Volume 56, Issue 2 (2026)
Professor Alexander Yu. Prosekov is a prominent scientist in food and agricultural biotechnology, a academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and a Doctor of Science in Biology and Engineering. In 2008, he was awarded the Russian Federation Government Prize in Science and Technology for Young Scientists. This review highlights his extensive contributions to innovative food technologies and functional foods. Carrying forward Professor L. A. Ostroumov’s scientific school, which received a 2020 Presidential Grant for the support of leading national research schools (NSh-2694.2020.4), Professor Prosekov has supervised 44 PhD and 15 Doctoral theses. His students follow an integrated approach to biotechnological challenges, developing novel methods for bioactive substance recovery and advanced biomedicines. Their research significantly contributes to national food security, sustainable production, and food innovation. Under Professor Prosekov’s leadership, his research school continues to advance the frontiers of biotechnology and the food industry, ensuring the quality and safety of domestic products.
Insufficient iodine intake is recognized by the World Health Organization as one of the most significant nutritional problems of our time. More than half of the global population suffers from iodine deficiency, which is often aggravated by chronic stress. This combination leads to endocrine, nervous, cognitive, and immune disorders. This article describes the functional efficacy of a fortified whey protein hydrolysate in mitigating the consequences of chronic stress in laboratory animals.
The research featured an experimental sample of whey protein hydrolysate fortified with iodine and zinc. Unfortified protein hydrolysate served as the control. The study determined acute toxicity (via a single intragastric dose of 5,000 mg/kg) and acute irritant effects (via skin application with reaction monitoring for 72 h). Efficacy was evaluated in C57Bl/6N laboratory mice under chronic stress conditions using Open Field and O-Maze behavioral tests. Other parameters included body weight changes, hormonal profiles (cortisol, TSH, T4, T3), and the relative weight of internal organs.
The fortified sample exerted no acute toxic or irritant effects (LD50 > 5,000 mg/kg) and was classified as low-hazard (Hazard Class IV). The experimental hydrolysate containing organic iodine and zinc significantly reduced chronic anxiety. The median distance in the Open Field test reached 14.35 m (compared to 11.30 m in the control); the time spent in the open zones of the O-Maze increased to 36.31 s. Furthermore, the product contributed to body weight recovery and partial hormonal normalization, maintaining active T3 at a level comparable to the intact control. Unlike the stress-control group, the relative brain weight of the experimental animals did not decrease.
Whey protein hydrolysate with organic iodine and zinc proved to be a safe food ingredient, capable of preventing stress-induced iodine deficiency and maintaining neuroendocrine stability. Further clinical trials will follow to validate its use in functional foods.
Cereals are crucial to food security, but intensive agrochemical farming depletes soil ecosystems and increases environmental risks. In this regard, microbial biological control agents hold great promise. The bacterial genus Pantoea stimulates plant growth and suppresses phytopathogens. However, its practical application requires a molecular genetic assessment of its biosafety and metabolic potential. A genome-wide bioinformatic analysis of the biosynthesis of Pantoea pleuroti B-14756 secondary metabolites was conducted to assess its genetic and metabolic potential as a biocontrol agent for phytopathogens of cereal crops.
The strain of P. pleuroti B-14756 was obtained from the National Bioresource Center at the Kurchatov Institute (Moscow, Russia). Genome-wide sequencing was performed on the MGIseq-2000 and Polyseq One platforms. The genome was assembled de novo, polished, and annotated using the following bioinformatics tools: Flye, Raven, Trycycler, Medaka, Polypolish, POLCA, BUSCO, Bakta, and antiSMASH.
The sequencing and assembly yielded the P. pleuroti B-14756 genome with a size of 4,735,406 bp and a GC content of 53%. The genome annotation revealed 4,416 coding sequences, seven rRNA clusters, and 78 tRNAs. The antiSMASH analysis revealed nine clusters of secondary metabolite biosynthesis, including clusters associated with the synthesis of aerobactin, desferrioxamine E, and carotenoids. Aerobactin and desferrioxamine E demonstrate the ability to bind, chelate, and subsequently import iron ions, while carotenoids perform an antioxidant function, protecting the cell from reactive oxygen species under stressful conditions.
P. pleuroti B-14756 was proved to possess biosynthetic clusters of secondary metabolites (including NRPS, RiPP, phosphonate, and terpene pathways). This finding confirms the pronounced antagonistic potential of the strain and its promising application in the biological control of phytopathogens.
preparations are obtained from plant materials by alkaline extraction (pH 6.0–12.0) followed by isoelectric precipitation. This article describes the effect of extraction and isoelectric precipitation parameters on protein yield from hydrolyzed hemp cake.
Calculating the theoretical and experimental isoelectric point made it possible to improve the procedure and increase the yield.
The study featured hemp cake of the Vera variety. A three-factor Box–Behnken design (15 experimental points) optimized the extraction parameters of pH, temperature, and time.
The resulting regression model adequately described the process (R2 = 0.983) with the optimal extraction conditions as pH 11.2; 52°C; 3 h. Sodium chloride reduced extraction efficiency by 6.8–13.5% compared to the alkaline method. The optimal protein purity (92.6–93.1%) was achieved with isoelectric precipitation in the pH range of 4.4–4.6, which did not correspond to the modeled isoelectric point (6.95–7.22). The protein profile analysis of the isolated fraction demonstrated the predominance of edestin (~ 38 kDa) and albumin (~ 21 kDa). The resulting hemp protein isolate contained 89.53 to 92.28% protein, according to the Barnstein and Kjeldahl methods, respectively, which indicated a high-quality product.
The use of alkaline extraction followed by protein precipitation in isoelectric point provided efficient protein isolation with a yield reaching 80% relative to its content in the raw material, containing 34.32 ± 3.43% crude protein.
Fish quality control demands efficient analytical solutions. While conventional (targeted) assessment methods are reliable, their labor-intensive and destructive nature drives the development of rapid, non-destructive (untargeted) technologies. This review features rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) as a key global aquaculture species.
It compares, systematizes, and summarizes data on the capabilities, limitations, and prospects of applying targeted and untargeted assessment methods to fish raw materials in general and rainbow trout in particular. The review spans a decade of publications, comparing conventional quality assessment approaches (sensory, physicochemical, and microbiological methods) with advanced instrumental techniques (infrared spectroscopies, Raman spectroscopy, hyperspectral imaging, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy).
Untargeted methods, e.g., spectroscopy and imaging, enable rapid, non-invasive assessment of such key freshness parameters as chemical composition, lipid oxidation degree, spoilage, and storage time. In contrast, targeted methods remain crucial for validation and precise quantification of specific indicators, especially at later stages of spoilage. Untargeted methods show strong suitability for integration into real-time monitoring systems at fish processing facilities. However, their implementation requires robust calibration, specialized mathematical mode ls, and representative reference databases.
Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) demonstrates the effectiveness of spectroscopic fish quality control methods, combining speed, non-invasiveness and the potential for online monitoring.
Advances in pea protein isolate technology are driving interest across research and industrial food sectors. Without defatting stage, pea protein isolate tends to demonstrate lower quality and protein content (80–85%), compared to animal or vegetable analogues (≥ 90%). This article introduces an improved pea protein isolate technology with increased protein mass fraction.
Protein isolate samples were obtained from pea flour by alkaline extraction with isoelectric deposition. N-hexane, acetone, and ethanol served as defatters. The chemical composition, whiteness, solubility, amino acid composition, and IR spectra of proteins were studied using standard physicochemical methods.
The solvent used at the defatting stage proved to affect the properties of protein isolate and protein flour. The defatted flour was whiter, and the color of the finished product was better. The protein content in the defatted protein isolate was 84.7% when using n-hexane, 88.0% for acetone, and 89.6% for ethanol. The protein was rich in essential amino acids; the water solubility improved. The IR spectra revealed no structural changes. Acetone proved to be the most suitable solvent, yielding a protein-rich product with improved characteristics.
Defatting significantly increased protein yield and improved the color profile of protein isolate. These insights are applicable for optimizing the processing of both plant and animal-derived proteins.
The market of plant-based soft drinks responds to the growing demand for functional products that combine pleasant sensory properties with health benefits. This article describes the impact of formulation factors (raw material, sweetener, ascorbic acid) on the quality, functional properties, and stability of plant-based soft drinks during storage.
The study featured plant-based semi-finished products combined into 12 beverage formulations. They were subjected to standard physicochemical, microbiological, and spectrophotometric analytical methods. The sensory assessment involved a five-point scale. The statistical data processing relied on the analyses of variance and correlation.
The beverages varied in three factors. The semi-finished plant material (coffee infusions, cinnamon, Rhodiola rosea CO2-extract) determined the content of solids, phenolic compounds, flavonoids, color coordinates (η2p = 89.7–99.6%), QMAFAnM (η2p = 26.5%), and sensory properties (η2p = 50.2–52.2%). The sweetening agent (sucrose/sucralose) affected the content of solids and sucralose (η2p = 100.0 %), QMAFAnM (η2p = 42.3%), flavonoids ( η2p = 24.0%), and the color indicators L*, a*, H° (η2p = 41.9–56.2%). Ascorbic acid (η2p = 99.9%) ensured at least 15 mg of vitamin C per 100 cm3 of the finished product. It also affected the b*, C* indicators and solids (η2p = 17.4–26.5%). The beverages retained acceptable sensory profile, functional properties, and microbiological safety over 7 days of storage.
The experimental sucralose-based beverages proved to be low-calorie functional drinks able to ensure glycemic control. A 200 cm3 serving, fortified with ascorbic acid, delivered 30% of the recommended daily intake of Vitamin C. These findings contribute to the diversification of the functional food market.
Selenium is an essential micronutrient, but its bioavailability and toxicity depend on its chemical form. Selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) are of significant interest due to their increased bioavailability, low toxicity, and pronounced antioxidant properties compared to organic and inorganic forms of selenium. However, particle aggregation, leading to a loss of colloidal stability, remains a key challenge in their industrial application. The research investigated the method of obtaining selenium nanoparticles by chemical reduction of a selenium-containing precursor using various reducing agents. The research objective was to study the size, morphology, and stability of the resulting nanoparticles and to evaluate the prospects for their application.
Stable selenium nanoparticles were synthesized by chemical reduction of selenious acid (H2SeO3) in an aqueous medium. Ascorbic acid and sodium thiosulfate were studied as reducing agents. Polysorbate 80 (Tween 80), sodium alginate, and corn starch were used to stabilize the resulting nanoparticles. The resulting solids were characterized by UV spectrophotometry to determine the selenium concentration and construct calibration curves. Particle size, morphology, elemental composition, and distribution within the samples were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with an energy-dispersive detector. The tests also included viscosity of the stabilized systems.
Ascorbic acid proved to be a more effective reducing agent than sodium thiosulfate. The best stabilization results belonged to Polysorbate 80. The sample based on ascorbic acid and Polysorbate 80 showed a uniform distribution of selenium with the smallest particle size (0.2–0.7 microns) and the highest selenium content (3.62%). Highly viscous stabilizers provoked agglomeration. The optimal ratio of H2SeO3:reducing agent was 1:4.
When ascorbic acid served as a reducing agent and Polysorbate 80 as a stabilizer, the dispersion of selenium nanoparticles was uniform, the hydrodynamic radius was tens of nanometers, and the colloidal stability was high. Such systems are promising as a source of selenium in the fortification of bakery, dairy and meat food products, as well as in innovative biofortification of crops.
Plant raw materials are a key source of nutrients for humans and animals. However, their nutritional value is limited by the presence of anti-nutritional substances (antinutrients). This review systematizes the research on the chemical nature, functions, and reduction methods available for anti-nutritional compounds in food systems of plant origin.
The review covered Russian and foreign scientific articles in the public domain (Google Scholar) registered in PubMed, eLIBRARY.RU, and CyberLeninka in 2021–2026.
Anti-nutritional substances include enzyme inhibitors (proteases and α-amylase), phytic acid (phytates), lectins, tannins, and saponins. The publications under review feature such aspects as their chemical nature, sources, and dual physiological roles, including the negative impact on the bioavailability and digestibility of macro- and micronutrients. Some studies focus on their potential benefits, e.g., antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and hypoglycemic properties in controlled concentrations. The review includes a comparative analysis of traditional methods (soaking, germination, fermentation, heat treatment) and innovative technologies (extrusion, ultrasound treatment, high hydrostatic pressure, pulsed electric field).
Combined processing technologies prove to be the most effective approach to reducing anti-nutritional factors in plant-based food systems while preserving their beneficial components.
Lactic acid strains require a comprehensive analysis prior to their use in new consortia with valuable production properties. Streptococcus thermophilus can be considered the second most important culture after Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis. The natural intraspecific diversity of S. thermophilus makes it a promising consortium component for functional fermented products.
This study investigated S. thermophilus strains (All-Russian Dairy Research Institute, Moscow, Russia) and their consortia using microbiological, biochemical, physicochemical, and proteomic methods. The S. thermophilus strains were tested for organic acids, vitamins, and enzymatic activity.
The highest lactic acid content recorded was 6,643.5 mg/kg while the ability to synthesize vitamins B2 and B9 was straindependent. The cultures were rich in β-galactosidase. A proteomic analysis was performed to construct a matrix of functional protein distribution, revealing that several metabolic categories demonstrated pronounced strain specificity. To create microbial consortia with predictable properties, the strains were tested for biocompatibility with various probiotic cultures. The resulting data were used to design variants of microbial consortia, which were evaluated for sensory properties, fermentation activity, titratable and active acidity, and relative viscosity.
The most promising S. thermophilus strains were incorporated into 18 multistrain consortia, nine of which demonstrated superior production-related characteristics.
The Kyrgyz food industry relies on significant raw material potential. Improving public health through healthy food is one of the state’s priorities, especially due to the growing incidence of anemia and thyroid diseases associated with iron and iodine deficiencies. This article describes a novel yak meatloaf fortified with plant-based iodine. To evaluate its ability to address micronutrient deficiencies, the authors conducted a comprehensive assessment of its mineral composition, sensory properties, and microbiological safety.
The experimental meatloaf consisted of shoulder-blade yak meat and dried kelp (imported from China). Its mineral composition was determined using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy. The microbiological parameters, toxicity levels (mercury, arsenic, lead, cadmium), and pesticide content were analyzed using standard methods. The optimal dose of the iodinecontaining supplement was determined via sensory assessment based on a nine-point scale.
The iodine content in the yak meat and kelp was 3.82 μg/100 g and 516.0 μg/100 g, respectively. The optimal proportion of kelp was found to be 1.5% of the raw material weight. The iodine content in the finished product reached 20.9 μg/100 g, compared to 4.87 μg/100 g in the control sample without kelp. The iron content in the final meatloaf reached 5.03 mg/100 g, compared to 2.61 mg/100 g in the control sample.
Despite heat-induced losses, the final meatloaf contained 20.9 μg/100 g of iodine and 5.03 mg/100 g of iron. This kelp-fortified meatloaf demonstrated reliable functional properties and can be recommended for therapeutic diets fortified with iodine and iron.
Folic acid (vitamin B9) deficiency is a significant health issue because excessive food processing often leads to nutritional deficiencies. This article describes the effect of glycine on the thermal stability of folic acid in bakery products.
The research featured bakery samples made from high-grade wheat flour, drinking water, salt, folic acid, sugar, and glycine. Quantitative analysis of the folic acid was performed using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC).
Glycine significantly affected the preservation of folic acid during baking. The samples without glycine lost 82% or more of their folic acid after heat treatment, whereas the samples with glycine lost 10% or less. An aqueous solution of folic acid and glycine mixed with flour and other solids improved the distribution of folic acid throughout the dough.
Glycine significantly increased the preservation of folic acid during baking, thereby facilitating the production of fortified foods. This method may yield more effective technologies for producing bakery goods fortified with folic acid to eliminate its deficiency in the diet. Future research will determine the nature and mechanism of the effect that glycine exerts on the properties of folic acid.
Bioactive peptides and proteins can be administered orally. However, this method remains largely ineffective because of enzymatic degradation in the gastrointestinal tract, the mucus layer, the selective epithelial barrier, the acidic stomach environment, and a short half-life. As a result, bioactive protein molecules have little prospect as functional food ingredients unless appropriate delivery systems are used. This review describes scientific trends and strategies aimed at solving the problem of the instability of peptides and proteins in the gastrointestinal tract during oral administration.
The review analyzed scientific publications on the oral administration, stability, and bioavailability of peptides and proteins in the gastrointestinal tract registered in eLIBRARY.RU, MEDLINE, PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar between 2020 and 2025 (alongside some fundamental earlier works). Of the 1,346 manually selected publications, the review included 116 articles.
Peptides can be encapsulated in solid lipid nanoparticles, nanostructured lipid carriers, liposomes, or polymer nanocarriers. Encapsulation increases stability and bioavailability during oral administration. Cell-penetrating peptides and their integration with various drug carriers create multifunctional delivery systems. Modified living biotherapeutic products are promising carriers for the targeted delivery of peptides and proteins. Novel methods include matrix protein amplification, protease inhibitors, permeability enhancers, chemical modification, and cyclization.
The article also describes new cyclic biopeptides, a recombinant protein, and a native antiviral peptide with reliable bioactive properties. The maltodextrin-encapsulated antiviral peptide demonstrated a 1.8-fold increase in intestinal stability in vitro.
Functional foods provide nutrients, but their therapeutic properties are even more important than their nutritional and energy value. The biological diversity of marine flora and fauna makes them a unique source of beneficial chemical compounds.
It covered scientific literture on fucoidan extraction, purification, structure, bioactive profile, and applications published in ScienceDirect (Scopus), Springer Link, MDPI and Google Scholar in 1999–2023.
Fucoidan varies in monosaccharide composition, degree of sulfation, and molecular weight. Microwave extraction provides the highest yield. The biological properties depend on molecular weight, sulfation, and monosaccharide composition. Fucoidan is a safe and promising ingredient for the functional food industry. However, very few publications report fucoidan-based commercial products or results clinical trials.
As a bioactive polysaccharide, fucoidan holds significant promise for the food industry. However, its use is limited by the lack of standardized extraction and purification methods. Therefore, optimizing production parameters and developing standardized urification protocols are the key attention areas within modern biotechnology. Novel approaches will enable fucoidan to become a fully-fledged functional ingredient and expand the range of functional foods.
The food industry requires continuous safety improvements for raw materials and finished products. In this context, microbiological safety is a critical aspect of ensuring food safety from farm to fork. This research evaluated various antimicrobial protocols across different technological stages, as well as validated freezing and storage equipment for compliance with microbiological standards for poultry products.
The study focused on a broiler chicken processing line at the Kurinoye Tsarstvo joint-stock company (a branch of the Uzlovskaya Poultry Farm, Pashkovo, Russia). The assessment methodology relied on HACCP principles and the food safety management system (FSSC 22000 v.6.0). The sampling was conducted after stunning and bleeding, defeathering, deep-tank immersion treatment in a 500 ppm peracetic acid solution, manual evisceration, and spray cabin chilling. The microbiological analysis included the determination of aerobic plate counts (QMAFAnM), Salmonella spp., and Listeria monocytogenes, alongside the validation of refrigeration equipment based on freezing time and temperature profile.
The deep-tank immersion treatment significantly reduced the aerobic plate counts from 8×105 to 4×103 CFU/g. However, the manual evisceration was identified as a critical stage for secondary contamination: it increased total bacterial counts to 2.4×104 CFU/g, with the prevalence of Salmonella spp. on the carcasses reaching 100%. The freezing validation confirmed that the internal product temperature successfully reached ≤ –12 °C, with the microbiological parameters of the final frozen products remaining safely below 5.0×105 CFU/g.
Although the established food safety management system proved effective overall, the findings highlight the need for stricter control during the evisceration stage. A higher concentration of peracetic acid (700 ppm) and mandatory monitoring of hand hygiene and equipment sanitation are strongly recommended.
The analysis of nutrition of schoolchildren and students of the Kemerovo region is presented in the article. On the results of the conducted analysis, the actual individual nutrition is estimated according to the content of the basic nutri-ents, and biologically active substances. The influence of nutrition on the health of the younger generation has been shown. To provide the schoolchildren’s bodies with necessary nutrients the way of correcting their diets by introducing biologically active additives has been offered.
The purpose of the present work is the investigation and the development of the production technology of the low-calorie fat imitator on the basis of casein for the improvement of organoleptic properties of dairy products. Before the development of the technology it is necessary to choose an optimum way of milk protein coagulation. The object of the research was skim milk subjected to coagulation. The analysis of the obtained results has shown that the most rational way of coagulation for the formation of particles of the required sizes and forms is rennet coagulation. To form the particles of the required sizes and forms it is offered to start and to stop rennet coagulation at the moment when particles have already increased in size, but haven't yet formed a clot. On the basis of the presented data the production technology of protein microparticls that can be used as fat imitators in dairy products has been developed.
The moose has good prospects for hunting and game breeding. Peripheral blood indicators can provide information about their health status and adaptive capabilities, as well as non-infectious, infectious, and invasive pathologies. Serum alkaline phosphatase activity is one of the most common clinical biochem ical tests in this respect.
The study involved blood samples obtained from male moose (n = 75) of four age groups: calves aged 6–7 months, young animals of 18 months old, adults of 2.5–7.5 years old, and adults aged ≥ 8.5 years. The biomaterial sampling was carried out in October – December in the southern taiga subzone, Kirov Region. The blood samples were obtained by cutting the jugular vein (Venae jugularis) immediately after the animal was shot during legal hunting. The blood serum tests involved a semi-automatic biochemical analyzer (Biochem SA High Technology, USA).
The alkaline phosphatase activity in male European moose during different periods of ontogenesis demonstrated the following pattern. In the first months of life, the enzyme activity was as high as 222.16 ± 31.14 U/L. This process was typical of intense hydrolysis of organic phosphorus esters, including the exchange of macroergs caused by rapid osteogenesis. At 18 months, the demand for organophosphorus compounds in metabolic processes decreased (46.48 ± 44.09 U/L), as did the role of the enzyme in maintaining homeostasis. In adults of 2.5–7.5 years old, alkaline phosphatase activity dropped to 69.88 ± 11.31 U/L. In 8.5-year-old males, it was as low as 47.34 ± 4.74 U/L. All age groups demonstrated significant differences in alkaline phosphatase activity. Therefore, age had a significant effect on enzyme activity. The study also revealed a certain correlation between alkaline phosphatase activity and body weight.
The dynamics of alkaline phosphatase activity in ontogenesis reflected homeostatic changes in the moose body. Indicators of alkaline phosphatase activity can serve as an efficiency marker and an additional criterion in standard selection methods in zootechnical practice.
Wild ungulates are a convenient object for environmental monitoring. The authors used the histological structures in deer’s liver to assess the well-being of populations in unfavorable anthropogenic and natural habitats.
The research featured liver tissues of red deer (Cervus elaphus), sika deer (Cervus nippon), and fallow deer (Dama dama). The histosections were examined in a MEIJI TECHNO microscope using the Vision Bio (Epi) software. The statistical processing involved traditional methods using the correlation and one-factor analysis of variance. The null hypothesis was rejected at an ingenuity level of ≤ 0.05.
The structure of the hepatic plates, blood vessels, foci of necrosis, and inflammation proved suitable as indicators. The cell count, structure, shape, ratio of mono- and binuclear hepatocytes, as well as their nuclei and cytoplasm, were assessed by microscope. The areas of cells, nuclei, and cytoplasm, as well as the value of the nuclear-cytoplasmic index, demonstrated diagnostic significance. A number of parameters depended on age and sex. The indicators demonstrated reliable correlations. The animals had a similar histological picture, even when the samples were obtained from geographically separated areas. The samples showed pathological transformations, including necrotic foci and binucleate hepatocytes. The structure and micro- vasculature of hepatic plates were disturbed.
Well-being assessment is a relevant issue for populations of economically important animal species. An environmental moni- toring system with wild ungulates as biological indicators could improve the monitoring system for the state of biota and its qualitative parameters, as well as ensure the well-being of the livestock and the high quality of the resulting products. The obtained histomorphometric parameters can be used as reference values in the norm-pathology gradient.
Antibiotics have long been overused for non-therapeutic purposes. As a result, Escherichia, Enterobacter, Klebsiella, and Proteus in avian microbiomes have become reservoirs for genetic determinants of resistance, thus spreading resistance to antibiotics and contaminating raw materials and finished products. The food industry is looking for alternative means to preserve health and maintain high productivity of commercial poultry, e.g., probiotics, phytobiotics, organic acids, etc. The research featured the effect of antibiotics and phytobiotics on enteropathogenic bacteria in the microbiomes of broiler chicken.
Escherichia coli bacteria were cultivated in vitro in subthreshold concentrations on nutrient media with antibiotics for 37 days to study the effect of low doses of antibiotics on the sensitivity of isolates. The study involved microbiocenoses of broiler chicken that received avilamycin A and a phytobiotic based on Brassica juncea, Linum usitatissimum, and Nigella sativa L. A set of experiments covered the species composition of opportunistic Enterobacteriaceae, the phenotypic sensitivity to antibiotics, and the genetic determinants of resistance, as well as the antimicrobial potential of phytobiotics.
E. coli developed no resistance for 37 days when the antibiotic dose remained below minimal inhibitory. Opportunistic gram-negative Enterobacterales predominated in all litter samples. E. coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Proteus mirabilis accounted for more than 30% of all isolated strains. Avilamycin A and the phytobiotic affected the coccal microflora but had no effect on the genus-species composition of Enterobacteriaceae. Litter samples from both experimental and control groups demonstrated K. pneumoniae with severe phenotypic resistance to ciprofloxacin, as well as blaDHA genes. In broiler farming, maintenance and circulation of resistance agents depends on litter microbiota. In this research, the chicken that received the phytobiotic showed the lowest level of resistance to ciprofloxacin while the groups that received avilamycin A had the highest resistance results.
During a broiler’s life span, bacteria with no active resistance determinants in their genome remained sensitive to antibiotics, even though the contact with the latter was constant. Phytobiotics showed good prospects for broiler farming as food additive that could reduce and eventually eliminate the intake of antibiotics.
The article discusses the dairy industry in the Chuvash Republic, Russia. The Russian Federation is experiencing a shortage of milk. Currently, the per capita milk consumption in the country is by more than a quarter behind the rational intake recommended by the Ministry of Health, which is 325 kg. However, the Chuvash Republic boasts 373 kg of per capita milk production, which is by 71% higher than the average data for the rest of the country, and the high quality of Chuvash milk is unanimously confirmed by leading domestic experts. The authors analyzed the success factors of milk production in the Chuvash Republic to be extrapolated on the entire domestic industry.
The research relied on such demographic data as the ratio of urban vs. rural population; dairy herd data, e.g., livestock population, farm types, dairy productivity, etc.; dairy production and processing business data. The methods included systematization, generalization, grouping, statistical data processing, and analysis of temporal dynamics indicators.
The Chuvash Republic has a large percentage of rural population and a lot of subsidiary dairy farms: 22 000 farms own more than 60% of dairy cows in the region and provide 55% of milk processing volumes. Subsidies allocated by the local government allow farm owners to ensure the high dairy productivity of cows. Most of the milk in the Chuvash Republic can be classified as near-organic. Leading regional milk producers have their own agricultural lands to provide environmentally friendly feed, as well as specialized premises for herd keeping and milking, retail outlets to sell their products, etc. A third of enterprises maintain the milk productivity at 7800–9200 kg, which is as high as in Denmark, the Netherlands, Great Britain, and Germany. Most Chuvash dairy farmers owe their high results to the state support funds allocated for the purchase of breeding cattle. The twelve largest milk producers in the region provide 100% of the output of drinking milk, so private farms mainly focus on meeting the needs of dairy processing enterprises. The latter also receive seasonal subsidies.
The Chuvash milk miracle can be explained by the following factors: big rural population; private subsidiary farms; high-quality breeding dairy livestock; high-quality feed; good milk production and processing equipment. However, the comprehensive system of state support measures remains the most important success factor.
The Russian wine industry permits the use of concentrated grape must. Due to its shortage on the market, it often becomes subject to adulteration. The article introduces a comprehensive system for assessing the quality of concentrated grape must that prevents adulteration of semi-dry and semi-sweet wines.
The research featured 446 samples of fresh and concentrated grape must, commercial preparations of concentrated white grape must, and sugar or glucose-fructose syrups. The method of high-performance liquid chromatography made it possible to identify the profile of organic acids and sugars. After introducing authentic concentrated grape must, the samples were tested for colloidal turbidity and crystalline destabilization.
The authentic samples retained the chemical composition of the original grape variety, as evidenced by such authenticity markers as pH, disaccharide content, tartaric and malic acids, and glucose-fructose index. In the adulterate samples, these values did not fit the standard limits. The experiment involved 179 samples of commercial preparations: 21% proved to be mixes of authentic must with other products; 9% proved to be syrup substitutes, and 1% was concentrated apple juice. Authentic concentrated must aggravated the trend to colloidal opacity (17%) and crystalline destabilization (13%); a combination of both trends occurred in 13%. Low-quality preparation of fresh grape must before vacuuming increased the content of high- molecular components, tartrate anions, and potassium cations in the concentrated product.
The following two-step assessment of concentrated grape must quality made it possible to adopt a rational technological solution: I – confirming the grape origin; II – assessing the effect of the authentic product on the colloidal and crystalline stability of wine. This protocol demonstrated a good potential for ensuring the authenticity and bottling stability of semi-dry and semi-sweet wines.
Modern highly sensitive and selective sensors are able to determine biologically active substances, which makes this direction one of the most popular areas of analytical chemistry. The study featured the electrochemical properties of new fiber materials based on single-wall carbon nanotubes with prospects of using them in the voltammetry of ascorbic acid.
The authors developed a new technology to synthesize films from disordered single-wall carbon nanotubes by chemical vapor deposition. Fibers were produced from a solvent by wet-pulling of single-wall carbon nanotubes networks. Thin films of randomly oriented single-wall carbon nanotube bundles were deposited downstream of a floating aerosol CVD reactor, which included a high temperature furnace with a quartz tube. The synthesis of the single-wall carbon nanotube samples was performed at 825°C. Ethanol served as carbon source while ferrocene was used as catalyst precursor. The single-wall carbon nanotubes were collected on a nitrocellulose filter in the form of films with transmittances of 10% in the middle of the visible wavelength (550 nm). The method was optimized to involve air annealing at 300–320°C and a treatment with strong inorganic acids, i.e., HCl, HNO3 + H2SO4. The voltammetric curves recording included background electrolyte, scan rate, and preconditioning. These parameters were selected experimentally to obtain the maximal sensor response to ascorbic acid content. The anodic peak of ascorbic acid in the phosphate buffer electrolyte (pH 6.86) was observed at a potential of +0.2 V. The current and peak area of ascorbic acid oxidation depended neither on the time nor on the conditioning potential of the sensor. The linear dependences of these parameters on the concentration of ascorbic acid stayed within 50–500 μmol/L (8.8–90 mg/L) at a scan rate of 0.1 mV/s. The single-wall carbon nanotube microsensor had a length of 0.5 cm and an average width of 400 μm. Its sensitivity was two times as high as that of a disk glassy carbon electrode with a diameter of 5 mm.
The experimental sensors proved effective in determining ascorbic acid in food products, pharmaceuticals, and biological fluids.
Problems concerning the efficiency of production processes and manufacturing high quality goods are important for productions based on the activity of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The paper identifies major reasons for the need to regulate yeast culture metabolism, considers existing practice and proposed methods of changing its metabolic activity. The purpose of the research is to create the classification of the supplements / preparations of different origin to improve yeast vital activity by adjusting its culture medium composition with the use of complex hierarchical faceted method. The classification is based on the division of the set of "supplements / preparations to enhance yeasts vitality" into subsets related to the intended use of the preparation, stage of its application, chemical and structural organization, and ultimate goals. Preparations are divided into groups for various purposes: to fill in the medium with missing compounds and / or additional enrichment with biostimulating components; to extract undesirable components from the medium for the yeast development; preparations-stressors; antibacterial agents, creating favorable conditions for the development of basic yeast culture; contributing to the degradation of raw material biopolymers and intermediates. Medium composition adjustment is possible at the stage of preparation the yeast for fermentation, directly at the main step of the technological process, during pure culture growing and seed yeast storage, at earlier stages of manufacture by processing raw materials or intermediates. According to chemical nature supplements / preparations can be organic, inorganic, mixed (complex) ones and those obtained by chemical or microbial synthesis or be of natural origin. This classification enables a more targeted approach to choosing preparations that provide the change of metabolic activity of the yeast culture by adjusting the composition of the culture medium.
Eukaryotic probiotics currently attract a lot of scientific attention, with Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Saccharomyces boulardii being the most widely investigated probiotic yeasts. The range of yeast species with probiotic potential needs to be broadened. In this respect, juice-providing plants may diversify eukaryoti c probiotic sources for organism preference.
This study tested the probiotic potential of Pichia kudriavzevii and Kluyveromyces marxianus isolated from coconut juice and Schizosaccharomyces pombe and Wickherhamomyces anomalus isolated from raffia palm juice in Nigeria. The in vitro tests used the optical density method to assay the tolerance to acid (pH 2, 3, 5), alkaline (pH 7.5, 8.0), gastric juice (30%), bile (1, 2, and 3%), and osmotic pressure (5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30% gluco se solution).
All four yeasts survived in the test environments, exhibiting varying degrees of probiotic potential. After 96 h in simulated gastric juice, S. pombe outperformed K. marxianus and W. anomalus by 13 and 97.7% (p < 0.05), respectively. W. anomalus appeared to be the least viable in 30% gastric juice. After 96 h in the acid media, all yeasts performed better at pH 3.0 than at pH 2.0, with roughly 89% (1.695/0.185 mean absorbance values) greater growth in pH 3.0 than in pH 2.0. The alkaline media had a better effect on the growth rate. P. kudriavzevii fared best at pH 2.0 and 3.0 for up to 96 h. All yeasts maintained viability in 1, 2, and 3% bile solutions, although the growth rate did not improve significantly in any of the assay periods. Only minimal growth increase was registered in increased bile concentrations. All samples demonstrated sustained viability in 5–30% glucose between 24 and 48 h of incubation. After 48 h of incubation, the yeast concentrations began to fall as the glucose concentration rose from 5 to 30%. P. kudriavzevii was the least affected after 96 h (41.8%) and demonstrated the best survival results by the four criteria tested in this study.
If this species meets all other non-assayed parameters which qualify a microorganism as a probiotic, P. kudriavzevii obtained from Nigerian coconut juice can be recommended as a potential s ource of commercial probiotics.
