The Untapped Potential of Hairy Root Cultures and Their Multiple Applications.

Plants are rich sources of specialized metabolites, such as alkaloids, terpenes, phenolic acids, flavonoids, coumarins, and volatile oils, which provide various health benefits including anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antiaging, skin-altering, and anti-diabetic properties. However, challenges such as low and inconsistent yields, environment and geographic factors, and species-specific production of some specialized metabolites limit the supply of raw plant material for the food, cosmetic, or pharmaceutical industries. Therefore, biotechnological approaches using plant in vitro systems offer an appealing alternative for the production of biologically active metabolites.

Plant In Vitro Culture Factories for Pentacyclic Triterpenoid Production.

Pentacyclic triterpenoids are a diverse subclass of naturally occurring terpenes with various biological activities and applications. These compounds are broadly distributed in natural plant resources, but their low abundance and the slow growth cycle of plants pose challenges to their extraction and production. The biosynthesis of pentacyclic triterpenoids occurs through two main pathways, the mevalonic acid (MVA) pathway and the 2-C-methyl-D-erythritol-4-phosphate (MEP) pathway, which involve several enzymes and modifications.

Nectarine powder of Bulgarian origin: Physicochemical composition, antioxidant activity, microbiological and sorption characteristics.

One way to improve the quality of food products is by conducting more thorough research on regional foods. This approach has several benefits, such as promoting human health, supporting the local economy, and preserving cultural food traditions. In this regard, our study investigated the potential of nectarine powder as a regional fruit product that could be developed into a global innovation.

Green Assessment of Phenolic Acid Composition and Antioxidant Capacity of Advanced Potato Mutant Lines through UPLC-qTOF-MS/MS Quantification.

Potatoes are one of the most consumed crops worldwide. They contain a high amount of bioactive compounds such as phenolic compounds and vitamins with important antioxidant activities, which makes this crop of high biological value for human health. The goal of this research was to biochemically evaluate polyphenol levels and antioxidant capacities in parent and control genotypes compared to advanced mutant potato lines in the MV generation.

Biopreservation of Chocolate Mousse with Lactobacillus helveticus 2/20: Microbial Challenge Test.

Probiotic bacteria are used for food biopreservation because their metabolic products might contribute to ensuring food microbiological safety and/or increase its shelf life without the addition of chemical preservatives. Moreover, biopreserved foods are excellent vehicles for the delivery of probiotic bacteria. The aim of the study was to investigate the potential of chocolate mousse food matrix for the delivery of the probiotic strain Lactobacillus helveticus 2/20 (Lb.

Comparative Study on Phenolic Content and Antioxidant Activity of Different Malt Types.

Malt is the main raw material for beer production, which determines not only its taste and aroma profile, but to a large extent its biological value, as well. The aim of the present research was to determine the antioxidant profile of different malt types as a basis for the development of new types of beer with increased antioxidant activity. In the present study the main brewing characteristics, the phenolic profile and the antioxidant potential of 20 malt types used in craft breweries in Bulgaria have been examined.

Physicochemical, microbiological, and sensory characteristics of probiotic Bulgarian yoghurts obtained by ultrafiltration of goat's milk.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the microbiological (number of viable lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria), physicochemical (dry matter, protein and fat contents, titratable acidity, and pH), and sensory characteristics (appearance of coagulum, taste and aroma, structure at cutting, color, and consistency at shattering) of probiotic Bulgarian yoghurts obtained by ultrafiltration of goat's milk. These yoghurts were obtained using volume reduction ratios of 2 and 3 with the probiotic starters MZf, MZf +  BB - 87, and MZf +  LAB - 8. The increase in the level of the concentration by ultrafiltration led to an increase in the dry matter, protein and fat contents of the yoghurts, in the number of lactic acid bacteria and titratable acidity, and to a decrease in the pH.

Production of probiotic wort-based beverages with grapefruit (Citrus paradisi L.) or tangerine (Citrus reticulata L.) zest essential oil addition.

Background: In recent years, increasing health awareness in consumers has motivated breweries to expand their beverage ranges with products with increased biological value. The aim of the present research was to develop probiotic wort-based beverages with grapefruit or tangerine zest essential oil addition.

Methods: Wort was produced with 60% Pilsen malt, 20% Vienna malt and 20% Caramel Munich ІІ malt with and without the addition of 0.

Recent applications of plant cell culture technology in cosmetics and foods.

Plants have been used as the main source of phytochemicals with nutritional, medicinal, cultural and cosmetic applications since times immemorial. Nowadays, achieving sustainable development, global climate change, restricted access to fresh water, limited food supply and growing energy demands are among the critical global challenges faced by humanity. Plant cell culture technology has the potential to address some of these challenges by providing effective tools for sustainable supply of phyto-ingredients with reduced energy, carbon and water footprints.

High bioreactor production and emulsifying activity of an unusual exopolymer by 28.

Unusual composition of an exopolymer (EP) from an obligate halophilic bacterium 28 has triggered an interest in development of an effective bioreactor process for its production. Its synthesis was investigated in 2-L bioreactor at agitation speeds at interval 600-1000 rpm, at a constant air flow rate of 0.5 vvm; aeration rates of 0.

Metabolite profiling by means of GC-MS combined with principal component analyses of natural populations of Nectaroscordum siculum ssp. bulgaricum (Janka) Stearn.

Nectaroscordum siculum ssp. bulgaricum (Janka) Stearn (Allium siculum subsp. dioscoridis (Sm.

Inulinase immobilization on polyethylene glycol/polypyrrole multiwall carbon nanotubes producing a catalyst with enhanced thermal and operational stability.

This paper describes the development of a simple method for mixed non-covalent and covalent bonding of partially purified inulinase on functionalized multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) with polypyrrole (PPy). The pyrrole (Py) was electrochemically polymerized on MWCNTs in order to fabricate MWCNTs/PPy nanocomposite. Two multiple forms of enzyme were bound to N-H functional groups from PPy and -COO from activated MWCNTs to yield a stable MWCNTs/PPy/PEG immobilized preparation with increased thermal stability.

In sito galanthamine extraction during the cultivation of L. shoot culture in two-phase bubble column cultivation system.

Two-phase bioreactor cultivation system was developed and applied for in sito recovery of extracellular galanthamine during the cultivation of L. shoot culture in a modified column bioreactor system. The inclusion of an external circulation column with adsorbent resin Amberlite XAD-4 as a second phase, on the 21st day of the beginning of cultivation resulted in 1.

Using Raman Spectroscopy as a Fast Tool to Classify and Analyze Bulgarian Wines-A Feasibility Study.

Raman spectroscopy, being able to provide rich information about the chemical composition of the sample, is gaining an increasing interest in the applications of food. Raman spectroscopy was used to analyze a set of wine samples (red and white) sourced from rarely studied traditional Bulgarian wines. One of the objectives of this study was to attempt the fast classification of Bulgarian wines according to variety and geographic origin.

Food additives and bioactive substances from in vitro systems of edible plants from the Balkan peninsula.

During the last few years there is an increasing demand to the natural biologically active compounds. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) about 11% of the conventional medicines are of plant origin. Nowadays, plant biotechnologies are modern and reliable tool for producing valuable bioactive compounds.

Traditional Balkan fermented milk products.

Traditional fermented milk products have been prepared since ancient time by various civilizations. Despite their long history, popularity, and nutritive and healthy value, the acceleration and industrialization of food production leads to increase of the diversity of fermented milk products in the Balkan Peninsula. As a result of the multitude of food-microbe combinations, there are thousands of different types of fermented milk products - yoghurts, yogurt-like products, and various types of cheeses with proven health benefits.

Plant cell culture as emerging technology for production of active cosmetic ingredients.

Plants have always been the main source for active cosmetic ingredients, having proven health beneficial effects on human, such as anti-aging, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, UV-protective, anti-cancer, anti-wrinkle, skin soothing, whitening, moisturizing, etc. Extracts from herbal, aromatic and/or medicinal plants have been widely used as effective active ingredients in cosmeceuticals or nutricosmetics, especially in products for topical application and skin-care formulations. However, over the past decade, there has been an increasing interest to plant cell culture - derived active cosmetic ingredients.

Molecular and in vitro assessment of some probiotic characteristics of amylolytic strains from Bulgarian fermented products.

In the recent years, consumers' interest in healthy diet opened a new field for functional food development through combining the valuable composition of cereals and the health-promoting properties of lactic acid bacteria (LAB). LAB with amylolytic properties can assimilate starch in a single-step process and could be successfully applied as starter cultures offering an efficient nutritional conversion of cereal matrices. The probiotic potential of amylolytic LAB has not been investigated so far, therefore the present study focused on the molecular screening and in vitro tests of five amylolytic strains to assess their tolerance to high acid and bile salts concentrations and antibiotic resistance as basic characteristics required for probiotic strains selection.

Purification of bacterial inulinase in aqueous two-phase systems.

In this study, extracellular inulinase from . 11/3 was partially purified and concentrated using aqueous two-phase system (ATPS). Two different phase forming salts and four types of polyethylene glycol (PEG) were used.

Progress in enzyme inhibition based detection of pesticides.

The previous few decades have seen the development of biosensors and their use in monitoring of pesticides in food and environmental samples. Although inhibition-based biosensors have been subject of several recent research works, their performance characteristics greatly depend on the type of immobilization and the presence of interfering compounds in the samples. Moreover, sensitivity, detection limits, and rapidity of the response are few of the other major features that need to be investigated further if they are to become operationally user-friendly.