In the past decade, the probiotic market has grown rapidly, both for foods and supplements intended to enhance wellness in healthy individuals. Different lactic acid bacteria (LAB), especially Lactobacillus spp., of different origins have already been used to develop commercial probiotic products. Nowadays, LAB new alternative sources, such as non-dairy fermented food products, are being exploited. One such source is Kombucha, a fermented low-alcohol beverage made of tea leaves. In this regard, we tested seven Pediococcus spp. strains isolated from a local industrial Kombucha for their biotechnological potential. Two, out of the seven isolates, identified as Pediococcus pentosaceus (L3) and Pediococcus acidiliactici (L5), were selected as successful candidates for the food industry, due to their probiotic and technological properties. In regard to their resistance in the gastro-intestinal tract, both selected strains were tolerant to a pH of 3.5, presence of 0.3% pepsin, and 0.5% bile salt concentration. On the antagonistic side, the fresh suspension of selected isolates had high inhibitory activity against pathogenic bacteria, such as Salmonella enterica Typhimurium, Listeria monocytogenes, Listeria ivanovii, Bacillus cereus, Proteus hauseri, and methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus. In addition, moderate to high inhibitory activity was noticed against foodborne molds (e.g., Penicillium expansum and Penicillium digitatum). These safety issues were supported by their negative hemolytic activity and good antioxidant potential (56–58%). Selected isolates were sensitive to ampicillin, penicillin, erythromycin, and lincomycin, while a broad range of other antibiotics were not effective inhibitors. On the technological side, both strains tolerated 5% NaCl and, during the freeze-drying process, had a good survival rate (86–92%). The selected Pediococcus strains have proven properties to be used for further development of functional products.

Protein hydrolysates are widely used in agricultural crops for improving plant nutrient uptake, growth, yield, and fruit quality. Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) is one of the most important vegetables consumed around the world both for its good taste and rich content in vitamins, minerals, lycopene, and β-carotene. The objective of the present study was to assess the effect of new stimulant products based on protein hydrolysates obtained from animal tissue by-products on tomato seedlings. Given the increased intake of amino acids, it is expected that this treatment will exert beneficial effects on the development of certain vigorous seedlings, representing the premise for obtaining superior tomato plants and the improvement of the production and quality of tomato fruit. Two variants of protein gels based on gelatin and keratin hydrolysates were obtained by processing bovine hide and wool and were used for periodical root applications on tomato seedlings cultivated in a greenhouse. During the experiment, the biometric characteristics of seedlings were measured weekly. The content of photosynthetic pigments, dry weight, sugars, and polyphenols were analyzed, and the antioxidant activity was assessed in the leaves. The research performed showed that applied biostimulant treatments increased the content of photosynthetic pigments by 10%, the content of sugars by 75%, and the content of polyphenols by 16% compared to the control untreated variant. Between the variants of protein gels tested, the best results were obtained by applying a mixture of bovine gelatin and keratin.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the stability during storage period of collagenase obtained when culturing Bacillus licheniformis ATCC 14580 and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens isolated from soil, in a basal salt medium supplemented with 0.3% sucrose and 0.6% sheep fur meal. The obtained enzyme was lyophilized and used for further trials. Enzyme solutions (0.5 g/ml) were prepared using lyophilized product stored in different conditions, at room temperature (20-22 °C), refrigeration (4-6 °C) and freezing (-15 to -18 °C) and tested for collagenase activity immediately after preparation, after 24 hours, 1, 7, 14, 21 and 30 days. The influence of enzyme concentration, when keeping the product in buffer solution at refrigerator, was also tested and 0.2, 0.5 and 0.75 g/ml solutions were analyzed for their proteolytic activity during 30 days of maintaining at 4-8 °C. Resistance to repeated frosting and defrosting was assayed using 0.5 g/ml enzyme solution, up to five cycles, with 24 hours freezing period. The enzymatic activity of collagenase was determined by spectrophotometric method based on ninhydrin reaction and protein content was assessed according to Lowry method.

This study aims to establish the effect of biostimulatory protein gels on the quality of tomato. One of the most consumed vegetables, tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) is a rich source of healthy constituents. Two variants of protein gels based on bovine gelatin and keratin hydrolysates obtained from leather industry byproducts were used for periodical application on the tomato plant roots in the early stage of vegetation. The gels were characterized by classical physicochemical methods and protein secondary structure was obtained by FTIR band deconvolution. After ripening, tomato was analyzed regarding its content of quality indicators (sugars and organic acids) and antioxidants (lycopene, β-carotene, vitamin C, polyphenols). The results emphasized the positive effects of the protein gels on the quality parameters of tomato fruit. An increase of 10% of dry matter and of 30% (in average) in the total soluble sugars was noted after biostimulant application. Also, lycopene and vitamin C recorded higher values (by 1.44 and 1.29 times, respectively), while β-carotene showed no significant changes. The biostimulant activity of protein gels was correlated with their amino acid composition. Plant biostimulants are considered an ecological alternative to conventional treatments for improving plant growth, and also contributing to reduce the intake of chemical fertilizers.

The purpose of this study was to develop a complex composition of a foliar liquid mineral fertilizer containing NPK macroelements and microelements including Fe, Mg, B, S, Zn, Cu, Mo, Ni, V, and Cr. This complex fertilizer aims to support the optimal development and maturation of maize crops, thereby enhancing both the quality and quantity of production. In our study, an original recipe was established for a complex composition of foliar liquid mineral fertilizer, and a technological process was developed in order to obtain the recipe at the laboratory level. The designed fertilizer was a complex mixture of fertilizers with herbicides with multiple purposes, which can be used in different pedo-climatic areas and which present, at the same time, low toxicity and minimal ecological impact. A wide-spectrum mixture DICOPUR TOP containing 2,4-D acid and Dicamba was chosen as a systemic herbicide which is absorbed by plants both in the root system and also on the leaves. For conditioning the complex mixture of fertilizers with herbicides, different types of polyvinyl alcohol with different degrees of hydrolysis were used. The liquid fertilizer mixture with DICOPUR TOP was applied over two years (2021 and 2022) to the Felix maize hybrid, demonstrating significant positive effects on grain yield while effectively controlling both dicotyledonous and monocotyledonous weeds.

Maize (Zea mays L.) is a major cereal used for food, feed, and industrial applications. This study assessed genetic diversity and biochemical variability among 49 maize genotypes to identify promising material for grain quality improvement. RAPD profiles were used to calculate Jaccard similarity coefficients and construct the UPGMA dendrogram. Total nitrogen, crude protein, starch, crude fat, and β-carotene were measured using standardized ISO/EN ISO procedures, Soxhlet extraction, and spectrophotometry. RAPD markers generated 42 amplified DNA fragments, of which 39 were polymorphic. Mean RAPD PIC values ranged from 0.187 to 0.424, with OPC-2 showing the highest value. RAPD-based clustering suggested two main groups of genotypes. Biochemical traits varied significantly among genotypes, with genotype means ranging from 8.67 to 13.72 g/100 g for crude protein, 62.50 to 74.50 g/100 g for starch, 2.61 to 5.06 g/100 g for crude fat, and 0.55 to 1.32 mg/100 g for β-carotene. HSF hybrids exhibited higher mean crude fat and lower mean starch than commercial cultivars, while crude protein and β-carotene showed no significant differences at the genotype level. These analyses identified maize genotypes with promising grain composition for further breeding evaluation aimed at improving nutritional quality. Their responses to environmental stress and the stability of their grain composition require assessment in dedicated stress experiments and multi-environment trials.