Os ramnolipídeos (RL) são biossurfatantes que apresentam características de grande interesse para a indústria de alimentos, tais como alta biodegradabilidade, baixa toxicidade e propriedades emulsionantes. Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a atividade antimicrobiana do ramnolipídeo comercial (RL-Com - Jeneil Co.) e do ramnolipídeo produzido e purificado no Laboratório de Biotecnologia Microbiana (RL-LBM) sobre culturas de Listeria monocytogenes, através da determinação da concentração inibitória mínima (CIM) utilizando o método de microdiluição em caldo. Os valores de CIM dos RLs variaram entre 78,1 μg mL-1 e 2500 μg mL-1 sendo que a CIM predominante foi de 2500 μg mL-1. Dentre as 32 L. monocytogenes testadas 68,7% foram sensíveis ao RL-LBM e 90,6% sensíveis ao RL-Com. O efeito do ramnolipídeo sobre L. monocytogenes mostrou-se predominantemente bacteriostático. O RL aumentou a permeabilidade celular de L. monocytogenes, contudo este efeito não foi relacionado à sua atividade antimicrobiana. A interação entre os antimicrobianos RL-Com e nisina foi avaliada sobre dois isolados de L. monocytogenes com sensibilidades diferentes ao RL, o L17 menos sensível, com CIM de 2500 μg mL-1, e o L12 mais sensível, com CIM de 156,2 μg mL-1. O índice CIF obtido para os isolados foi de 0,078 e 0,18 , para L17 e L12 respectivamente, caracterizando o efeito sinérgico da combinação entre RL e nisina. As curvas de sobrevivência dos isolados L12 e L17 mostraram que a interação entre a nisina e o RL foi bactericida em concentrações menores que as obtidas individualmente para cada antimicrobiano. Para a L12 a combinação de 78,1 μg mL-1 de RL e 160 UI mL-1 de nisina reduziu completamente a população em 30 min de tratamento, e para a L17 a combinação de 156,2 μg mL-1 de RL e 320 UI mL-1 de nisina foi bactericida após 2 h. Os resultados obtidos neste trabalho demonstraram que o ramnolipídeo possui potencial como agente de controle de L. monocytogenes assim como efeito sinérgico quando combinado à nisina. / The rhamnolipids (RL) are biodegradable biosurfactants which have low toxicity and surface activity properties that can be useful for food processing industries. The objective of this study was to evaluate the susceptibility of Listeria monocytogenes with two rhamnolipids products: the rhamnolipid from P. aeruginosa LBI that was produced and purified in the Microbial Biotechnology Laboratory (RLMBL) and a commercial product (RL-Com - Jeneil Co.). Susceptibility tests were performed by the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) using the micro-broth dilution technique. The MIC values varied from 78.1 μg mL-1 to 2500 μg mL-1 and the 2500 μg mL-1 concentration was the predominant value . Among the 32 tested cultures, 68.7% were susceptible to RL-MBL and 90.6% to RL-Com. Results showed that the rhamnolipid activity was primarily bacteriostatic. The RL increases the membrane permeability of L. monocytogenes, however this effect was not directly related to its antimicrobial activity. The combined effect of nisin and RL-Com was evaluated against two wild-type isolates of L. monocytogenes, L12 more sensitive (MIC 156.2 μg mL-1) and L17 less sensitive (2500 μg mL-1). The FIC index for the isolates were 0.18 and 0.078 for L12 and L17 respectively, indicating a particular synergistic effect. The survival curve of isolates L12 and L17 showed that the combination between nisin and RL was bactericidal at lower concentration than for the individual antimicrobials. For L12 isolate 78.1 μg mL-1 of RL and 160 UI mL-1 of nisin eliminated the population after 30 min of incubation. The combination of 156.2 μg mL-1 of RL and 320 UI mL-1 of nisin reduced completely L17 population after 2 h of incubation. This work demonstrated the potential antimicrobial activity of rhamnolipids against L. monocytogenes, as well as the synergistic effect of this biosurfactant with nisin.

Microbial contamination and survival during storage of bread are a cause of both health concerns and economic losses. Traditional fermentation systems were studied as sources of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) with antagonistic potential against foodborne pathogens and spoilage organisms, with the aim to improve the safety and shelf life of bakery products. The antagonistic activity of four types of buttermilk (BM) products fermented with Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis was evaluated against a number of pathogenic bacteria to select the best fermented-BM for application as bio-preservatives in bread crumpets, showing up to 9 µg/ml of nisin equivalent antimicrobial activity. These food ingredients could be suitable to be used in crumpet formulations, BM fermented with Lc. lactis subsp. lactis and nisin influenced the quality and shelf life of crumpets; the pH value and firmness of products with fermented BM was lower and the acidity and springiness was higher than for unfermented BM treatment and control withouth additive. The nisin and fermented BM treatment had beneficial effects on the pore size and colour in comparison with the control, and improved microbial shelf life by 2 days. Commercial and traditional sourdough and bread samples (n=18) were collected to assess the diversity of LAB strains and potential properties when applied to dough and bread. DGGE followed by sequencing showed that Lactobacillus was the predominant genus in the studied sourdoughs. Lb. plantarum and Lb. brevis strains accounted for 69% of the 32 isolates, out of which 10 were amylolytic and 12 had proteolytic activity. Most were also good acid producers after 24 h at 30°C. Some LAB strains presented a strong in vitro inhibitory activity against five indicator strains, showing potential as starter cultures to ferment sourdough. In subsequent experiments, the properties of 24 sourdoughs were evaluated, and one of them, fermented with Lb. plantarum (SIN3) yielded low pH value, high lactic acid production, and suitable microbial growth, and was selected for further bread making performance trials. The bread with fast fermentation and high sourdough concentration (FFHSD) had a lower pH, higher acidity and increased the quality attributes with significantly better shelf life comparing to the other treatments during the storage period. Sensory evaluation demonstrated that fast-fermented breads were more acceptable than the slow-fermented counterparts. Bread prepared with high level (18%) of sourdough fast-fermented with the selected culture (SIN3) had a good eating quality and shelf life. The approach of this study is likely to yield feasible improvements of the current methods of preparation of baking goods.

Os processos de tratamento térmico por meio do aquecimento ôhmico revelam-se bastante promissores. A tecnologia de processamento de alimentos através do aquecimento ôhmico tem mostrado a obtenção de um produto final com características sensoriais e nutricionais superiores, quando comparada aos métodos convencionais (trocadores de calor ou banho de água). A principal vantagem atribuída ao aquecimento ôhmico é a habilidade de aquecer materiais rapidamente e de modo uniforme possibilitando desta forma a redução do abuso térmico aos produtos. A construção de um equipamento de aquecimento ôhmico foi realizada e seu funcionamento avaliado. Alguns pontos críticos para o funcionamento do equipamento foram encontrados e avaliados. Dentre os principais pontos críticos avaliados estão: o sistema de medição de temperatura e a distribuição dos campos elétricos. A avaliação destes pontos críticos possibilitou a realização de novo projeto de equipamento com o objetivo de otimizar a aplicação do aquecimento ôhmico. Realizou-se estudo comparativo da velocidade de inativação da fluorescência da proteína verde fluorescente (GFPuv) e da inativação da atividade da bacteriosina nisina, quando submetidas a aquecimento convencional (banho d\'água) e ôhmico, com o objetivo de avaliar a influencia da presença de campos elétricos. Leituras em λex = 394 nm, λem = 509 nm para excitação e emissão respectivamente para a GFPuv e avaliação por halo de inibição para a atividade da nisina foram realizadas periodicamente após tratamento térmico por metodologia convencional e ôhmica a temperaturas de 60º, 70º e 80ºC para GFPuv e de 70ºe 80ºC para a nisina. Os resultados indicam que para ambos, GFP e nisina, a presença de campos elétricos não influencia de modo significativo o comportamento quando comparada a tecnologia de aquecimento ôhmico e convencional. / Ohmic heating is an emerging technology that possesses many actual and future applications. One of the most promising applications for this technology is food processing. Ohmic heating has demonstrated to achieve better sensorial and nutritional values when compared to conventional heating (heat exchangers/water bath). The principal advantage of ohmic heating is the ability to heat materials rapidly and uniformly making possible to reduce thermal abuse to products. An ohmic heating equipment was constructed and evaluated. Critical functioning points were observed on the manufactured equipment and were evaluated. Among the observed critical points include the temperature measurement system and the distribution of the electric fields on the extension of the equipment\'s container. As a result of the evaluation of those critical points a new equipment project was created aiming to optimize the ohmic heating unit. The influence of the electric field over the fluorescence decay of the green fluorescent protein (GFPuv) and over nisin activity decay was evaluated. Fluorescence readings were performed at λex = 394 nm, λem = 509 nm for excitation and emission respectively for GFPuv and activity readings were performed by inhibition halo for nisin after several thermal treatment periods on ohmic and conventional heating. Samples were heated by conventional and ohmic heating at 60º, 70º and 80ºC for GFPuv and at 70º, 80º and 90ºC for nisin. The observed results indicate that the incidence of electric fields did not presented significative influence on the fluorescence decay of GFPuv or on the activity of nisin when ohmic heating was compared with conventional heating.

Listeria monocytogenes é um microrganismo patogênico psicrotrófico e consequentemente de grande importância para alimentos conservados em refrigeração. Vários estudos têm demonstrado que é possível utilizar antimicrobianos naturais, como bacteriocinas e compostos fenólicos, para retardar a multiplicação desse patógeno em produtos cárneos refrigerados. Entretanto, sabe-se que a atividade antimicrobiana desses compostos pode ser influenciada pelos componentes da matriz alimentar. Esse trabalho de mestrado pretendeu avaliar a influência dos ingredientes de lingüiça frescal de suíno na ação inibitória de óleo essencial de orégano (OEO) e nisina sobre Listeria monocytogenes. Foram realizados testes com diferentes modelos alimentares preparados com carne suína moída adicionada de cada um dos ingredientes utilizados na fabricação de lingüiça frescal (sais de cura, açúcar, antioxidante, emulsificante, condimentos e NaCl) separadamente, comparando-se os resultados com os obtidos no modelo contendo todos os ingredientes simultaneamente. Pretendeu-se também avaliar a interferência do tempo de contato da nisina e óleo essencial de orégano com os diferentes modelos alimentares na ação antimicrobiana sobre L. monocytogenes. Os resultados indicaram que os antimicrobianos foram capazes de inibir a multiplicação de L. monocytogenes em todos os modelos analisados armazenados à 5ºC por até 72h. Comparando-se todos os modelos compostos por carne adicionada de apenas um dos ingredientes, a maior atividade antilisterial foi observada no modelo composto de carne com antioxidante. Entretanto, essa atividade inibitória foi menor do que a obtida no modelo contendo todos os ingredientes em conjunto. Quanto à influência do tempo prévio de contato entre os antimicrobianos e os modelos estudados na ação antilisterial, observou-se que na formulação com todos os ingredientes a ação foi mais intensa quando o contato foi de 2h. Entretanto, neste modelo o efeito mais duradouro foi obtido com 12h de contato prévio. Nos demais modelos, o maior efeito foi obtido no tempo zero. Os resultados permitem concluir que cada um dos ingredientes da formulação da lingüiça contribui com uma parcela na ação antilisterial do OEO e nisina nesse produto, e que essa ação é influenciada pelo tempo de contato prévio entre os modelos e os agentes antimicrobianos. / Listeria monocytogenes is psychrotrophic pathogen and, consequently, very important for cold-preserved foods. Many studies have demonstrated that natural antimicrobials such as bacteriocins and phenolic compounds can be used to inhibit the growth of this pathogen in refrigerated meat products. However, it is known that the antimicrobial activity of these antimicrobials may be influenced by components of the food matrix. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the influence of the ingredients of \"lingüiça\" in the inhibitory activity of O.E.O. and nisin against L. monocytogenes. The study was carried out with different food models prepared with minced raw pork meat added separately of each ingredient used for manufacturing \"lingüiça\" (curing salts, sugar, antioxidants, emulsifiers, condiments and NaCl), and results were compared to those obtained in a model containing all ingredients simultaneously. The study also aimed to evaluate the interference of the contact time between the food models and the antimicrobials on the effect against L. monocytogenes. Results indicated that the antimicrobials added to the models were able to inhibit the growth of the pathogen at 5ºC up to 72h. Comparing the models, the highest antilisterial activity was observed in the model containing pork meat and antioxidants. However, this inhibitory activity was lower than that observed in the model with all ingredients. What concerns the influence of contact time in antilisterial activity, we observed that in the model containing all ingredients the antilisterial activity was more intense after 2h of contact, but the more lasting effect was observed after 12h of contact. In the other models, the most intense effect was noted in time zero. The conclusions of the study are that each ingredient used in manufacture of \"lingüiça\" has its share in the antilisterial activity of nisin and OEO in this product and that this activity is influenced by the contact time between the food matrix and the antimicrobials.

Os processos de tratamento térmico por meio do aquecimento ôhmico revelam-se bastante promissores. A tecnologia de processamento de alimentos através do aquecimento ôhmico tem mostrado a obtenção de um produto final com características sensoriais e nutricionais superiores, quando comparada aos métodos convencionais (trocadores de calor ou banho de água). A principal vantagem atribuída ao aquecimento ôhmico é a habilidade de aquecer materiais rapidamente e de modo uniforme possibilitando desta forma a redução do abuso térmico aos produtos. A construção de um equipamento de aquecimento ôhmico foi realizada e seu funcionamento avaliado. Alguns pontos críticos para o funcionamento do equipamento foram encontrados e avaliados. Dentre os principais pontos críticos avaliados estão: o sistema de medição de temperatura e a distribuição dos campos elétricos. A avaliação destes pontos críticos possibilitou a realização de novo projeto de equipamento com o objetivo de otimizar a aplicação do aquecimento ôhmico. Realizou-se estudo comparativo da velocidade de inativação da fluorescência da proteína verde fluorescente (GFPuv) e da inativação da atividade da bacteriosina nisina, quando submetidas a aquecimento convencional (banho d\'água) e ôhmico, com o objetivo de avaliar a influencia da presença de campos elétricos. Leituras em λex = 394 nm, λem = 509 nm para excitação e emissão respectivamente para a GFPuv e avaliação por halo de inibição para a atividade da nisina foram realizadas periodicamente após tratamento térmico por metodologia convencional e ôhmica a temperaturas de 60º, 70º e 80ºC para GFPuv e de 70ºe 80ºC para a nisina. Os resultados indicam que para ambos, GFP e nisina, a presença de campos elétricos não influencia de modo significativo o comportamento quando comparada a tecnologia de aquecimento ôhmico e convencional. / Ohmic heating is an emerging technology that possesses many actual and future applications. One of the most promising applications for this technology is food processing. Ohmic heating has demonstrated to achieve better sensorial and nutritional values when compared to conventional heating (heat exchangers/water bath). The principal advantage of ohmic heating is the ability to heat materials rapidly and uniformly making possible to reduce thermal abuse to products. An ohmic heating equipment was constructed and evaluated. Critical functioning points were observed on the manufactured equipment and were evaluated. Among the observed critical points include the temperature measurement system and the distribution of the electric fields on the extension of the equipment\'s container. As a result of the evaluation of those critical points a new equipment project was created aiming to optimize the ohmic heating unit. The influence of the electric field over the fluorescence decay of the green fluorescent protein (GFPuv) and over nisin activity decay was evaluated. Fluorescence readings were performed at λex = 394 nm, λem = 509 nm for excitation and emission respectively for GFPuv and activity readings were performed by inhibition halo for nisin after several thermal treatment periods on ohmic and conventional heating. Samples were heated by conventional and ohmic heating at 60º, 70º and 80ºC for GFPuv and at 70º, 80º and 90ºC for nisin. The observed results indicate that the incidence of electric fields did not presented significative influence on the fluorescence decay of GFPuv or on the activity of nisin when ohmic heating was compared with conventional heating.

Nisina é extensamente utilizada como conservante natural em alimentos por conter características antimicrobianas contra germinação de esporos e bactérias Gram-positivas; potencialmente utilizada para produtos odontológicos e farmacêuticos, e como um agente terapêutico. Este estudo teve por objetivo melhorar a produção da nisina em diferentes meios de cultivo incluindo o leite desnatado. Com a expressão de nisina relacionada às condições de crescimento do Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis ATCC 11454, a interferência dos componentes dos meios de cultivo, os parâmetros de crescimento e o tempo de incubação foram estudados para a obtenção desta bacteriocina. O cultivo do L. lactis foi realizado (36h/100rpm/30 oC) em caldo M17 e MRS em sua composição básica (pH = 6-7) e também suplementado com sacarose (1,0-12,5 g.L-1); fosfato de potássio (0,13 g.L- 1), asparagina (0,5 g.L-1) e sacarose (0,24 g.L-1); e diluído 1:1 com leite desnatado. O leite desnatado foi também utilizado como meio de cultivo mantendo sua composição básica (9–10 % sólidos totais, pH = 6,5). Alíquotas do cultivo em caldo (OD660 = 0,7; 3,20 mg DCW/L ou 102 CFU/mL) de cada grupo de ensaio foram transferidas para um novo meio de cultivo e incubado (36h/100rpm/30 oC). A produção de nisina foi detectada através da difusão em ágar utilizando Lactobacillus sake ATCC 15521 (30 0C/24h) como microrganismo sensível. A atividade detectada foi expressa em AU (arbitrary units – unidades arbitrárias), correspondendo aos halos de inibição de crescimento de L. sake. As unidades arbitrárias foram convertidas para concentração de nisina padrão (Nisaplinâ contêm 25 mg nisina / g produto, correspondem a 106 AU). A detecção da atividade da nisina foi menor do que 0,1 AU.mL-1 em caldo M17e MRS, aumentando significantemente para 142527,94 AU.mL-1 em M17 ou MRS diluído com leite desnatado (1:1). A atividade da nisina detectada foi altamente influenciada pela incorporação de leite desnatado em ambos o caldo, MRS e M17, com a máxima quantidade expressa em 36 horas de incubação. Os resultados mostram que o leite desnatado com meio de cultivo desenvolve ambiente propício e ideal para a produção de nisina, pois reduz os custos e aumenta a produção, por se tratar de um produto de fácil acesso e trivial. / Nisin is a bacteriocin produced by Lactococcus lactis that inhibits the germination and growth of Gram-positive bacteria. As Nisin expression is related to the growth conditions of Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis, the effects of growth parameters, media components and incubation time, were studied to optimize the expression of Nisin. L. lactis ATCC 11454 was grown (36h/100rpm/30oC) in both M17 and MRS basic broth media (pH = 6-7) supplemented with sucrose (1.0-12.5 g L-1); potassium phosphate (0.13 g L-1), asparagine (0.5 g L-1) and sucrose (0.24 g L-1); and diluted 1:1 with liquid non-fat milk. Liquid non-fat milk, undiluted, was also used as another basic medium (9–10 % total solids, pH = 6.5). Aliquots of cultured broth (OD660 = 0.7; 3.20 mg DCW/L or 102 CFU/ml) from each group were transferred into fresh broth and incubated further (36h/100/rpm30oC). Nisin production was assayed by agar diffusion using Lactobacillus sake ATCC 15521 (24h/300C) as the sensitive organism. Comparing diameters of growth inhibition of L. sake from wells of Nisin of known concentration (“standard Nisin”; Nisaplin, Sigma) to diameters of inhibition from defined volumes of L. lactis sp. lactis broth cultures, the amount of Nisin in broth cultures was measured as arbitrary units (AU ml-1) converted to Nisin mg/ml, with 25 mg of standard Nisin/g corresponding to 106 AU/g. The detection of Nisin activity was less than 0.1 AU.mL-1 in M17 or MRS broth, and increased to a maximum of 142527.94 AU.mL-1 in M17 or MRS diluted with liquid non-fat milk (1:1). The amount of Nisin expressed was strongly influenced by the incorporation of non-fat milk to both M17 and MRS broths (1:1), with the maximum amount expressed after 36 h of incubation. Nisin is widely used as a natural additive for preserving foods, pharmaceutical and dental products, and as a therapeutic agent. This study was performed to improve large scale Nisin production to meet the demand of its beneficial use in health-care products.

A nisina é uma bacteriocina produzida por Lactococcus factis subsp. lactis e seu uso é permitido como conservador de alimentos em diversos países. Em 1998, o Ministério da Agricultura e Abastecimento do Brasil, em atitude pioneira, autorizou a aplicação de 200 ppm de Nisaplin® em solução de ácido fosfórico grau alimentício na superfície de produtos cárneos embutidos, tais como salsichas, como alternativa tecnológica para aumentar a segurança microbiológica e a vida-de-prateleira desses produtos. Este trabalho avaliou a eficiência deste tratamento na inibição da deterioração microbiana e controle da multiplicação de Listeria monocytogenes em salsichas tratadas com nisina conforme preconizado, e armazenadas sob refrigeração (8°C) e abuso de temperatura (12°C). Salsichas foram coletadas em uma planta processadora da cidade de São Paulo e submetidas a tratamento por imersão em solução de 200 ppm de Nisaplin® em ácido fosfórico grau alimentício a 0,1 % durante 1 minuto. Para o estudo da eficiência do tratamento sobre Listeria monocytogenes, as salsichas foram contaminadas experimentalmente após o tratamento através de imersão em suspensões contendo L. monocytogenes Scott A, resultando em dois níveis de contaminação superficial denominados baixo (103-104UFC/cm2) e alto (106-107 UFOcm2). Controles não tratados e não inoculados foram realizados concomitantemente. As amostras foram embaladas a vácuo e armazenadas a 8°C e 12°C durante 42 dias. A enumeração das populações de microrganismos aeróbios mesófilos, bactérias láticas, microrganismos psicrotróficos e L. monocytogenes foi realizada semanalmente até o final do período de estocagem. Os resultados indicam que não há diferença estatisticamente significativa entre as populações de bactérias aeróbias mesófilas, psicrotróficas e bactérias láticas em produtos tratados e não tratados com solução de Nisaplin® e armazenados a 8°C ou a 12°C. A redução das populações de L. monocytogenes em salsichas tratadas com Nisaplin® quando a contaminação superficial foi de 103 a 104UFC/cm2 e o produto foi armazenado a 8°e foi pequena (<1 log UFC/cm2), porém estatisticamente significativa. Esses resultados indicam serem necessárias medidas adicionais para garantir a segurança do produto. / Nisin is a bacteriocin produced by Lactococcus lactis subsp lactis and its use is permitted as a food preservative in severaI countries. In 1998, the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture authorized the application of 200 ppm nisin (Nisaplin®) on the surface of meat products by immersion or spraying, as a technological alternative to increase safety and shelf-life of cooked frankfurters. This work intended to evaluate the effectiveness of this treatment on inhibition of microbial spoilage and control of growth of Listeria monocytogenes in frankfurters during storage under refrigeration (8°C) and temperature abuse (12°C). Frankfurters from a local meat industry were submerged for 1 min in nisin solution (200 ppm) in 0.1% phosphoric acid and experimentally contaminated with low (103-104 CFU/cm2) and high (106-107CFU/cm2) levels of L. monocytogenes. Non-treated and non-inoculated controls were also prepared. Counts of lactic acid bacteria, aerobes (mesophilic and psychrotrophic) and L. monocytogenes were carried out weekly up to 42 days, in four genuine repetitions. Results available indicate that the differences of counts of mesophilic and psychrotrophic aerobes, lactic acid bacteria in nisin-treated and non-treated controls are not significant. Reduction of L. monocytogenes populations in nisin-treated frankfurters experimentally contaminated with low (103-104CFU/cm2) leveis of L. monocytogenes stored under refrigeration (8°C) was low (<1 log UFC/cm<SUP2), but statistically significant. Results indicate that additional measures are necessary to ensure the safety of these products.

Nisina é extensamente utilizada como conservante natural em alimentos por conter características antimicrobianas contra germinação de esporos e bactérias Gram-positivas; potencialmente utilizada para produtos odontológicos e farmacêuticos, e como um agente terapêutico. Este estudo teve por objetivo melhorar a produção da nisina em diferentes meios de cultivo incluindo o leite desnatado. Com a expressão de nisina relacionada às condições de crescimento do Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis ATCC 11454, a interferência dos componentes dos meios de cultivo, os parâmetros de crescimento e o tempo de incubação foram estudados para a obtenção desta bacteriocina. O cultivo do L. lactis foi realizado (36h/100rpm/30 oC) em caldo M17 e MRS em sua composição básica (pH = 6-7) e também suplementado com sacarose (1,0-12,5 g.L-1); fosfato de potássio (0,13 g.L- 1), asparagina (0,5 g.L-1) e sacarose (0,24 g.L-1); e diluído 1:1 com leite desnatado. O leite desnatado foi também utilizado como meio de cultivo mantendo sua composição básica (9–10 % sólidos totais, pH = 6,5). Alíquotas do cultivo em caldo (OD660 = 0,7; 3,20 mg DCW/L ou 102 CFU/mL) de cada grupo de ensaio foram transferidas para um novo meio de cultivo e incubado (36h/100rpm/30 oC). A produção de nisina foi detectada através da difusão em ágar utilizando Lactobacillus sake ATCC 15521 (30 0C/24h) como microrganismo sensível. A atividade detectada foi expressa em AU (arbitrary units – unidades arbitrárias), correspondendo aos halos de inibição de crescimento de L. sake. As unidades arbitrárias foram convertidas para concentração de nisina padrão (Nisaplinâ contêm 25 mg nisina / g produto, correspondem a 106 AU). A detecção da atividade da nisina foi menor do que 0,1 AU.mL-1 em caldo M17e MRS, aumentando significantemente para 142527,94 AU.mL-1 em M17 ou MRS diluído com leite desnatado (1:1). A atividade da nisina detectada foi altamente influenciada pela incorporação de leite desnatado em ambos o caldo, MRS e M17, com a máxima quantidade expressa em 36 horas de incubação. Os resultados mostram que o leite desnatado com meio de cultivo desenvolve ambiente propício e ideal para a produção de nisina, pois reduz os custos e aumenta a produção, por se tratar de um produto de fácil acesso e trivial. / Nisin is a bacteriocin produced by Lactococcus lactis that inhibits the germination and growth of Gram-positive bacteria. As Nisin expression is related to the growth conditions of Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis, the effects of growth parameters, media components and incubation time, were studied to optimize the expression of Nisin. L. lactis ATCC 11454 was grown (36h/100rpm/30oC) in both M17 and MRS basic broth media (pH = 6-7) supplemented with sucrose (1.0-12.5 g L-1); potassium phosphate (0.13 g L-1), asparagine (0.5 g L-1) and sucrose (0.24 g L-1); and diluted 1:1 with liquid non-fat milk. Liquid non-fat milk, undiluted, was also used as another basic medium (9–10 % total solids, pH = 6.5). Aliquots of cultured broth (OD660 = 0.7; 3.20 mg DCW/L or 102 CFU/ml) from each group were transferred into fresh broth and incubated further (36h/100/rpm30oC). Nisin production was assayed by agar diffusion using Lactobacillus sake ATCC 15521 (24h/300C) as the sensitive organism. Comparing diameters of growth inhibition of L. sake from wells of Nisin of known concentration (“standard Nisin"; Nisaplin, Sigma) to diameters of inhibition from defined volumes of L. lactis sp. lactis broth cultures, the amount of Nisin in broth cultures was measured as arbitrary units (AU ml-1) converted to Nisin mg/ml, with 25 mg of standard Nisin/g corresponding to 106 AU/g. The detection of Nisin activity was less than 0.1 AU.mL-1 in M17 or MRS broth, and increased to a maximum of 142527.94 AU.mL-1 in M17 or MRS diluted with liquid non-fat milk (1:1). The amount of Nisin expressed was strongly influenced by the incorporation of non-fat milk to both M17 and MRS broths (1:1), with the maximum amount expressed after 36 h of incubation. Nisin is widely used as a natural additive for preserving foods, pharmaceutical and dental products, and as a therapeutic agent. This study was performed to improve large scale Nisin production to meet the demand of its beneficial use in health-care products.

Novel intervention strategies such as food grade antimicrobials are used to enhance food safety. Nisin is a widely used naturally occurring antimicrobial effective against many pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms. However, its antimicrobial efficacy in food matrices is much reduced because of interactions with food components. Novel delivery systems may overcome this problem by protecting nisin in capsules and releasing it in a controlled manner. The overall goal of this research was to develop delivery systems of nisin to improve its long-term antimicrobial effectiveness. The first objective was to develop a low-cost method to extract nisin from a commercial preparation containing ~2.5% nisin. The best extraction yield was observed at 6 mg solids/mL 50% v/v ethanol. The nisin extract, after adjusting to 70% v/v ethanol, was dissolved with 2% zein (corn prolamins) and different amounts of Tween 20, glycerol, and thymol (another naturally occurring antimicrobial) for spray drying, a practical encapsulation method. Spray-dried capsules were characterized for release profiles of nisin at different pH conditions. Spray drying inlet temperature was first studied at 75 to 120°C, and the greatest sustained release of nisin was observed for capsules produced at 105°C, which was used in rest of this study. The impacts of Tween 20 and glycerol supplemented in spray-drying formulations were studied next. Addition of either 0.05% Tween 20 or glycerol in the spray-drying solution reduced the burst release of nisin at pH 6.0. Capsules with a higher amount of Tween 20 showed more complete release of nisin at pH 8.0, while glycerol had no apparent impact. The most sustained release of nisin at pH 6.0 was observed for capsules produced with both thymol and glycerol. Various capsules were then studied for their ability to inhibit the growth of Listeria monocytogenes at pH 6.0 during incubation at 30°C. Un-encapsulated nisin and thymol showed inhibition only for 12 h, while capsules with nisin and thymol containing either low or medium level of glycerol inhibited L. monocytogenes for >96 h. Our antimicrobial delivery systems, based on food grade ingredients and practical processes, have potential for practical application to enhance microbial safety and extend the shelf-life of foods.

Nisin is a naturally occurring food antimicrobial that inhibits many Grampositive pathogens, including Listeria monocytogenes, a bacterial pathogen responsible for ~500 deaths in the U.S. annually. Factors known to counteract the nisin activity in a food matrix include: antimicrobial interaction with food components, insolubility, protease inactivation, and target cell-driven envelope modifications. Encapsulating nisin in liposomes can help protect nisin functionality by regulating its introduction to the external environment. The objectives of this study were to determine the encapsulation efficiency (%EE) of nisin within liposomes as a function of encapsulation method and the capacity of liposomal nisin to inhibit L. monocytogenes in fluid milk. Phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphotidyl-DL-glycerol (PG) were used to prepare three lipid molar formulations: PC, PC/PG 7:3, and PC/PG 6:4 (mol.%). Liposomes were formulated to entrap the self-quenching fluorophore calcein and nisin. Unencapsulated analyte was removed via size-exclusion chromatography, and percent EE was determined. To determine antilisterial activity of liposomes, fluid milk samples containing L. monocytogenes (4 log10 CFU/mL) in combination with liposomal or unencapsulated nisin at 50 IU/mL were mixed and aerobically stored at 5 degrees C and 20 degrees C. Surviving L. monocytogenes were enumerated via plating on a non-selective microbiological medium after 0, 1, 3, 6, 12, 24, 48, and 72 hours of incubation. Encapsulation of nisin via extrusion resulted in a mean EE% of 84.20%, 77.33% and 80.78% for PC, PC/PG 7:3, and PC/PG 6:4 liposomes, respectively. Freeze-thaw cycling formed liposomes without detectable fluorophore entrapment. L. monocytogenes populations grew to 5 log10 CFU/mL after 72 hours at 5 degrees C and 8 log10 CFU/mL at 20 degrees C after 48 hours. Unencapsulated nisin exerted statistically greater inhibition of Listeria in skim milk compared to liposomal nisin, regardless of incubation temperature. No statistically significant differences in Listeria populations exposed to free or encapsulated nisin in whole milk were observed at either incubation temperature. Results indicate storage temperature and presence of milk fat exert greater influence then nisin delivery (free vs. encapsulated) over Listeria inhibition. Further research is needed to confirm these findings and develop more effective means of liposome entrapment of nisin for the inhibition of foodborne bacterial pathogens.