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A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Natural Products Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2021) | Viewed by 38155

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Dr. Alessia Fazio

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Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Rende, Italy
Interests: food matrices of plant origin; antioxidant capacities; antiproliferative activity; anti-inflammatory properties; glucans; pectins; seed oils; citrus essential oils; fatty acids; biopolymer synthesis; active packaging; fermented products; kefir
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Dr. Pierluigi Plastina

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Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Rende, Italy
Interests: bioactive lipids; inflammation; antioxidants; phenolipids
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Dear Colleagues,

Fermented foods have represented an important component of the human diet over the centuries in the culture of almost all populations. Initially, they were produced as a means of preservation, and it was immediately evident that these foods had different characteristics from the raw ingredients from which they are made, such as flavor, texture, smell, and functionality. For most of human history, fermented foods were produced from plant or animal sources by traditional fermentation, in the absence of a starter culture, based on either natural or spontaneous fermentation, or the back-slopping method, where portions of a previously fermented product were added to a fresh substrate. The majority of traditional fermented foods and alcoholic beverages are still produced at home. Starter cultures became available in the 20th century, and they are now commonly used in industrial fermentations, including wine, dairy, fish, meat, and vegetables. The presence of live cultures and/or bioactive compounds is associated with important health benefits and preservative actions, which contribute to improved shelf-life.

The aim of this Special Issue is to highlight the innovations in processing technologies for the production of fermented foods and beverages. It may include original research articles and reviews studying the aspects of fermentation microbiology, safety, and health benefits.

Dr. Alessia Fazio
Dr. Pierluigi Plastina
Guest Editors

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Keywords

Innovations in processing technologies
Natural health benefits of fermented foods
Application of micro-organisms and enzymes to the production of fermented food
Identification and production of novel starter cultures of commercial interest
Microbial-biotransformation and production of active metabolites

Published Papers (11 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 1466 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Influence of Time and Storage Conditions on the Antioxidant Potential and Total Phenolic Content in Homemade Grape Vinegars

by Justyna Antoniewicz, Joanna Kochman, Karolina Jakubczyk and Katarzyna Janda-Milczarek

Molecules 2021, 26(24), 7616; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26247616 - 15 Dec 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2276

Abstract

Fermented foods have been an integral part of the cuisines of almost all cultures in the world. In recent years, they have gained ground again, mainly due to their potential health benefits. One such product is grape vinegar, which apart from characteristic taste, is also a source of compounds with antioxidant activity. The aim of the study was to determine the changes in the antioxidant potential and the content of polyphenols that occur during the storage of grape vinegar obtained by spontaneous fermentation. The research material consisted of vinegar made from different white grape varieties grown in Poland. For each variety, two variants were prepared: with and without the addition of sugar in the fermentation process. The antioxidant potential, polyphenol content, soluble solids content and pH were monitored both during the two-month fermentation process and the subsequent 6-months storage under various conditions. Storage conditions and time of the storage affected the antioxidant activity and polyphenol content. The content of these compounds was also influenced by the variety of grapes used as well as the method of vinegar preparation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Frontiers in Fermented Products)

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18 pages, 1728 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Structural Transformation and Creativity Induced by Biological Agents during Fermentation of Edible Nuts from Terminalia catappa

by Oluwatofunmi E. Odutayo, Bose E. Adegboye, Emmanuel A. Omonigbehin, Tolulope D. Olawole, Olubanke O. Ogunlana and Israel S. Afolabi

Molecules 2021, 26(19), 5874; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26195874 - 28 Sep 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2389

Abstract

Terminalia catappa L. (tropical almond) is a nutritious fruit found mainly in the tropics. This study is aimed to establish the naturally biotransformed molecules and identify the probiotic agents facilitating the fermentation. The aqueous extracts from both the unfermented and fermented T. catappa nuts were subjected to gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis. Syringol (6.03%), glutamine (1.71%), methyl laurate (1.79%), methyl palmitate (1.53%), palmitic acid (5.20%), palmitoleic acid (2.80%), and methyl oleate (2.97%) were detected in the unfermented nuts of the T. catappa. Additionally, two of these natural compounds (palmitic acid (4.19%) and palmitoleic acid (1.48%)) survived the fermentation process to emerge in the fermented seeds. The other natural compounds were biotransformed into 2,3-butanediol (1.81%), butyric acid (16.20%), propane-1,3-diol (19.66%), neoheptanol (2.89%), 2-piperidinone (6.63%), palmitoleic acid (1.18%), formamide, n-(p-hydroxyphenethyl)- (2.80%), and cis-vaccenic acid (1.69%) that newly emerged in the fermented seeds. The phytochemical compounds are likely carbon sources for the organisms facilitating the biotransformed molecules and product production. Four (4) potential probiotic bacteria strains, namely, Probt B1a, Probt B2a, Probt B4a, and Probt B4b, were isolated from the fermented nut. Enterococcus faecum, and Enterococcus faecalis were the organisms identified as driving the fermentation of the seeds. All strains were gram-positive, catalase-negative, and non-hemolytic, which suggests their harmless nature. N-(p-hydroxyphenethyl)-) was associated with fermentation for the first time, and neoheptanol was discovered as the main alcoholic molecule formed during the fermentation of the seeds. This fermentation is a handy tool for bio-transforming compounds in raw food sources into compounds with nutritious and therapeutic potentials. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Frontiers in Fermented Products)

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10 pages, 592 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Streptomyces griseus KJ623766: A Natural Producer of Two Anthracycline Cytotoxic Metabolites β- and γ-Rhodomycinone

by Ahmed S. Abu Zaid, Ahmed E. Aleissawy, Ibrahim S. Yahia, Mahmoud A. Yassien, Nadia A. Hassouna and Khaled M. Aboshanab

Molecules 2021, 26(13), 4009; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26134009 - 30 Jun 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2259

Abstract

Background: This study aimed to produce, purify, structurally elucidate, and explore the biological activities of metabolites produced by Streptomyces (S.) griseus isolate KJ623766, a recovered soil bacterium previously screened in our lab that showed promising cytotoxic activities against various cancer cell lines. Methods: Production of cytotoxic metabolites from S. griseus isolate KJ623766 was carried out in a 14L laboratory fermenter under specified optimum conditions. Using a 3-(4,5-dimethylthazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium-bromide assay, the cytotoxic activity of the ethyl acetate extract against Caco2 and Hela cancer cell lines was determined. Bioassay-guided fractionation of the ethyl acetate extract using different chromatographic techniques was used for cytotoxic metabolite purification. Chemical structures of the purified metabolites were identified using mass, 1D, and 2D NMR spectroscopic analysis. Results: Bioassay-guided fractionation of the ethyl acetate extract led to the purification of two cytotoxic metabolites, R1 and R2, of reproducible amounts of 5 and 1.5 mg/L, respectively. The structures of R1 and R2 metabolites were identified as β- and γ-rhodomycinone with CD₅₀ of 6.3, 9.45, 64.8 and 9.11, 9.35, 67.3 µg/mL against Caco2, Hela and Vero cell lines, respectively. Values were comparable to those of the positive control doxorubicin. Conclusions: This is the first report about the production of β- and γ-rhodomycinone, two important scaffolds for synthesis of anticancer drugs, from S. griseus. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Frontiers in Fermented Products)

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14 pages, 830 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effect of Fermentation with Kefir Grains on the Physicochemical and Antioxidant Properties of Beverages from Blue Lupin (Lupinus angustifolius L.) Seeds

by Łukasz Łopusiewicz, Emilia Drozłowska, Paulina Trocer, Paweł Kwiatkowski, Artur Bartkowiak, Annett Gefrom and Monika Sienkiewicz

Molecules 2020, 25(24), 5791; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25245791 - 08 Dec 2020

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 4359

Abstract

Plant derived fermented beverages have recently gained consumers’ interest, particularly due to their intrinsic functional properties and presence of beneficial microorganisms. Three variants containing 5%, 10%, and 15% (w/w) of sweet blue lupin (Lupinus angustifolius L. cv. “Boregine”) seeds were inoculated with kefir grains and incubated at 25 °C for 24 h. After processing, beverages were stored in refrigerated conditions (6 °C) for 21 days. Changes in microbial population, pH, bioactive compounds (polyphenolics, flavonoids, ascorbic acid), reducing sugars, and free amino acids were estimated. Additionally, viscosity, firmness, color, and free radicals scavenging properties were determined. Results showed that lactic acid bacteria as well as yeast were capable of growing well in the lupin matrix without any supplementation. During the process of refrigeration, the viability of the microorganisms was over the recommended minimum level for kefir products. Hydrolysis of polysaccharides as well as increase of free amino acids was observed. As a result of fermentation, the beverages showed excellent DPPH, ABTS^+·, ^·OH, and O₂⁻ radicals scavenging activities with a potential when considering diseases associated with oxidative stress. This beverages could be used as a new, non-dairy vehicle for beneficial microflora consumption, especially by vegans and lactose-intolerant consumers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Frontiers in Fermented Products)

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13 pages, 1455 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Fermentation with Edible Rhizopus Strains to Enhance the Bioactive Potential of Hull-Less Pumpkin Oil Cake

by Anna Starzyńska-Janiszewska, Robert Duliński and Bożena Stodolak

Molecules 2020, 25(24), 5782; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25245782 - 08 Dec 2020

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2288

Abstract

Solid-state fermentation with food-grade fungal strains can be applied to enhance the bioactive parameters of agro-industrial by-products. Tempe-type fermentation can be adapted to various substrates, but the key factor is the appropriate strain selection. The aim of this study was to compare the potential of Rhizopus strains for obtaining products of improved antioxidant activity from pumpkin oil cake. For this purpose, substances reacting with the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent, with free radical scavenging potential, as well as reducing power were assessed. The effect of the fermentation on the phytate level and inositol phosphate profile in the material was also monitored. The fermentation resulted in the significant enhancement of the antioxidant potential of pumpkin oil cake in the case of all the strains tested, but the most efficient one was R. oligosporus ATCC 64063. During the course of fermentation, the level of phytate in the material decreased (the highest reduction rate was observed in the oil cake fermented with R. oryzae CBS 372.63), while peptides and fungal glucosamine were accumulated. Tempe-type fermentation can be considered as an alternative way of improving the bioactive parameters of pumpkin oil cake and, thanks to the various activities of different Rhizopus strains, it is possible to obtain products of desired parameters. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Frontiers in Fermented Products)

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22 pages, 1040 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Different Ultrasound Exposure Times Influence the Physicochemical and Microbial Quality Properties in Probiotic Goat Milk Yogurt

by Karina Delgado, Carla Vieira, Ilyes Dammak, Beatriz Frasão, Ana Brígida, Marion Costa and Carlos Conte-Junior

Molecules 2020, 25(20), 4638; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25204638 - 12 Oct 2020

Cited by 25 | Viewed by 2931

Abstract

Despite goat milk having health benefits over cow milk, goat milk yogurt (GY) presents low consistency and viscosity, which reduces its overall acceptability by the consumer. Thus, new innovative methods can be an alternative to improve the quality of GY. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the effect of ultrasound (US) treatment with different sonication times on quality parameters of probiotic GY during refrigerated storage. US treatment was conducted at 20 KHz for 3, 6, and 9 min in yogurt. Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Lactobacillus acidophilus LA-5 were sensitive to US treatment, presenting a decrease in the yogurts stocked. This loss of viability led to reduced post-acidification due to smaller lactose metabolization in yogurt samples submitted to the US. Among tested treatments, the application of 6 min enhanced the apparent viscosity and consistency index of GY yogurts. In addition, this time also reduced tyramine and total biogenic amine (BAs) content. These findings suggest that 6 min of sonication is a promising way to improve the rheological properties and reduce the acidity and BAs content in GY. Further studies should be performed to optimize the US setting conditions to preserve the probiotic culture viability in yogurts. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Frontiers in Fermented Products)

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13 pages, 2725 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Gamma Aminobutyric Acid-Enriched Fermented Oyster (Crassostrea gigas) Increases the Length of the Growth Plate on the Proximal Tibia Bone in Sprague-Dawley Rats

by Hyesook Lee, Hyun Hwangbo, Seon Yeong Ji, Min Yeong Kim, So Young Kim, Da Hye Kim, Su Hyun Hong, Su Jeong Lee, Freshet Assefa, Gi-Young Kim, Eui Kyun Park, Joung-Hyun Park, Bae-Jin Lee, You-Jin Jeon and Yung Hyun Choi

Molecules 2020, 25(19), 4375; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25194375 - 23 Sep 2020

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2970

Abstract

Bone growth during childhood and puberty determines an adult’s final stature. Although several prior studies have reported that fermented oyster (FO) consisting of a high amount of gamma aminobutyric acid can be attributed to bone health, there is no research on the efficacy of FO on growth regulation and the proximal tibial growth plate. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the effect of FO oral administration on hepatic and serum growth regulator levels and the development of the proximal tibial growth plate in young Sprague-Dawley rats. Both oral administration of FO (FO 100, 100 mg/kg FO and FO 200, 200 mg/kg FO) and subcutaneous injection of recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH, 200 μg/kg of rhGH) for two weeks showed no toxicity. Circulating levels of growth hormone (GH) significantly increased in the FO 200 group. The expression and secretion of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) were enhanced by FO administration. FO administration promoted the expression of bone morphogenic proteins IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 in the proximal tibial growth plate. This positive effect of FO resulted in incremental growth of the entire plate length by expanding the proliferating and hypertrophic zones in the proximal tibial growth plate. Collectively, our results suggested that oral administration of FO is beneficial for bone health, which may ultimately result in increased height. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Frontiers in Fermented Products)

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11 pages, 2282 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Chinese Yellow Rice Wine Processing with Reduced Ethyl Carbamate Formation by Deleting Transcriptional Regulator Dal80p in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

by Tianyu Wei, Zhihua Jiao, Jingjin Hu, Hanghang Lou and Qihe Chen

Molecules 2020, 25(16), 3580; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25163580 - 06 Aug 2020

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2586

Abstract

Ethyl carbamate (EC) is a potential carcinogen that forms spontaneously during Chinese rice wine fermentation. The primary precursor for EC formation is urea, which originates from both external sources and arginine degradation. Urea degradation is suppressed by nitrogen catabolite repression (NCR) in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The regulation of NCR is mediated by two positive regulators (Gln3p, Gat1p/Nil1p) and two negative regulators (Dal80p/Uga43p, Deh1p/Nil2p/GZF3p). DAL80 revealed higher transcriptional level when yeast cells were cultivated under nitrogen-limited conditions. In this study, when DAL80-deleted yeast cells were compared to wild-type BY4741 cells, less urea was accumulated, and genes involved in urea utilization were up-regulated. Furthermore, Chinese rice wine fermentation was conducted using dal80Δ cells; the concentrations of urea and EC were both reduced when compared to the BY4741 and traditional fermentation starter. The findings of this work indicated Dal80p is involved in EC formation possibly through regulating urea metabolism and may be used as the potential target for EC reduction. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Frontiers in Fermented Products)

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15 pages, 1901 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Effect of Addition of Pectins from Jujubes (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.) on Vitamin C Production during Heterolactic Fermentation

by Alessia Fazio, Chiara La Torre, Maria Cristina Caroleo, Paolino Caputo, Roberto Cannataro, Pierluigi Plastina and Erika Cione

Molecules 2020, 25(11), 2706; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25112706 - 11 Jun 2020

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2707

Abstract

Soluble fibers, including pectins from apple and lemon, are commonly used as prebiotic and to prepare functional foods. The present study aimed to investigate the physicochemical and functional properties of pectins extracted from jujubes (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.). Pectins were extracted from jujubes at three stages of harvesting and characterized by FTIR and SEM analyses. Whole milk inoculated with kefir grains was supplemented by 0.25 mg·mL⁻¹ of pectins. The pH value and vitamin C content were evaluated after 24 and 48 h of fermentation. Pectins from jujubes at the first harvesting stage (PJ1K) showed the lowest methoxylation degree. The addition of pectins enhanced the production of vitamin C during heterolactic process. This result was found to depend on jujube harvesting stage as PJ1K stimulated the growth of yeasts in kefir grains yielding to the highest amount of vitamin C (0.83 ± 0.01 µg·mL⁻¹) compared to other samples (0.53–0.60 µg·mL⁻¹) at 24 h. Lactic acid bacteria diminish pH rapidly with respect to control (4.13 ± 0.05), according to the stage of maturation, reducing its initial value by 38.3% in PJ1K. Besides being an excellent prebiotic, pectins from jujubes could be used to enrich kefir with vitamin C. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Frontiers in Fermented Products)

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14 pages, 1089 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Bacillus amyloliquefaciens RWL-1 as a New Potential Strain for Augmenting Biochemical and Nutritional Composition of Fermented Soybean

by Raheem Shahzad, Adeeb Shehzad, Saqib Bilal and In-Jung Lee

Molecules 2020, 25(10), 2346; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25102346 - 18 May 2020

Cited by 23 | Viewed by 3025

Abstract

Soybean (Glycine max L.) is a good source of natural antioxidants and commonly consumed as fermented products such as cheonggukjang, miso, tempeh, and sufu in Asian countries. The aim of the current study was to examine the influence of novel endophytic bacterial strain, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens RWL-1 as a starter for soybean fermentation. During fermentation, the cooked soybeans were inoculated with different concentrations (1%, 3%, and 5%) of B. amyloliquefaciens RWL-1. The changes in 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2′-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging activities, total phenolic contents, isoflavones (Daidzin, Genistin, Glycitin, Daidzein, Glycitein, and Genistein), amino acids (aspartic acid, threonine, serine, glutamic acid, glycine, alanine, cysteine, valine, methionine, isoleucine, leucine, tyrosine, phenylalanine, lysine, histidine, arginine, and proline) composition, and minerals (calcium, copper, iron, potassium, magnesium, manganese, sodium, nickel, lead, arsenic, and zinc) were investigated. The level of antioxidants, total phenolic contents, isoflavones, and total amino acids were higher in fermented soybean inoculated with 1% B. amyloliquefaciens RWL-1 after 60 h of fermentation as compared to control, 3% and 5% B. amyloliquefaciens RWL-1. Additionally, fermented soybean inoculated with 5% B. amyloliquefaciens RWL-1 showed the highest values for mineral contents. Changes in antioxidant activities and bioactive compounds depended on the concentration of the strain used for fermentation. From these results, we conclude that fermented soybean has strong antioxidant activity, probably due to its increased total phenolic contents and aglycone isoflavone that resulted from fermentation. Such natural antioxidants could be used in drug and food industries and can be considered to alleviate oxidative stress. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Frontiers in Fermented Products)

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Review

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20 pages, 5723 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperReview

A Review of Red Yeast Rice, a Traditional Fermented Food in Japan and East Asia: Its Characteristic Ingredients and Application in the Maintenance and Improvement of Health in Lipid Metabolism and the Circulatory System

by Hiroyuki Fukami, Yuki Higa, Tomohiro Hisano, Koichi Asano, Tetsuya Hirata and Sansei Nishibe

Molecules 2021, 26(6), 1619; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26061619 - 15 Mar 2021

Cited by 25 | Viewed by 9423

Abstract

Red yeast rice has been used to produce alcoholic beverages and various fermented foods in China and Korea since ancient times; it has also been used to produce tofuyo (Okinawan-style fermented tofu) in Japan since the 18th century. Recently, monacolin K (lovastatin) which has cholesterol-lowering effects, was found in some strains of Monascus fungi. Since statins have been used world-wide as a cholesterol-lowering agent, processed foods containing natural statins are drawing attention as materials for primary prevention of life-style related diseases. In recent years, large-scale commercial production of red yeast rice using traditional solid-state fermentation has become possible, and various useful materials, including a variety of monascus pigments (polyketides) that spread as natural pigments, in addition to statins, are produced in the fermentation process. Red yeast rice has a lot of potential as a medicinal food. In this paper, we describe the history of red yeast rice as food, especially in Japan and East Asia, its production methods, use, and the ingredients with pharmacological activity. We then review evidence of the beneficial effects of red yeast rice in improving lipid metabolism and the circulatory system and its safety as a functional food. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Frontiers in Fermented Products)

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