Nitrites commonly found in food, especially in fermented vegetables, are potential carcinogens. Therefore, limiting nitrites in food is critically important for food safety. A Lactobacillus strain (Lactobacillus sp. DMDL 9010) was previously isolated from fermented vegetables by our group, and is not yet fully characterized. A number of phenotypical and genotypical approaches were employed to c...

Several reports indicate an important role for vitamin K in bone health as well as blood coagulation. However, the current Adequate Intakes (AI) might not be sufficient for the maintenance of bone health. To obtain a closer estimate of dietary intake of phylloquinone (PK) and menaquinones (MKs), PK, MK-4 and MK-7 contents in food samples (58 food items) were determined by an improved high-perfo...

BACKGROUND Yoghurt is a fermented milk of unique sensory, nutritive and dietetic value offered in a variety of types and in different flavours. Vegetables belong to the group of food products rich in antioxidant substances (e.g., vitamin C, carotenoids, tocopherols, polyphenols) which regular consumption lowers the risk of many diseases including cancers and cardiovascular disorders. The aim of...

Traditional preparation of African indigenous vegetables (AIVs) such as black nightshade (Solanum nigrum) and spiderplant (Cleome gynandra) involves either boiling discarding the first water or lengthy boiling. Fermentation is considered a better alternative processing technique due to enhanced retention phytochemical contents sensory properties. However, little known about impact lactic acid f...

Microbial spoilage is one of the main factors affecting the quality of fresh fruits and vegetables, leading to off-flavor, fermented aroma, and tissue decay. The knowledge of microbial growth kinetics is essential for estimating a correct risk assessment associated with consuming raw vegetables and better managing the development of spoilage microorganisms. This study shows, for the first time,...

Biogenic amines are compounds commonly present in living organisms in which they are responsible for many essential functions. They can be naturally present in many foods such as fruits and vegetables, meat, fish, chocolate and milk, but they can also be produced in high amounts by microorganisms through the activity of amino acid decarboxylases. Excessive consumption of these amines can be of ...

We investigated the effect of Brussels sprouts, inulin and a fermented milk on the faecal microbiota diversity of human microbiota-associated (HMA) rats by PCR-temporal temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-TTGE) using universal and group-specific 16S rRNA gene primers. The HMA rats were submitted to a control diet for 10 d (initial time), then switched to the experimental diets for 4 w...