Malolactic fermentation in lingonberry juice and its use as a preservative.

Lingonberry is a common wild berry that is often sold as jams and beverages. It naturally contains high amounts of the weak acid preservative benzoic acid making it an interesting ingredient for shelf-life extension. Despite this, their use as a raw ingredient is limited by the inherently intense sour taste. This study aimed to improve the taste of lingonberry juice by subjecting it to malolactic fermentation in order to reduce the sourness, and to investigate the benzoic acid in lingonberries as a natural preservative in juice blends by determining the microbial stability. After initial screening of lactic acid bacteria, a Lactiplantibacillus plantarum strain was used as the starter for subsequent investigations. Upon raising the pH, all malic acid was completely converted to lactic acid after seven days. The fermented juice was mixed with blackcurrant juice in different proportions. Challenge tests of the blends showed Listeria monocytogenes could not grow in any juice samples, while Candida albicans only grew in the pure blackcurrant juice. Aspergillus brasiliensis growth was delayed in all samples containing benzoic acid in a concentration-dependent manner. The sourness and astringency were substantially reduced in the juice with added L. plantarum compared to the unfermented juice.

Effect of anthocyanins on lipid oxidation and microbial spoilage in value-added emulsions with bilberry seed oil, anthocyanins and cold set whey protein hydrogels.

The objective of this work was to explore the storage properties of a structured oil-in-water emulsion containing both water- and fat-soluble bioactive compounds from bilberries (Vaccinium myrtillus L.). Bilberry seed oil (BSO) was dispersed in a continuous aqueous phase of anthocyanins (AC) and whey protein isolate. The microstructure was evaluated using light microscopy and the effect of anthocyanins on lipid oxidation and microbial growth was investigated. The results showed that it was possible to generate a stable emulsion structure that resisted phase separation during 25 weeks of storage. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry measurements of the fatty acids in the BSO during storage showed that AC had a protective effect against lipid oxidation. The AC did not have an antimicrobial effect against the investigated strains Zygosaccharomyces bailii (ATCC 42476) and Aspergillus niger (ATCC 6275 (M68)).

Increased sporulation rate of epidemic Clostridium difficile Type 027/NAP1.

Clostridium difficile PCR ribotype 027 comprised 0.2% of a collection of Swedish isolates in 1997-2001 (3 of 1,325 isolates). These isolates had lower moxifloxacin MICs than the epidemic type 027 isolates, but they had the same tcdC sequence and toxin yield. Type 027 produced 3- to 13-fold more toxin than did major Swedish types. One epidemic strain (027/NAP1a) sporulated more than did other type 027 isolates, a feature that should contribute to its survival and spread.