisms, Bacillus cereus and faecal coliforms.