CBQF - Contribuições em Revistas Científicas / Contribution to Journals
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- International Code of Nomenclature of Prokaryotes. Prokaryotic Code (2025 Revision)Publication . Oren, Aharon; Arahal, David R.; Christensen, Henrik; Göker, Markus; Manaia, Célia M.; Moore, Edward R. B.
- Nitrite reduction in cooked ham: an organoleptic and food safety concern?Publication . Nunes, Maria J. M.; Pereira, Rui C.; Noronha, Lúcia; Cruz, Inês; Komora, Norton; Barbosa, Joana Bastos; Monteiro, Maria João P.; Ribas, Tânia C. F.; Mesquita, Raquel B. R.; Rangel, António O. S. S.; Carvalho, Fátima; Brandão, Teresa R. S.; Teixeira, PaulaCooked meat products, particularly ham, are widely consumed, and reducing nitrite levels has become a priority due to health concerns and regulatory pressure. This study evaluated the microbiological safety, technological performance, physicochemical properties, and sensory attributes of whole cooked ham formulated with reduced nitrite (from 150 to 80 ppm) during shelf life. Microbiological analyses were conducted every 15 days, including total viable counts (TVC), lactic acid bacteria (LAB), Enterobacteriaceae, Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. TVC and LAB remained below the safety threshold (<104 CFU/g), while all other parameters were below detection limits. Sulphite reducing Clostridium spores, Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes were absent from all samples. Challenge testing with L. monocytogenes and Clostridium sporogenes was performed to assess the product's ability to inhibit pathogen growth under simulated storage conditions (up 35 and 90 days, respectively) and temperature abuse conditions (8 °C). The reduced-nitrite ham formulation effectively inhibited the growth of C. sporogenes and delayed the growth of L. monocytogenes. Technological assessments included colour measurements, water retention capacity, and texture profile analysis (TPA), with no significant differences observed between the standard and nitrite reduced formulations (P > 0.05). Physicochemical parameters such as pH (6.0–6.2), water activity (aw, 0.9669–0.9482), and residual nitrite content (4 to 1 mg/kg) were evaluated at 0, 45 and 90 days. These findings demonstrate that reducing nitrite levels to 80 ppm can ensure the product safety and quality, as evidenced by stable physicochemical properties and the preservation of sensory characteristics such as appearance, odour, texture, and flavour.
- Development, characterization, and evaluation of chitosan nano/microcapsules with Bacillus subtilis extract and their effect on tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) seed germinationPublication . Díaz-Herrera, René; Gómez-García, Ricardo; Duarte, Rafael; Vasconcelos, Marta W.; Alvarez-Pérez, Olga B.; Arredondo-Valdés, Roberto; Ventura-Sobrevilla, Janeth; Pintado, ManuelaThe use of chemical fertilizers has led to significant environmental pollution. An alternative to these fertilizers is the use of natural compounds, such as phytohormones, which promote germination and crop development. However, environmental factors can affect natural compounds, reducing their effectiveness. Therefore, increasing their stability without decreasing their activity to improve crop quality is essential. This study produced and characterized chitosan and sodium tripolyphosphate (TPP) nano-microparticles (NMP) loaded with Bacillus subtilis extract and evaluated their impact on tomato seed germination. We employed two experimental designs (Box–Behnken and Box–Hunter–Hunter) to determine the optimal production conditions and characterized the NMP using DLS, SEM, and FTIR. The optimal treatment consisted of 8 min of homogenization, followed by 8 min of ultrasound at a 70% amplitude, resulting in a particle size of 330.7 nm, a polydispersity index of 0.25, a zeta potential of 34.3 mV, and an encapsulation efficiency of 68.8%. The NMP loaded with bacterial extract was applied to tomato seeds as a 50% dilution pretreatment. NMP achieved the best results, with a 72% germination rate (1.6 seeds per day) and an average germination time of 3.8 days. It is concluded that the experimental designs helped improve particle properties and that the chitosan and TPP coating enhances the stability and activity of the bacterial extract, potentially benefiting agronomic applications.
- Floating wetlands islands for crop production: a comprehensive review and bibliometric analysisPublication . Carrillo, Valentina; Pereira, Sofia Isabel Almeida; Calheiros, Cristina Sousa CoutinhoFloating wetland islands (FWIs), traditionally applied for ecological restoration and water purification, are increasingly recognized for their multifunctional potential. Their ability to combine environmental remediation with food production positions FWIs as a promising nature-based solution (NbS) for advancing sustainable development. To identify research trends and knowledge gaps in this emerging field, a bibliometric analysis and systematic review of FWIs for crop production were performed using the Scopus database. A total of 83 publications were identified between 2000 and 2024, the majority being research articles (78.3%), with “Environmental Sciences” as the predominant subject area (35.8%). China emerged as the leading contributor, accounting for 71 publications (16.9%). Keyword co-occurrence analysis revealed three main thematic clusters: “agriculture,” “hydroponics,” and “wetlands,” reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of FWIs, which combine elements of hydroponic cultivation, ecological engineering, and water quality management. The review emphasizes the importance of plant selection and system design, not only to enhance nutrient retention but also to maximize biomass productivity, particularly when the goal is to obtain harvestable crops. From an economic perspective, FWIs show favorable viability: revenues from crop sales often surpass operational costs, though construction remains the most significant investment. Social acceptance tends to be high when commercial value is demonstrated; however, barriers such as limited technical training and concerns over food safety remain. Despite varied terminology, FWIs systems consistently demonstrate multifunctionality, offering solutions for both ecosystem restoration and sustainable crop production.
- Recent updates on autochthonous lactic acid bacteria in the food industry: a bibliometric analysisPublication . Araújo, Jayuri Susy Fernandes de; Neto, Genésio José da Silva; Feitosa, Bruno Fonsêca; Luciano, Winnie Alencar; Santos, Bárbara Fernanda Figueiredo dos; Pereira, Emmanuel Moreira; Gonçalves, Mônica Correia; Cavalcanti, Mônica Tejo; Pintado, Maria Manuela; Silva, Osvaldo Soares daThis bibliometric review aimed to map recent scientific production (2020–2026) on autochthonous bacterial strains applied to the food industry, focusing on experimental studies retrieved from the Scopus® database. Boolean operators and truncation were applied to refine searches and exclude yeast-related terms, and keyword co-occurrence analysis was performed using VOSviewer (v1.6.20). A total of 44,095 experimental articles were analyzed. Results revealed a stable annual output exceeding 8000 papers between 2021 and 2024, indicating sustained scientific interest in the topic. China and the United States accounted for over 55% of total publications, with Chinese institutions and funding agencies showing predominant activity. Research was mainly distributed across Biochemistry, Genetics, Molecular Biology, Medicine, and Microbiology, reflecting applied and mechanistic approaches. Two major thematic clusters were identified: one focused on gastrointestinal health and microbiota modulation and another centered on microbial metabolism, probiotic functionality, and biochemical characterization. The findings confirm the growing scientific and technological relevance of autochthonous strains in improving food quality, safety, and functionality, especially in fermented products, and provide valuable insights for guiding future research and innovation in food microbiology and biotechnology.
- Resistance variation and bacterial interactions shape adaptation of a genetically diverse pathogen population to antibiotic therapyPublication . Batra, Aditi; Tueffers, Leif; Haas, Kira; Loeblein, Tabea; Botelho, João; Habig, Michael; Schuetz, Daniel; Sakalyte, Gabija; Buchholz, Florian; Berríos-Caro, Ernesto; Uecker, Hildegard; Unterweger, Daniel; Schulenburg, HinrichAntimicrobial resistance poses a major threat to global human health. The emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance is usually studied for single pathogen lineages. Therefore, we currently have only limited knowledge on the causes and dynamics of resistance evolution in polymicrobial or multi-strain infections that involve different pathogen species or strains, respectively, even though these kinds of infections are widespread. To address these current knowledge gaps, we here used the opportunistic human pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa as a model to investigate how antimicrobial resistance evolves in populations with different genetically distinct strains (multi-strain communities). By using controlled evolution experiments, extensive phenotyping and genome sequence analysis, we demonstrate that the response to antibiotic selection is shaped by a combination of strain-specific resistance profiles, ecological interactions between strains, and metapopulation structure. Moreover, the likelihood of de novo resistance evolution varied in dependence on mutation rates for resistance. A second independent evolution experiment emphasized the central role of strain variation and strain-strain interactions during adaptation. We conclude that antimicrobial resistance evolution in genetically diverse pathogen populations is driven by the interplay of ecological and evolutionary dynamics, thus deserving particular attention during treatment of polymicrobial infections.
- Comparative analysis of the effects of carob and wheat flours on nutritional, health, and pre-bake rheological properties of spontaneously fermented sourdoughPublication . Tainsa, M.; Kouidri, A.; Tekiner, I. H.; Silva, C. L. M.; Algingil, S.; Bouchenak, N. S.Natural non-wheat alternatives can improve the nutritional and health properties of baked foods during dough fermentation. However, the effects of carob on these parameters are unclear. Therefore, the present work aimed to comparatively examine the effects of carob and wheat flours on the nutritional, health, and pre-bake rheological properties of spontaneously fermented sourdough. Five sourdough compositions (SC1 with 100% carob flour; SC2 with 75% carob flour; SC3 with 50% carob flour; SC4 with 25% carob flour; and SC5 with 100% wheat flour) were prepared and fermented for 5 d at 30°C. The pH, temperature, titratable acidity (TTA), phytic acid content (PAC), levels of vitamins B1, B2, B3, and B6, phenolic (TPC) and flavonoid (TFC) contents, antioxidant capacity (AC), and identification of lactic acid bacteria (16S rRNA sequencing) were evaluated. Additionally, the effect of fermented dough on the viability of human L929 fibroblast and HCT-116 colon cancer cell lines was examined using in vitro cytotoxicity (MTS) assay. Besides, the pre-baking farinograph and extensograph indices of flours were evaluated. Compared with wheat and wheat-carob blends, SC1 with 100% carob flour exhibited a pH of 4.2 at 21.8°C, lower TTA (2.1-fold) and PAC (3.4-fold), and higher B-group vitamin (1.9-fold), TPC and TFC (4-fold), and AC (1.2-fold) levels. Lactiplantibacillus plantarum was the predominant species in sourdoughs. The cytotoxicity assay demonstrated that sourdoughs exerted cytotoxic effects on HCT-116 cells (p < 0.05) but not on L929 cells. The addition of carob flour (5, 10, and 15%) increased the water adsorption, dough development, stability time, resistance to extension, and ratio number, but decreased energy and extensibility. Thus, carob flour can be used as a non-wheat ingredient in spontaneously fermented sourdough for preparing baked goods due to its high nutritional and health values. However, further studies are needed to understand the biochemical function of sourdough prepared with carob flour, and to validate the final product.
- Water activity effect on microbial behavior during hyperbaric storage at room temperature of watermelon juice as a case studyPublication . Lima, Vasco; Pinto, Carlos A.; Saraiva, Jorge A.Hyperbaric storage (HS) is a novel technology for storing foods under mild pressures that, when used at room temperature (RT), offers much lower energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions than conventional refrigeration (RF). Watermelon juice (WJ), with interesting associated health benefits, is highly perishable due to its pH (5.20–6.70) and water activity (aW, 0.97–0.99). This work investigated aW’s impact on WJ’s preservation by HS/RT, studying the behavior of Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae inoculated in WJ at aW 0.930–0.971 stored at 25–75 MPa for up to 28 days, along with RT and RF atmospheric pressure controls. The results showed that HS could control microbial growth, and, during storage, inactivation was also observed, and that HS’s impact depended on the aW level, microorganism, and storage pressure. Inactivation was often increased at 50–75 MPa and at aW 0.930–0.950, while growth mostly occurred at aW 0.971. The inactivation curves were mathematically described by the first-order and Weibull kinetic models, with the Weibull model frequently obtaining better fits. These findings support HS’s potential for food preservation, showing better overall WJ growth control and inactivation effects than RF, without temperature control, making HS environmentally friendlier.
- Emoji-based scale to assess emotional response toward edible insects (E-Entomophagy)Publication . Ribeiro, José Carlos; Rocha, Célia; Pintado, Manuela Estevez; Cunha, Luís MiguelEmotional/affective factors (e.g., disgust toward insects) are the primary predictors of consumer acceptance of edible insects; however, most questionnaires assessing emotional responses to edible insects are text-based, which presents several limitations. The primary objective of this study was to develop an emoji-based questionnaire to assess consumers' emotional responses toward edible insects and to evaluate its ability to predict acceptance of different forms of entomophagy. For this, an emoji-based ballot was designed, with participants answering the question: "Thinking about eating edible insects makes me feel", using a Check-All-That-Apply ballot with 11 emojis (E-Entomophagy). Based on the selected emojis, individual scores were computed from their valence and arousal values. A total of 326 participants answered the web-based questionnaire, which also included a short version of the 'Food Disgust Scale', the 'Disgust toward insects' scale, and the evaluation of acceptance of insects as food (either visible or invisible) or feed. The questionnaire also encompassed socio-demographic characteristics and previous experience with edible insects. Cluster analysis was applied based on the degree of acceptance of insects as food/feed, and acceptance of insects was predicted using a binary logistic regression model. The 'E-Entomophagy' scale was the better predictor of visible entomophagy rejection, while it provided similar results to the 'Disgust toward insects' scale for acceptance of invisible and indirect entomophagy. Additionally, participants were divided into four clusters ('Rejecters', 'Feed Acceptors', 'Non-visible acceptors', and 'Acceptors') based on their acceptance of different entomophagy forms. Both disgust scales and the 'E-Entomophagy' scale were able to discriminate between these clusters.
- Can copper oxide or potassium phosphonate increase Pinus pinaster tolerance to Bursaphelenchus xylophilus?Publication . Lopez-Villamor, Adrian; Silva, Marta Nunes da; Vasconcelos, Marta W.Fungicide application may improve Pinus pinaster (Maritime pine)defenses against Bursaphelenchus xylophilus (pinewood nematode,PWN). To test this hypothesis, we evaluated the effects of copperoxide (CO) and potassium phosphonate (PP) on PWN-infected P. pina-ster plants. The overall mortality rate of infected plants was 12.5%,regardless of the treatment. PP-treated plants displayed a significantreduction in nematode densities (up to 61%) and foliar symptomscompared to untreated controls. Twenty-eight-day post-infection, COand PP increased oxidative stress proxies, such as lipid peroxidation(1.84- and 1.77-fold increases, respectively), and PP also enhancedantioxidant defenses, particularly flavonoid concentrations, whichwere 1.37-fold higher than those in CO-treated plants. In addition,both CO and PP reduced zinc and phosphorus concentrations inplant tissues, compared to controls, and CO treatment led to anincrease in plant endophytic bacterial diversity, while PP reduced it.These findings demonstrate that CO and PP enhance P. pinaster toler-ance to PWN by promoting the plant oxidant system, modulatingmineral uptake, and altering plant–endophyte interactions. Thisstudy also highlights the potential to enhance resource use efficiencyby extending fungicide applications beyond fungal pathogens toinclude nematodes, such as the PWN, offering a valuable approachfor the integrated management of multiple pests.