The properties of probiotics such as lactic acid bacteria (LAB) have been widely studied over the last decades. In the present study, four different LAB species, namely Lactobacillus gasseri ATCC 33323, Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG ATCC 53103, Levilactobacillus brevis ATCC 8287, and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum ATCC 14917, were investigated in order to determine their ability to survive in the human gut. They were evaluated based on their tolerance to acids, resistance to simulated gastrointestinal conditions, antibiotic resistance, and the identification of genes encoding bacteriocin production. All four tested strains demonstrated high resistance to simulated gastric juice after 3 h, and the viable counts revealed declines in cell concentrations of less than 1 log cycle. L. plantarum showed the highest level of survival in the human gut, with counts of 7.09 log CFU/mL. For the species L. rhamnosus and L. brevis, the values were 6.97 and 6.52, respectively. L. gasseri, after 12 h, showed a 3.96 log cycle drop in viable counts. None of the evaluated strains inhibited resistance to ampicillin, gentamicin, kanamycin, streptomycin, erythromycin, clindamycin, tetracycline, or chloramphenicol. With regard to bacteriocin genes, the Pediocin PA gene was identified in Lactiplantibacillus plantarum ATCC 14917, Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG ATCC 53103, and Lactobacillus gasseri ATCC 33323. The PlnEF gene was detected in Lactiplantibacillus plantarum ATCC 14917 and Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG ATCC 53103. The Brevicin 174A and PlnA genes were not detected in any bacteria. Moreover, the potential antioxidant activity of LAB’s metabolites was evaluated. At the same time, the possible antioxidant activity of metabolites of LAB was first tested using the free radical DDPH^• (a, a-Diphenyl-β-Picrylhydrazyl) and then evaluated with regard to their radical scavenging activity and inhibition against peroxyl radical induced DNA scission. All strains showed antioxidant activity; however, the best antioxidant activity was achieved by L. brevis (94.47%) and L. gasseri (91.29%) at 210 min. This study provides a comprehensive approach to the action of these LAB and their use in the food industry.

Integrating advanced computing techniques into food safety management has attracted significant attention recently. Machine learning (ML) algorithms offer innovative solutions for Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) monitoring by providing advanced data analysis capabilities and have proven to be powerful tools for assessing the safety of Animal-Source Foods (ASFs). Studies that link ML with HACCP monitoring in ASFs are limited. The present review provides an overview of ML, feature extraction, and selection algorithms employed for food safety. Several non-destructive techniques are presented, including spectroscopic methods, smartphone-based sensors, paper chromogenic arrays, machine vision, and hyperspectral imaging combined with ML algorithms. Prospects include enhancing predictive models for food safety with the development of hybrid Artificial Intelligence (AI) models and the automation of quality control processes using AI-driven computer vision, which could revolutionize food safety inspections. However, handling conceivable inclinations in AI models is vital to guaranteeing reasonable and exact hazard assessments in an assortment of nourishment generation settings. Moreover, moving forward, the interpretability of ML models will make them more straightforward and dependable. Conclusively, applying ML algorithms allows real-time monitoring and predictive analytics and can significantly reduce the risks associated with ASF consumption.

Background: The identification of bacterial species in fermented PDO (protected designation of origin) cheese is important since they contribute significantly to the final organoleptic properties, the ripening process, the shelf life, the safety and the overall quality of cheese. Methods: Ten commercial PDO feta cheeses from two geographic regions of Greece, Epirus and Thessaly, were analyzed by 16S metagenomic analysis. Results: The biodiversity of all the tested feta cheese samples consisted of five phyla, 17 families, 38 genera and 59 bacterial species. The dominant phylum identified was Firmicutes (49% of the species), followed by Proteobacteria (39% of the species), Bacteroidetes (7% of the species), Actinobacteria (4% of the species) and Tenericutes (1% of the species). Streptococcaceae and Lactobacillaceae were the most abundant families, in which starter cultures of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) belonged, but also 21 nonstarter lactic acid bacteria (NSLAB) were identified. Both geographical areas showed a distinctive microbiota fingerprint, which was ultimately overlapped by the application of starter cultures. In the rare biosphere of the feta cheese, Zobellella taiwanensis and Vibrio diazotrophicus, two Gram-negative bacteria which were not previously reported in dairy samples, were identified. Conclusions: The application of high-throughput DNA sequencing may provide a detailed microbial profile of commercial feta cheese produced with pasteurized milk.

This study examined five species of the Lamiaceae family, Origanum vulgare L., Origanum dictamnus L., Origanum majorana L., Mentha spicata L. and Lavandula angustifolia L., and one species of the Hypericaceae family, Hypericum perforatum L., for their potential to enhance health and wellbeing or to prevent diseases. An analysis of secondary metabolites was performed by mass spectrometry and HPLC coupled with diode array detection to determine the phenolic compounds included in the plant extracts. The samples were evaluated for their total phenolic content, antioxidant potential, ability to prevent DNA scission caused by peroxyl radicals and antimicrobial activity against pathogens (MIC). All the samples, except Lavandula angustifolia L., had a high DPPH radical scavenging activity and showed significant antibacterial activity. Origanum majorana L. demonstrated the lowest IC₅₀ value (10.31 μg·mL⁻¹). Extracts of medicinal herbs had a remarkably high phenolic content varying between 428 and 1512.74 μg GAE/mg of dry extract, with Origanum vulgare L. having the largest amount of polyphenols. Moreover, the plant extracts exhibited a high level of resistance against DNA damage, with Origanum majorana L. showing the greatest level of protection with 98.05% inhibition. According to the results of this study, these plants from the Greek flora provide beneficial effects for health as natural antioxidants. A baseline can be established through the analysis of the findings of this survey for future research on the same plant species.

The use of essential oils (EO) has attracted interest in the food industry because of their wide range of beneficial properties. In this study, a new functional yogurt was developed using 2 EO, marjoram and geranium, at 3 different concentrations (0.2%, 0.4%, and 0.6% vol/vol). The physicochemical properties, including syneresis, viscosity, pH, and chemical composition; bioactivities, including antioxidant activity, anticancer and antibacterial effects, total phenolic content (TPC), and total flavonoid content (TFC); and sensory characteristics of the developed yogurt were evaluated. The findings indicated that the yogurts fortified with 0.6% marjoram or geranium exhibited higher viscosity and lower syneresis compared with other treatments. The yogurt supplemented with 0.6% marjoram displayed significant antibacterial activity against Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhimurium, and Escherichia coli. In addition, the yogurt enriched with geranium and marjoram oils at a concentration of 0.6% had notably significant (P < 0.05) higher TFC levels compared with the control sample and other concentrations. In the same context, in terms of TPC, yogurt supplemented with 0.6% marjoram displayed significantly (P < 0.05) elevated levels in comparison to the other samples tested. Yogurt enriched with marjoram oil exhibited noteworthy antioxidant activity, followed by geranium oil, compared with the control samples. The yogurt supplemented with 0.6% marjoram demonstrated strong radical scavenging activity, and the yogurt fortified with 0.6% geranium showed higher anticancer activity against HepG2 human liver carcinoma cells and oxidative stress enzyme activities. Among the various concentrations of EO tested, the yogurts fortified with 0.6% marjoram or geranium EO exhibited the most favorable outcomes, followed by 0.4% marjoram or geranium. To summarize, geranium and marjoram EO can be used as a potential nutritious ingredient and as a natural preservative for milk and related products.

Polyphenolic compounds, commonly found in Greek medicinal plants, exhibit promising antiviral and antioxidant properties, making them potential candidates for therapeutic purposes. This study aims to evaluate the antiviral activity of nine selected polyphenols against Dengue virus (DENV) and Yellow Fever virus (YFV) life cycles, alongside their antioxidant capacity determined by the DPPH method and the ABTS assay, and their ability to inhibit DNA strand scission induced by peroxyl radicals. Kaempferol and caffeic acid demonstrated the most potent inhibitory effects on DENV genome replication, while coumaric acid blocked viral entry more effectively. Notably, among the nine compounds, kaempferol exhibited the strongest anti-DENV effect, especially at the level of virus-released infectivity, showing the lowest EC₅₀ (3.55 μΜ) and the highest selectivity index (SI = 25.45). In contrast, none of the compounds showed significant antiviral activity against YFV genome replication. Concomitantly, caffeic acid and kaempferol had the highest radical scavenging activity (DPPH and ABTS assays), highlighting their dual properties. Moreover, DNA scission inhibition assays confirmed the strong antioxidant potential of all tested compounds, with caffeic acid and kaempferol achieving the highest inhibition rate of 98.98% and 97.34% respectively. These findings underscore the potential of specific polyphenols, particularly kaempferol and caffeic acid, as antiviral and antioxidant agents targeting DENV and oxidative stress-related damage.