During the fermentation of cocoa beans, the yeasts produce volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Through reactions associated with amino acid metabolism, yeasts generate important aroma precursors as acetate esters and fatty acid ethyl esters are essential in developing fruity flavors and aromas in the final product (usually chocolate). In addition, some yeasts may have pectinolytic and antifungal activity, which is desirable in the post-harvest process of cocoa. The main yeast species in cocoa fermentation are Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Pichia kudriavzevii, and Hanseniaspora opuntiae. These produce higher alcohols and acetyl-CoA to make acetate–esters, compounds that produce floral and fruity notes. However, there are still controversies in scientific reports because some mention that there are no significant differences in the sensory characteristics of the final product. Others mention that the fermentation of cocoa by yeast has a significant influence on improving the sensory attributes of the final product. However, using yeasts as starter cultures for cocoa bean fermentation is recommended to homogenize sensory attributes such as notes and flavors in chocolate.

The market for probiotic foods has grown significantly in recent years. Some microorganisms isolated from food fermentations, mainly lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and yeasts, may have probiotic potential. During the fermentation of cocoa and coffee, a plethora of microorganisms are involved, including yeasts and lactic acid bacteria (LAB), several of which may have probiotic potential. For this reason, this study aimed to overview the probiotic potential of some LAB and yeasts isolated from these fermentation processes. For this purpose, a search was conducted in several specialized databases (Google Scholar, PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Scopus). As a result of this search, some strains of LAB and yeasts from cocoa were found to be potentially probiotic, with characteristics like those of commercial probiotic strains. The LAB genera that showed the most substantial probiotic potential were Lactiplantibacillus, Limosilactobacillus, and Lactococcus, while for yeasts, it was Saccharomyces and Pichia.

Cada año se vierten millones de metros cúbicos de aguas residuales a los cuerpos de agua, las cuales son tratadas de forma inadecuada, siendo estos procedimientos ineficientes para alcanzar lo requerido por la ley o para uso dentro de los procesos industriales. En estos casos, y debido a la escasez del hídrico, se está recurriendo al uso de los procesos de oxidación avanzada como tratamiento alternativo. Estos procesos se basan en procesos fisicoquímicos capaces de producir cambios profundos en la estructura química de los contaminantes, involucrando la generación y uso de especies transitorias de gran poder oxidante, principalmente el radical hidroxilo, el cual puede ser generado por medios fotoquímicos o por otras formas de energía y posee alta efectividad para la oxidación de materia orgánica. Esta revisión tiene como objetivo realizar un análisis de la influencia de los tratamientos en el proceso de descontaminación.

The Abandoned Sanitary Landfill of the City of Veracruz, located to the north of the municipality, was built in the year 2000 and operated according to the regulations in force at the time, for a useful life of 10 years. However, it continued its operation irregularly, collapsing and becoming a controlled final disposal site that was closed by the state environmental authorities in 2019. Through the use of Google Earth satellite images using multicriteria techniques, it was determined that it has an area of 167 228 m² and an accumulated volume of waste of 1 505 052 m³. The Mexican Biogas Model 2.0 was used to estimate the generation of biogas that until the year 2023 was a total of 2 898 064 tons of biogas, and with the help of the methodology for the greenhouse effect calculation for urban solid waste, it was determined that in this same period a total of 2 522 057.3 tons of carbon dioxide, 1 162 154.8 tons of methane, and 47 115.9 tons of nitrous oxide were emitted. This represents a total of 47.5 Mt CO2 eq., which underscores the importance of minimizing greenhouse gas emissions and their impact on the environment due to global warming of the atmosphere, especially in the coastal ecosystem where the municipality of Veracruz, Mexico is located.

Yeasts have attracted increasing attention as potential alternatives to traditional bacterial probiotic strains due to their physiological resilience and functional versatility. However, the probiotic potential of yeast strains associated with Mexican cocoa bean fermentation remains largely unexplored. Therefore, this study aimed to conduct a preliminary screening of physiological and surface-related traits associated with probiotic functionality in four autochthonous Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains (YCTA5, YCTA9, YCTA14, and YCTA16), previously isolated from cocoa fermentation, using Saccharomyces boulardii (Jarrow Formulas^®) as a reference strain. Evaluated parameters included tolerance to temperature, pH, and bile salts; hemolytic activity; survival in vitro under gastrointestinal (GI) conditions; bile salt hydrolase activity; auto-aggregation; co-aggregation; hydrophobicity; and response to antifungal agents (fluconazole, ciclopirox, nystatin, and clotrimazole). All yeast strains grew at 37 °C and at pH 4–8 and showed no hemolytic activity. All strains exhibited high auto-aggregation (>70%) and hydrophobicity values ranging from 55 to 88%. In the coaggregation assay, strains YCTA9, YCTA14, and YCTA16 showed moderate interactions with Escherichia coli, Bacillus cereus, and Listeria innocua, with some combinations exceeding 50%. Nevertheless, none of the yeast strains exhibited measurable growth at pH 2; bile salt tolerance was limited to 0.1% Oxgall, and viability decreased by approximately 54–56% after simulated gastrointestinal transit. These findings indicate that although some strains exhibited promising surface-related properties, significant physiological constraints restrict their probiotic potential under the tested conditions. Therefore, the studied yeast strains should be regarded as preliminary candidates requiring further validation. This work provides a first-stage evaluation for identifying functional yeast strains from Mexican cocoa bean fermentation, serving as a basis for future in vitro and in vivo studies.

Microplastic pollution poses an emerging risk to aquaculture systems and food security. Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), one of the most widely farmed freshwater species globally, can be exposed to these particles through water, feed, and aquaculture infrastructure. This systematic review aimed to synthesize the scientific evidence regarding the sources, characteristics, and effects of microplastics in tilapia aquaculture. The PRISMA 2020 guidelines were followed, and a literature search was conducted across Scopus, SpringerLink, Google Scholar, and ResearchGate for the period 2016-2025. Following the selection process, 34 studies were included in the qualitative synthesis. The results demonstrate that microplastics in O. niloticus are widespread globally, having been recorded in natural, aquaculture, and experimental systems. Fibers and fragments, composed mainly of polyethylene, polypropylene, and PET, predominate; these are associated with both external sources (wastewater, urban activities, and textiles) and internal sources (wear and tear of netting, pipes, equipment, and contaminated feed). Most studies document accumulation in the gastrointestinal tract, although particles have also been detected in the gills, liver, and muscle, suggesting a potential risk to human health. Furthermore, physiological effects such as digestive disturbances, oxidative stress, and reduced growth have been reported. Overall, the evidence confirms that microplastics are a significant contaminant in tilapia aquaculture and highlights the necessity to implement mitigation strategies and standardize assessment methodologies.