Characterization of Bacterial Microbiota of P.D.O. Feta Cheese by 16S Metagenomic Analysis.

Background: The identification of bacterial species in fermented PDO (protected designation of origin) cheese is important since they contribute significantly to the final organoleptic properties, the ripening process, the shelf life, the safety and the overall quality of cheese.

Methods: Ten commercial PDO feta cheeses from two geographic regions of Greece, Epirus and Thessaly, were analyzed by 16S metagenomic analysis.

Results: The biodiversity of all the tested feta cheese samples consisted of five phyla, 17 families, 38 genera and 59 bacterial species.

Sporopollenin Exine Microcapsules as Potential Intestinal Delivery System of Probiotics.

Despite several decades of research into encapsulation of bacteria, most of the proposed technologies are in the form of immobilized cultures. In this work, sporopollenin exine capsules (SECs) opened, using silica particles which act as pressing micro-probes, and loaded with Lactobacillus casei (L. casei) cells, are described for the first time.

Magnetic nanoparticle-enhanced PCR for the detection and identification of Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella enteritidis.

This paper evaluated magnetic nanoparticle-enhanced PCR for the detection and identification of Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella enteritidis. Two different types of magnetic nanoparticles designated MPIO (iron concentration 2.5 mg/ml, size 1 µm) and NP (iron concentration 8.

High level of heterogeneity among Listeria monocytogenes isolates from clinical and food origin specimens in Greece.

In order to examine the genetic variation of clinical and food isolates of Listeria monocytogenes in Greece, a total of 61 L. monocytogenes non-duplicate isolates, recovered from clinical specimens (n=19) and food (n=42), were serotyped and genotyped using two different Random Amplification of Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) protocols and Multiple Locus Variable Number Tandem Repeat Analysis (MLVA). Serotype group 4b, 4d, 4e prevailed (39.

Improvement of oleuropein extractability by optimising steam blanching process as pre-treatment of olive leaf extraction via response surface methodology.

Impact of steam, hot water blanching and UV-C irradiation as pre-treatments on extraction of oleuropein and related biophenols from olive leaves (OLs), was investigated. Moreover, particle size effect of olive leaves and steam blanching duration were selected as independent variables to optimise steam blanching process in terms of oleuropein content (OC) and antioxidant activity (AC) of ethanolic extracts, by using response surface methodology. Optimum conditions for OC and AC were 10 min steam blanching of 20-11 and 3-1mm olive leaf fraction, respectively.

Encapsulation of complex extracts in beta-cyclodextrin: an application to propolis ethanolic extract.

Propolis ethanolic extracts (PE) are rather complicated mixtures of bioactive compounds belonging to several chemical classes. The potential use of beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CD) cavity for the incorporation of specific PE components, aiming to increase their solubility in water, was studied in a Greek propolis, which was rich in polyphenols and terpenes. The PE/beta-CD inclusion complexes were prepared by sonication of PE suspensions in aqueous solutions of beta-CD, followed by filtration and freeze-drying.

Effects of gamma radiation on microbiological status, fatty acid composition, and color of vacuum-packaged cold-stored fresh pork meat.

Pork meat samples were inoculated with high or low levels (10(6) or 10(3) CFU/g) of Salmonella Enteritidis, vacuum packaged, exposed to gamma radiation (1.0, 2.5, and 4.

Effects of gamma-irradiation on Listeria monocytogenes population, colour, texture and sensory properties of Feta cheese during cold storage.

Feta, a white brine cheese, was produced and contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. Contamination occurred either at the beginning (pre-process contamination) or at the end of Feta manufacturing (post-process contamination). In the first case the milk was contaminated with 10(3) cfu/ml, and 2 months later, in the final product, the L.

Microbial population, physicochemical quality, and allergenicity of molluscs and shrimp treated with cobalt-60 gamma radiation.

Frozen molluscs (squid, octopuses, and cuttlefish) and crustaceans (shrimp) were irradiated using a cobalt-60 gamma source, at different doses, in order to investigate the effects of gamma radiation on their microbial population, organoleptic characteristics, lipid profile, and tropomyosin content. Irradiation of shrimp and squid with either 2.5 or 4.