Publications by authors named "Melina Kitsiou"
The study aimed to explore the antimicrobial efficacy of grape seed extract (GSE) and cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) individually or in combination against and wild type (WT) and their isogenic mutants in environmental stress genes. More specifically, we examined the effects of 1% (wt/vol) GSE, 4 min of CAP treatment, and their combined effect on 10403S WT and its isogenic mutants Δ, Δ, Δ, Δ as well as K12 and its isogenic mutants Δ, Δ, and Δ. In addition, the sequence of the combined treatments was tested.
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- The study focused on creating advanced in vitro 3D models resembling real food products by enhancing a bi-phasic model (Xanthan Gum and Whey Protein) with varying concentrations of a fat phase (Sunflower Oil).
- The new tri-phasic models were analyzed for their structural and biochemical properties, showing similarities to industrial food products, particularly in terms of microbial growth dynamics of foodborne bacteria.
- Results indicated that higher fat concentrations led to larger bacterial colonies, particularly near the fat phase, emphasizing the need for complex models to better understand bacterial behavior and responses to decontamination.
The demand for products that are minimally processed and produced in a sustainable way, without the use of chemical preservatives or antibiotics have increased over the last years. Novel non-thermal technologies such as cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) and natural antimicrobials such as grape seed extract (GSE) are attractive alternatives to conventional food decontamination methods as they can meet the above demands. The aim of this study was to investigate the microbial inactivation potential of GSE, CAP (in this case, a remote air plasma with an ozone-dominated RONS output) and their combination against L.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFConcerns regarding the role of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in disease outbreaks are growing due to the excessive use of antibiotics. Moreover, consumers are demanding food products that are minimally processed and produced in a sustainable way, without the use of chemical preservatives or antibiotics. Grape seed extract (GSE) is isolated from wine industry waste and is an interesting source of natural antimicrobials, especially when aiming to increase sustainable processing.
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