In vitro effects and mechanisms of Humulus lupulus extract on bone marrow progenitor cells and endothelial cells.

Osteoporosis is the most common metabolic bone disorder and is associated with a high incidence of fractures. Angiogenesis and adequate blood flow are important during bone repair and maintenance. Estrogens play a key role in bone formation, in the prevention of bone resorption and vasculature maintenance. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has been used with great benefits for bone fracture prevention but has been linked to the development of serious important side effects, including cancer and stroke. Phytoestrogens are an attractive alternative to HRT because their chemical structure is similar to estradiol but, they could behave as selective modulators: acting as antagonists of estrogen receptors in the breast and endometrium and as agonists in the vascular endothelium and bone. Hops contain a wide variety of phytoestrogens that have individually been shown to possess estrogenic activity by either blocking or mimicking. In this study we have to evaluate the in vitro effects and mechanisms of action of hops extracts on the osteogenic and adipogenic capacity of bone marrow progenitor cells (BMPCs), and the angiogenic potential of EA.hy926 endothelial cells. We show that hops extracts increase the proliferative capacity of BMPCs and promote their osteogenic differentiation while decreasing their pro-osteoclastogenic capacity; and that these effects are mediated by the MAPK pathway. Additionally, hops extracts prevent the adipogenic differentiation of BMPCs and promote endothelial cell activity, by mechanisms also partially mediated by MAPK.

Comparison of α and ß-acid isomerization in hops and beer using HPLC, confocal microscopy, spectrofluorimetry and chemical analysis of metabolites and essential oils in flowers of different hop cultivars produced in Brazil.

We used confocal microscopy and spectrofluorescence to characterize the emission spectra in hop flowers, to follow the isomerization processes in different hop preparations, and beers, to compare with HPLC extracted samples. Flowers of different hop cultivars produced in three regions of Brazil, were quantitated by HPLC and GC-MS. The fluorescence spectra showed two characteristic emission bands evaluated from different preparations. The isomerization process leads to a gradual decrease in fluorescence intensity as the reaction progresses. This demonstrates the valuable use of confocal microscopy and fluorescence spectroscopy for analysis of the correlation between bitter acid indices with fluorescence intensity and lifetime microscopy. Such techniques can be used directly in the flowers allowing rapid monitoring of the brewing process. Twenty-nine substances were characterized in the essential oils and some cultivars presented quantities of bitter acids and essential oil levels close to those expected for plants after more than three years of cultivation.

Nanofibrous ε-Polycaprolactone Matrices Containing Nano-Hydroxyapatite and Humulus lupulus L. Extract: Physicochemical and Biological Characterization for Oral Applications.

Oral bone defects occur as a result of trauma, cancer, infections, periodontal diseases, and caries. Autogenic and allogenic grafts are the gold standard used to treat and regenerate damaged or defective bone segments. However, these materials do not possess the antimicrobial properties necessary to inhibit the invasion of the numerous deleterious pathogens present in the oral microbiota. In the present study, poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL), nano-hydroxyapatite (nHAp), and a commercial extract of Humulus lupulus L. (hops) were electrospun into polymeric matrices to assess their potential for drug delivery and bone regeneration. The fabricated matrices were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), tensile analysis, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), FTIR assay, and in vitro hydrolytic degradation. The antimicrobial properties were evaluated against the oral pathogens Streptococcus mutans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans. The cytocompatibility was proved using the MTT assay. SEM analysis established the nanostructured matrices present in the three-dimensional interconnected network. The present research provides new information about the interaction of natural compounds with ceramic and polymeric biomaterials. The hop extract and other natural or synthetic medicinal agents can be effectively loaded into PCL fibers and have the potential to be used in oral applications.

Unlocking hot trub's potential: a simple method for extracting bitter acids and xanthohumol.

BACKGROUND: Hot trub is a macronutrient- and micronutrient-rich by-product generated in the brewing industry, which is still underrated as a raw material for reprocessing purposes. In this context, this study aimed to investigate the extraction of bitter acids' and xanthohumol from hot trub as well as identify the significance of parameters for the process. The research assessed various extraction parameters, such as pH, ethanol concentration, temperature, and solid-to-liquid ratio, using a Plackett-Burman design. RESULTS: Ethanol concentration and pH were the most significant parameters affecting extraction yield. ß-acids were found to be the principal components of the bitter acids, with a maximum concentration near 16 mg g-1, followed by iso-α-acids and α-acids achieving 6 and 3.6 mg g-1, respectively. The highest yields of bitter acids were observed in the highest ethanol concentration, while pH was relevant to extraction process in treatments with low ethanol ratios. Concerning the xanthohumol extraction, the approach achieved maximum concentration (239 µg g-1) in treatments with ethanol concentration above 30%. Despite their variances, the phytochemicals exhibited comparable extraction patterns, indicating similar interactions with macromolecules. Moreover, the characterization of the solid residues demonstrated that the extraction process did not bring about any alterations to the chemical and total protein profiles. CONCLUSION: Ethanol concentration was found to have the most significant impact on the extraction of bitter acids and xanthohumol, while temperature had no significant effect. The solid remains resulting from the extraction showed potential for use as a protein source. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Antiviral Activity and Molecular Dynamics Simulation of Hops Compounds against Oropouche Virus (Peribunyaviridae).

The Oropouche virus (OROV) is a member of the family Peribunyaviridae (order Bunyavirales) and the cause of a dengue-like febrile illness transmitted mainly by biting midges and mosquitoes. In this study, we aimed to explore acylphloroglucinols and xanthohumol from hops (Humulus lupulus L.) as a promising alternative for antiviral therapies. The evaluation of the inhibitory potential of hops compounds on the viral cycle of OROV was performed through two complementary approaches. The first approach applies cell-based assay post-inoculation experiments to explore the inhibitory potential on the latest steps of the viral cycle, such as genome translation, replication, virion assembly, and virion release from the cells. The second part covers in silico methods evaluating the ability of those compounds to inhibit the activity of the endonuclease domain, which is essential for transcription, binding, and cleaving RNA. In conclusion, the beta acids showed strongest inhibitory potential in post-treatment assay (EC50 = 26.7 µg/mL). Xanthohumol had the highest affinity for OROV endonuclease followed by colupulone and cohumulone. This result contrasts with that observed for docking and MM/PBSA analysis, where cohumulone was found to have a higher affinity. Finally, among the three tested ligands, Lys92 and Arg33 exhibited the highest affinity with the protein.

Discovery of inhibitors of protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B contained in a natural products library from Mexican medicinal plants and fungi using a combination of enzymatic and in silico methods*.

This work aimed to discover protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) inhibitors from a small molecule library of natural products (NPs) derived from selected Mexican medicinal plants and fungi to find new hits for developing antidiabetic drugs. The products showing similar IC50 values to ursolic acid (UA) (positive control, IC50 = 26.5) were considered hits. These compounds were canophyllol (1), 5-O-(ß-D-glucopyranosyl)-7-methoxy-3',4'-dihydroxy-4-phenylcoumarin (2), 3,4-dimethoxy-2,5-phenanthrenediol (3), masticadienonic acid (4), 4',5,6-trihydroxy-3',7-dimethoxyflavone (5), E/Z vermelhotin (6), tajixanthone hydrate (7), quercetin-3-O-(6″-benzoyl)-ß-D-galactoside (8), lichexanthone (9), melianodiol (10), and confusarin (11). According to the double-reciprocal plots, 1 was a non-competitive inhibitor, 3 a mixed-type, and 6 competitive. The chemical space analysis of the hits (IC50 < 100 µM) and compounds possessing activity (IC50 in the range of 100-1,000 µM) with the BIOFACQUIM library indicated that the active molecules are chemically diverse, covering most of the known Mexican NPs' chemical space. Finally, a structure-activity similarity (SAS) map was built using the Tanimoto similarity index and PTP1B absolute inhibitory activity, which allows the identification of seven scaffold hops, namely, compounds 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 11. Canophyllol (1), on the other hand, is a true analog of UA since it is an SAR continuous zone of the SAS map.

Effects of Hops Treatment on Nitrogen Retention, Volatile Fatty Acid Accumulations, and Select Microbial Populations of Composting Poultry Litter Intended for Use as a Ruminant Feedstuff.

Poultry litter is a valuable crude protein feedstuff for ruminants, but it must be treated to kill pathogens before feeding. Composting effectively kills pathogens, but it risks losing ammonia to volatilization or leaching during degradation of uric acid and urea. Hops bitter acids also exert antimicrobial activity against certain pathogenic and nitrogen-degrading microbes. Consequently, the present studies were conducted to test if adding bitter acid-rich hop preparations to simulated poultry litter composts may improve nitrogen retention while simultaneously improving pathogen killing. Results from an initial study, testing doses of Chinook or Galena hops preparations designed to each deliver 79 ppm hops ß-acid, revealed that, after nine days simulated composting of wood chip litter, ammonia concentrations were 14% lower (p < 0.05) in Chinook-treated composts than untreated composts (13.4 ± 1.06 µmol/g). Conversely, urea concentrations were 55% lower (p < 0.05) in Galena-treated than untreated composts (6.2 ± 1.72 µmol/g). Uric acid accumulations were unaffected by hops treatments in this study but were higher (p < 0.05) after three days than after zero, six, or nine days of composting. In follow-up studies, Chinook or Galena hops treatments (delivering 2042 or 6126 ppm of ß-acid, respectively) for simulated composts (14 days) of wood chip litter alone or mixed 3:1 with ground Bluestem hay (Andropogon gerardii) revealed that these higher dosages had little effect on ammonia, urea, or uric acid accumulations when compared to untreated composts. Volatile fatty acid accumulations measured in these later studies were affected by the hops treatments, with butyrate accumulations being lower after 14 days in hops-treated composts than in untreated compost. In all studies, beneficial effects of Galena or Chinook hops treatments were not observed on the antimicrobial activity of the simulated composts, with composting by itself decreasing (p < 0.05) counts of select microbial populations by more than 2.5 log10 colony forming units/g compost dry matter. Thus, while hops treatments had little effect on pathogen control or nitrogen retention within the composted litter, they did lessen accumulations of butyrate, which may prevent adverse effects of this fatty acid on palatability of litter fed to ruminants.

A comprehensive review of the benefits of drinking craft beer: Role of phenolic content in health and possible potential of the alcoholic fraction.

Currently, there is greater production and consumption of craft beer due to its appreciated sensory characteristics. Unlike conventional beer, craft beers provide better health benefits due to their varied and high content of phenolic compounds (PCs) and also due to their alcohol content, but the latter is controversial. The purpose of this paper was to report on the alcoholic fraction and PCs present in craft beers and their influence on health. Despite the craft beer boom, there are few studies on the topic; there is a lot of field to explore. The countries with the most research are the United States > Italy > Brazil > United Kingdom > Spain. The type and amount of PCs in craft beers depends on the ingredients and strains used, as well as the brewing process. It was determined that it is healthier to be a moderate consumer of alcohol than to be a teetotaler or heavy drinker. Thus, studies in vitro, with animal models and clinical trials on cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, diabetes and obesity, osteoporosis and even the immune system suggest the consumption of craft beer. However, more studies with more robust designs are required to obtain more generalizable and conclusive results. Finally, some challenges in the production of craft beer were detailed and some alternative solutions were mentioned.

Identification of Potential Antiviral Hops Compounds against Chikungunya Virus.

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is an arthropod-borne virus that belongs to the genus Alphavirus (family Togaviridae). CHIKV causes chikungunya fever, which is mostly characterized by fever, arthralgia and, sometimes, a maculopapular rash. The bioactive constituents of hops (Humulus lupulus, Cannabaceae), mainly acylphloroglucinols, known as well as α- and ß-acids, exerted distinct activity against CHIKV, without showing cytotoxicity. For fast and efficient isolation and identification of such bioactive constituents, a silica-free countercurrent separation method was applied. The antiviral activity was determined by plaque reduction test and was visually confirmed by a cell-based immunofluorescence assay. All hops compounds demonstrated a promising post-treatment viral inhibition, except the fraction of acylphloroglucinols, in mixture. ß-acids fraction of 125 µg/mL expressed the strongest virucidal activity (EC50 = 15.21 µg/mL), in a drug-addition experiment on Vero cells. Hypothesis for mechanism of action were proposed for acylphloroglucinols based on their lipophilicity and chemical structure. Therefore, inhibition of some steps of the protein kinase C (PKC) transduction cascades was also discussed.

Xanthohumol properties and strategies for extraction from hops and brewery residues: A review.

Xanthohumol, a chalcone unique to hops, has attracted attention from researchers due to its several pharmacological effects on humans. In industry, hops are almost exclusively used in beer production, generating tons of solid waste - hot trub from the boiling step and spent hops from the dry hopping - rich in biocompounds, among them xanthohumol, that could be recovered and used for several nutritional purposes. The literature is extensive on extraction processes of xanthohumol directly from hops, but only a few studies present its recovery from brewery solid waste. We focus on presenting the xanthohumol characteristics and benefits for human consumption, and discuss the main extraction techniques, their advantages and limitations, to prospect strategies to recover this high-value compound from brewing solid waste. Recent extraction processes represent promising approaches to overcome the limitations of conventional methods, but further studies are still needed to understand xanthohumol extraction and purification and induce industrial upscaling.

Análise da relação entre a caracterização química de cervejas e o conteúdo de alfa ácidos presente em dois cultivares de lúpulo / Analysis to study the relationship between the chemical characterization of beers and the content of alpha acids present in two cultivars of hops

O lúpulo (Humulus lupulusL.) é uma planta cuja inflorescência feminina é utilizada na indústria cervejeira para conferir amargor e aroma à bebida, sendo que, o Brasil importa cerca de 98% desta matéria-prima. Entretanto, essa planta vem ganhando destaque no país, influenciando diretamente as características de qualidade do produto final. Desta forma, o objetivo deste estudo foi explorar a relação entre o teor de alfa ácidos de dois cultivares de lúpulo produzidos no Brasil e nos Estados Unidos (primeiro no ranking em produção da cultura). O trabalho foi desenvolvido na Universidade de Estado de Santa Catarina ­Centro de Ciências Agroveterinárias (UDESC/CAV), em Lages/SC, no ano de 2021. Uma cerveja padrão do estilo Indian Pale Ale (IPA), com a mesmareceita base, foi produzida. Cada tratamento consistiu na adição de diferentes cultivares de lúpulo (Comet e Fuggle) de duas origens (Brasil e Estados Unidos). Os resultados confirmaram que os cultivares e a origem do lúpulo influenciam as característicasquímicas das cervejas avaliadas. A quantidade de compostos fenólicos totais, flavonoides e atividade antioxidante da cerveja produzida como cultivar Fuggle brasileiro foi 6,5% (850,09 meq ácido gálico L-1); 75,5% (95,07 meq quercetina L-1) e 13,8% (6890 mmol Trolox L-1) superior, respectivamente, em relação à cerveja produzida com o mesmo cultivar originário dos Estados Unidos. Houve uma correlação negativa entre o teor de alfa ácidos e o conteúdo fenólico e capacidade antioxidante das cervejas. As cervejas em que foi utilizado lúpulo Fugglebrasileiro, com o menor teor de alfa ácidos dentre os avaliados, apresentaram maior associação positiva com o conteúdo de polifenóis totais, individuais e capacidade antioxidante das cervejas. Assim, as cervejas produzidas com o cultivar FuggleBrasileiro apresentaram maior acúmulo de substâncias antioxidantes relacionadas com os indicadores de qualidade para o processamento e conservação da bebida.(AU)

Hops (Humulus lupulusL.) is a plant whose female inflorescence is used in the brewing industry to impart bitterness and aroma to the drink, and Brazil imports about 98% of this raw material. However, this plant has been gaining prominence in the country, directly influencing the quality characteristics of the final product. Thus, the aim of this study was to explore the relationship between the alpha acids content of two hop cultivars produced in Brazil and the United States. The work was developed at UDESC/CAV, in Lages/SC, in the year 2021. A standard Indian Pale Ale beer, with the same base recipe, was produced. Each treatment consisted of the addition of different hop cultivars (Comet and Fuggle) from two origins (Brazilian and American). The results confirm that the cultivars and the origin of the hops influence the chemical characteristics of the evaluatedbeers. The amount of total phenolic compounds, flavonoids and antioxidant activity of the beer produced with the Brazilian Fuggle cultivar was 6.5% (850.09 meq gallic acid L-1); 75.5% (95.07 meq quercetin L-1) and 13.8% (6890 mmol Trolox L-1) higher, respectively, in relation to beer produced with the same cultivar originating in the United States. There was an inverse correlation between the alpha acid content and the phenolic content and antioxidant capacity of the beers. The beers in which Brazilian Fuggle hops were used, with the lowest alpha acid content among those adopted, showed a greater positive association with the total polyphenol content, individuals and antioxidant capacity of the beers. In conclusion, the beers produced with the cultivar Fuggle Brasileiro have a greater concentration of antioxidant substances.(AU)

Agronomic performance of Humuluslupulus L. varieties cultivated in organic and conventional systems in São Paulo center-west, Brazil / Desempenho agronômico de variedades de Humulus lupulus L. cultivadas em sistema orgânico e convencional no centro-oeste paulista, Brasil

Hop is a multifunctional specie; however, a large part of its production is destined for the beer market. In Brazil, all hop demand is imported, which has aroused interest in national production. Genetic material and cultivation systems can influence hops production. Thus, this study evaluated morphological and productive performance of hop varieties grown under organic and conventional management in the central-west region of São Paulo, Brazil. The hop yard was installed in the experimental area of the FCA/UNESP (São Paulo State University, School of Agriculture) - Botucatu, in November 2018, the data were collected in second year of production. A randomized block design was adopted, in 2 x 5 Split-Plot, being the main factor: cultivation systems (organic and conventional), and secondary factor: hop varieties (Columbus, Chinook, Nugget, Cascade, and HallertauMittelfrüeh), with four blocks and four plants per plot. Crop-specific morphological and productive parameters were evaluated. The results showed no significant influence of cultivation systems in morphological parameters. Regarding the varieties, Chinook, Cascade, and Nugget stand out for cone length. Columbus, Chinook and Cascade showed higher yields when grown in organic system, obtaining 1100.66, 1088.27 and 940.40 g of cones per plant, respectively. While, HallertauMittelfrüeh variety was the least productive in both systems, in organic system with 160.50 g per plant production, and 267.84 g per plant in conventional system, and, also showing lower cycle compared to the others.

O lúpulo é uma espécie multifuncional, entretanto, grande parte de sua produção é destinada ao mercado cervejeiro. No Brasil, toda a demanda de lúpulo é importada, o que tem despertado interesse pela produção nacional. Fatores como o material genético e sistemas de produção podem influenciar na produção do lúpulo, sendo assim, o trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar o desempenho morfológico e produtivo de variedades de lúpulo cultivadas sob manejo orgânico e convencional na região centro-oeste paulista, Brasil. O campo de lúpulo foi instalado na área experimental da FCA/UNESP - Botucatu, em novembro de 2018 e os dados coletados no segundo ano de produção. Foi adotado o delineamento de blocos casualizados, em esquema de parcelas subdivididas 2 x 5, sendo o fator principal os dois sistemas de cultivo (orgânico e convencional) e fator secundário as cinco variedades selecionadas (Columbus, Chinook, Nugget, Cascade e Hallertau Mittelfrüeh), com quatro blocos e quatro plantas por parcela. Foram avaliados os parâmetros morfológicos e produtivos específicos da cultura. Os resultados demonstraram que os sistemas de cultivo não promovem alterações significativas nos parâmetros morfológicos. Quanto às variedades, destaca-se Chinook, Cascade e Nugget para comprimento de cone. Columbus, Chinook e Cascade apresentaram maiores produções quando cultivadas em sistema orgânico, obtendo 1100,66; 1088,27 e 940,40 g de cones por planta, respectivamente. Enquanto que, a variedade Hallertau Mittelfrüeh foi a menos produtiva em ambos os sistemas, no sistema orgânico com produção de 160,50 g por planta, enquanto que no convencional 267,84 g por planta, apresentando também menor ciclo quando comparada com as demais.

Effects of adding spices with antioxidants compounds in red ale style craft beer: A simplex-centroid mixture design approach.

The growing demand for authentic products that provide sensory characteristics combined with health benefits has been the focus of current studies. This study developed a Red Ale style craft beer with spices such as turmeric (T), black pepper (P) and aroma hops (H), used isolated or in mixtures. A mixture design was employed to evaluate the total phenolic compounds and the antioxidant activity in the green and aged beers formulations. The spice extracts influenced the product's shelf-life. The addition of spices into the beers did not affect the physicochemical parameters that classify the Red Ale style, according to the hierarchical cluster analysis, except for aroma hops. A multiresponse optimization approach simultaneously maximized the antioxidant activity and the phenolic compounds in beers. The ideal formulation obtained for green beers was 25% T and 37.5% P and H; for aged beers, the formulation was 50% T, 20% P and 30% H.

Differentiation of aromatic, bittering and dual-purpose commercial hops from their terpenic profiles: An approach involving batch extraction, GC-MS and multivariate analysis.

Terpenes are one of the main classes of compounds in hops (Humulus lupulus, L). They play an important role in brewing due to their central function, which is related to beer aroma. A screening of terpenes in several commercial hop varieties was carried out by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry after employing a simple, straightforward and high throughput extraction method. A single batch extraction, using hexane as solvent, was employed to obtain the terpenic fraction of the hop samples. Nineteen terpenes were identified in analyzed samples with ß-myrcene (2.22-45.30%), α-humulene (20.20-67.64%), and ß-caryophyllene (9.97-24.62%) being the major terpenes in all samples. The studied system was multivariate modeled by principal component analysis. Based on the proposed approach, it was possible to correlate the terpenic hop profiles to their specific purpose in the brewing industry and to distinguish aromatic hops (high α-humulene content), bittering hops (high ß-myrcene content), and dual-purpose hops (more complex and intermediate terpenic profile) among the samples.

Towards the understanding of the activity of G9a inhibitors: an activity landscape and molecular modeling approach.

In this work, we analyze the structure-activity relationships (SAR) of epigenetic inhibitors (lysine mimetics) against lysine methyltransferase (G9a or EHMT2) using a combined activity landscape, molecular docking and molecular dynamics approach. The study was based on a set of 251 G9a inhibitors with reported experimental activity. The activity landscape analysis rapidly led to the identification of activity cliffs, scaffolds hops and other active an inactive molecules with distinct SAR. Structure-based analysis of activity cliffs, scaffold hops and other selected active and inactive G9a inhibitors by means of docking followed by molecular dynamics simulations led to the identification of interactions with key residues involved in activity against G9a, for instance with ASP 1083, LEU 1086, ASP 1088, TYR 1154 and PHE 1158. The outcome of this work is expected to further advance the development of G9a inhibitors.

Effect of non-alcoholic beer, diet and exercise on endothelial function, nutrition and quality of life in patients with cirrhosis.

BACKGROUND: The implementation of nutritional strategies targeting several variables at once could benefit patients with cirrhosis. Non-alcoholic beer has different compounds that exert antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and nutritional properties. AIM: To evaluate the effect of diet + exercise and non-alcoholic beer on nutritional status, endothelial function and quality of life in patients with cirrhosis. METHODS: In this randomized open clinical trial, patients with cirrhosis were randomized into two groups: The intervention (non-alcoholic beer + diet + exercise) and control (water + diet + exercise) group. Treatment consisted of 330 mL non-alcoholic beer/day or the same amount of water, plus an individualized dietary plan and an exercise program with a pedometer-based bracelet to reach at least 5000 steps/d and > 2500 above the baseline during 8 wk. Endothelial function (flow-mediated dilation, plethysmography), biochemical and nutritional variables and quality of life (CLDQ) were evaluated. RESULTS: Forty-three patients were included in the study, 21 in the control group and 22 in the intervention group. The mean age was 53.5 ± 7.8 years, 60% were women, the median MELD score was 8 (7-10) and most patients were Child-Pugh A (88%). Adherence to the interventions was > 90% in both groups, there were no adverse events and all biochemical parameters remained stable in both groups. Endothelial function improved in both groups. All measured nutritional parameters improved in the intervention group, compared to only 2 in the control group and quality of life improved in both groups; however, more domains improved in the intervention group. CONCLUSION: The intervention consisting of non-alcoholic beer, diet and exercise seems to be safe and well tolerated in patients with cirrhosis, and shows improvement in nutritional status, endothelial function, and quality of life. These results need to be further confirmed.

Combination of natural antimicrobials for contamination control in ethanol production.

Presence of bacterial contaminants at levels > 107 colony forming units per milliliter (CFU/mL) during ethanol production processes reduces the alcoholic fermentation yield by 30%. Antibiotics are currently used to control contamination, but their residues may be detected in yeast extract, restricting this by-product trade to several countries. Thus, the objective of this study was to assess antimicrobial activity of the natural compounds hops extract, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, nisin Z, and lysozyme against Lactobacillus fermentum, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, aiming development of a formula. Minimum Inhibitory Concentration of each antimicrobial was determined for bacteria and subsequently, nisin (30 mg/L) and hops extract (5 mg/L) were tested together, showing inhibitory effects combining doses of each antimicrobial that were equivalent to an eightfold reduction of their original Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations (3.75 and 0.625 mg/L, respectively), resulting in a FICIndex of 0.25. Thereon, a formula containing both compounds was developed and tested in fermentation assays, promoting reductions on bacterial population and no severe interferences in yeast viability or population even at extreme doses. Therefore, these compounds have great potential to successfully substitute conventional antibiotics in the ethanol industry.

Efecto de antibióticos y un antimicrobiano sobre el control de bacterias acido lácticas en la fermentación alcohólica / Effect of antibiotics and an antimicrobial on the control of lactic acid bacteria in alcoholic fermentation

RESUMEN El propósito de esta investigación fue evaluar el efecto de antibióticos y un antimicrobiano para el control de bacterias ácido lácticas (BAL) en etapa fermentativa de tres ingenios (A, B y C) productores de alcohol en el Valle del Cauca (Colombia). Se establecieron dos ensayos de fermentación a escala de laboratorio por separado, tratados con cuatro antibióticos (8, 15 y 30 ppm), dos cocteles (4, 8 y 15 ppm) y un antimicrobiano (15 y 30 ppm); en el primero se cuantificó la producción de ácido láctico (AL), la población y viabilidad de la levadura, y en el segundo se determinó el crecimiento de BAL. En el primer ensayo, los tratamientos que controlaron los niveles de AL en los ingenios fueron virginiamicina (VIR) 15 ppm, maduramicina (MAD) 15 ppm, penicilina (PEN) 30 ppm y lúpulo (LUP) (30 ppm). Adicionalmente, los tratamientos PEN a 30 ppm, VIR, el coctel estreptomicina-penicilina-virginiamicina-monensina (EPVM) y LUP a 15 ppm no afectaron a la levadura en las condiciones evaluadas. En el ensayo dos, todos los tratamientos lograron controlar BAL, presentando un mayor control a las 24 horas pos-tratamiento en el ingenio A. En el ingenio B, MAD, monensina (MON), los cocteles estreptomicina-penicilina-virginiamicina (EPV) y EPVM, controlaron el crecimiento de BAL durante las primeras 6 horas, mientras que LUP controló la población de BAL a las 24 horas. En el ingenio C, LUP, MON y EPV lograron controlar las BAL en todas las concentraciones, principalmente a las 24 horas. Por tanto, se infiere que VIR en el ingenio A, EPVM en los ingenios B y C y el antimicrobiano LUP en los tres ingenios son eficientes en el control de BAL.

ABSTRACT The objective of this research was to evaluate the effect of antibiotics and an antimicrobial for the control of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in the fermentative stage of three sugar mills producer (A, B and C), in "Valle del Cauca" (Colombia). Two fermentation assays on laboratory scale separately, treated with four antibiotics (8, 15 and 30 ppm), two cocktails (4, 8 and 15 ppm) and an antimicrobial (15 and 30 ppm) were established. In the first one, lactic acid (LA) production, population and yeast viability were quantified, and in the second the LAB growth was determined. In the first assay, the treatments that controlled LA levels in sugar mills were virginamicin (VIR) 15 ppm, maduramycin (MAD) 15 ppm, penicillin (PEN) 30 ppm and hop (HP) (30 ppm). Additionally, PEN treatments at 30 ppm, VIR, the streptomycin-penicillin-virginiamycin-monensin cocktail (SPVM) and HP at 15 ppm did not affect the yeast under the conditions evaluated. In the second assay, all treatments managed to control of LAB, with greater control at 24 hours in sugar mill A. In sugar mill B, MAD, monensin (MON), streptomycin-penicillin-virginiamycin (SPV) and SPVM cocktails controlled LAB growth during the first 6 hours, while HP controlled LAB population at 24 hours. In sugar mill C, HP, MON and EPV managed to control LAB in all concentrations mainly at 24 hours. Therefore, it is inferred that VIR in sugar mill A, SPVM in sugar mills B and C and HP antimicrobial in the three mills are efficient in LAB control.

Capillary electrophoresis in association with chemometrics approach for bitterness hop (Humulus lupulus L.) classification.

The precursor compounds related to the bitterness of beer are called α-acids. These compounds are extracted from the hop, which is an important ingredient in the brewing process. These compounds were analyzed by capillary electrophoresis. The electrophoretic method used 160 mmol/L of ammonium carbonate (pH 9) as BGE (background electrolyte), a voltage of +20 kV in a capillary with 50 µm of internal diameter and with a 62.5 cm of total length (54 cm effective). The samples were injected in hydrodynamic mode applying a pressure of 25 mbar for 5 s and the analytes were detected at 230 nm. A hydromethanolic extraction during 3 h was considered as the optimum condition for the sample preparation using MeOH/H2 O 80:20 v/v as the extract solution. From the optimized conditions the electropherograms were evaluated for their use as input for chemometric modeling. Preprocessing investigation for electrophoretic data taking into account the alignment, denoising and baseline correction, and variable selection were considered before the chemometric modeling using principal component analysis (PCA). The electrophoretic data were systematically evaluated to find the optimum conditions to modeling. A PCA analysis for all tests was carried out using different preprocessing methods and, an explained variance higher than 90% was achieved in all of them. The optimized chemometric method worked with aligned and meancentered data. From this approach, a simple and efficient method to classify hop samples with high and low α-acids content without the use of analytical standards was established from a simple electrophoretic analysis.