Journal of Food & Industrial Microbiology

Nowadays, Reports have revealed that intestinal bifidobacteria produce antimicrobial substances that are active against pathogenic bacteria or microflora such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterococcus faecalis. Many mechanisms have been postulated by which Bifidobacteria could produce antimicrobial activity. In addition to their competitive inhibition of the epithelial and mucosal adherence of pathogens and inhibition of epithelial invasion by pathogens, and Bifidobacteria also show antimicrobial activity by producing antimicrobial substances (bacteriocins), H₂O₂, organic acids and or stimulating mucosal immunity. In this study the isolates of Bifidobacterium strains (Bifidobacterium longum ATCC 15707, Bifidobacterium bifidum LMGD 10645, Bifidobacterium animalis and Bifidobacterium angulotum) were screened for antibacterial activity against pathogenic bacteria. According to their inhibitory effects on pathogens, Bifidobacterium strains were differentiated into three classes:  strong inhibitor, weak inhibitor and with no significant inhibitory effect.

Palm wine is of high nutritional and economic importance and plays a significant role in cultural and social practices in Africa. Since the nutritional content is high, there is proliferation of microorganism which results in spontaneous fermentation. The microbiological quality of different palm wine samples was investigated and it was found to harbor microorganisms such as Lactobacillus sp, Micrococcus sp, Staphylococcus sp, Streptococcus sp and Bacillus sp. This had a count of 0.8 x 10³ – 1.8 x 10³ CFU/ml and 1.2 x 10³ – 3.8 x 10³ CFU/ml for different samples. The isolation of these microorganisms from these products is of public health concern because this product is on high demand in this area and beyond. With the result of this study, public awareness has to be created on the risk factors involved in the consumption of palm wine and the need to imbibe proper sanitary hygienic practice in tapping, processing, diluting and distribution of the product.

Metabolic modelling has emerged as a powerful tool in the realm of food microbiology, offering insights into the intricate biochemical processes governing microbial behaviour in food ecosystems. This article delves into the significance of metabolic models in deciphering microbial interactions, understanding food spoilage mechanisms, and devising strategies to enhance food safety. Through computational simulations and experimental validation, metabolic models facilitate predictive and preventive approaches, revolutionizing food preservation and quality control measures. By exploring the integration of omics data and advanced computational techniques, this article illuminates the promising avenues for leveraging metabolic modelling to ensure the safety and sustainability of the global food supply chain.

During the maturation of every B cell and T cell in the body, there exists a process known as VDJ recombination, which acts to instate a drastic change in the cells’ genetic makeup. The purpose of the process is to completely randomize the way the genes are arranged so that the consequential immunoglobulins and T cell receptors can take on wildly different conformations, effectively preparing for the infinite possibilities of invasions that will inevitably occur. Taking only one of each of the numerous V, D, and J segments within a locus, proteins involved in the recombination function to bring said segments adjacent to one another, cleave off their ends, and attach them side by side via extra nucleotides placed in between them. As it is the process solely responsible for the body’s ability to protect and effectively memorize a plethora of different pathogens, antigens, and viruses, VDJ recombination almost single handedly defines the role of the human immune system at large. One feature of great importance in adaptive immunity is the ability to respond to an enormous number of different antigens.

The somatic assembly of the T Cell Receptor (TCR) genes generates a diverse T cell repertoire and is an essential component of the thymocytes development.