Quality changes of salted shrimp paste, one of the most popular traditional Thai fermented food ingredients, stored in different packaging containers including polypropylene containers (PP), polyethylene terephthalate containers (PET), glass jar containers (GJ) as well as LLDPE/Nylon vacuum bags (VB) at room temperature (28 ± 1 °C) for 15 months were studied. The relationship between quality attributes (i.e., volatiles, browning index (A₄₂₀), biogenic amines, TBARS) and consumer acceptability as indicated by sensory scores were also investigated using principal component analysis (PCA). During storage, some desirable quality characteristics of shrimp paste were improved as indicated by the higher sensory scores of all samples when stored for 6 months, compared with the sample at day 0 (p ≤ 0.05). However, further changes in all compositions when extended storage time can conversely diminish those desirable characteristics and led to lowering consumers’ acceptability. In this study, GJ seem to be the most potential packaging for preserving original products’ quality during storage for this product since it exhibited the lower rate of quality changing than others throughout the storage. Conversely, VB exhibited unique volatiles and microbial profiles, compared with others, which led to the lowest sensory scores at all period test (p ≤ 0.05), implying that vacuum conditions may not be suitable for the storage of this product. Moreover, based on PCA results, the intensity of nitrogen-containing compounds correlated well with sensory acceptability, particularly flavor-likeness. Our study provides useful knowledge for understanding the different quality characteristics, particularly flavors, associated with different packaging containers during prolonged storage of salted shrimp paste.

Cannabis sativa L. has a variety of uses, including fiber production, food, oil, and medicine. In response to environmental concerns regarding chemical fertilizers, Bacillus velezensis S141 was examined as a plant-growth-promoting bacterium (PGPB) for cannabis. This study evaluated the effects of S141 on cannabis growth and utilized transcriptomic analysis to identify the responsive pathways. Inoculation with S141 significantly increased growth in laboratory and field environments, with most of the bacteria residing in the leaves, followed by the stems and roots, as determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Transcriptomic analysis revealed 976 differentially expressed genes. Upregulated genes were associated with metabolism, cellular processes, and catalytic activities, especially in the biosynthesis of phenylpropanoid, plant–pathogen interactions, and hormone signaling pathways. S141 mutants deficient in the production of auxin and cytokinin displayed reduced growth enhancement, which affirmed the roles of these hormones in cannabis development. These findings emphasize the potential of S141 as a sustainable growth promoter for cannabis and provide insights into the underlying pathways it influences.

This study aimed to evaluate Bacillus subtilis K-C3 as a potential starter to improve shrimp paste quality, particularly in terms of nutritional profiles. The quality/characteristic changes of shrimp paste with and without inoculation during storage for 18 months when stored at low (4 °C) and room (28 °C) temperature were also investigated. The results found that this B. strain increased essential amino acids (EAAs) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), as well as antioxidant properties including 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging activities, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and metal chelating activity in the experimental shrimp paste compared to traditional shrimp paste (p < 0.05). The faster development of some characteristics of inoculated samples were also noted, as indicated by the higher total viable count (TVC), formal and amino nitrogen content, pH, and browning index, as well as biogenic amines, indicating different quality which may be further responsible for different product acceptability. The changes in quality/characteristics of shrimp paste were observed throughout the 18 months of storage. Shrimp paste stored at room temperature accelerated those changes faster than samples stored at low temperature (p < 0.05); however, the quality of them still meets the product’s standard even storage for 18 months. Meanwhile, shrimp paste stored at a low temperature had an amount of yeast and mold over the limitation (>3.00 log CFU/g), indicating food spoilage. Thus, storage at room temperature can extend this product’s shelf-life better than storage at low temperature. Overall, inoculation with B. subtilis K-C3, in conjunction with storage at room temperature, resulted in quality improvement and maintenance in shrimp paste, particularly in the aspects of nutritional profiles and safety concern, as the shrimp paste should have a shelf-life of at least 18 months.