The search for functional foods grows constantly, and in this demand, the supply of industries that seek to produce and sell supplements also grows, as is the case of probiotics freely sold in pharmacies and supermarkets. Given a large number of foods with probiotic appeal and supplements sold without the need for a nutritional or medical prescription, this study came up to evaluate the viability of commercial probiotic cells, through in vitro gastrointestinal simulation and analyzing the information present in their labeling. Eleven commercial probiotic samples were analyzed, and viable cell counts were performed before and after in vitro simulation. These products usually use appealing labeling and induce the consumer to purchase these probiotics, which often do not offer the benefits described on the packaging. The results showed that only two samples had the initial concentration indicated on their labeling and four samples offered a concentration of 3 log CFU g−1 in the ileum portion. All samples had a reduction in concentration during the gastrointestinal simulation, which varied from 1 to 4 log CFU g−1, but most do not fulfill the offer of a probiotic supplement, and there should be more inspection and control over the commercialization of this product niche.

It is estimated that by 2050 the world population will be 9 billion people; and therefore, the need for alternative sources of protein is inevitable, since conventional sources, such as beef, pork and poultry, will not be sufficient to meet the demand of population growth. Food that includes alternative sources of protein, such as insects, is a reality in countries of Latin America, Asia, Australia, Europe and Africa. This research presents the results of an exploratory study that analysed the food profile of 1,619 consumers in the five Brazilian regions (North, Northeast, Midwest, Southeast and South) as well as their perception, motivation and preferred form of edible insects. The data were analysed by cross-tabulation and expressed as frequencies. Our results show that women are more reluctant than men to consume insects. In general, there is a preference for consumption of insects in the form of flour. However, those with more familiarity with this type of consumption prefer the whole insect. Most Brazilian consumers have no opinion about the safety of consuming insects; however, consumers with higher levels of education and familiarity consider it safe.

Artisanal cheese, produced with raw milk by a predominantly manual approach, has a historical and cultural tradition related to the region of origin. Given its economic and cultural importance, the main objective of this study was to investigate and characterize the diversity of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) of artisanal cheeses produced and traded by family agro-industries in a region of southern Brazil. The LAB composition of artisanal cheese samples, belonging to different municipalities of the Region of Vale do Taquari, were characterized by the next-generation sequencing (NGS) method, amplifying the V3/V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene. A total of 35 LAB species, distributed in seven genera, were identified, and rarefaction analysis suggested that the total diversity assessed by 16S rRNA analysis was high in the analyzed samples. The average Ph ranged from 4.6 to 6.6, and a correlation with the genus Lactococcus (r = 0.62) was the most expressive. The LAB genera identified in the cheese samples were Bavariicococcus, Enterococcus, Lactobacillus, Lactococcus, Leuconostoc, Marinillactibacillus, and Pediococcus. Lactococcus lactis was the most predominant species, present in all samples. Although some species have been identified in the three altitudes studied, the abundance varied according to geographic environments. Enterococcus italicus is more present at high altitudes, unlike Lactococcus plantarum and Lactococcus raffinolactis at low altitudes. Lactococcus lactis was present in the three geographic environments evaluated, but the highest abundance was observed at high altitudes. The identification of LAB present in fermented cheeses is essential to understand the organoleptic quality during the maturation process as well as to establish the shelf life, including the safety and the overall quality of the cheese. This specific microbiota contributes to the flavor and unique characteristics of the regional dairy products, and on the other hand can be a source of specific starter cultures that guarantee the product’s identity.