Critical health considerations for both raw and processed meats include addressing bacterial spoilage and ensuring safety. Nitrites and nitrates are widely used in the meat industry to enhance color and flavor and extend shelf life. However, health concerns linked to their use make reducing nitrites and nitrates in meat production a significant challenge with potential benefits for both the food industry and consumer health. This challenge has been addressed with the use of biopreservatives, i.e., substances extracted from natural sources or produced by fermentation that can enhance food quality and safety. In this article, we assess the use of live biopreservatives (LBs), defined here as microorganisms that produce antimicrobial substances that can be used to preserve and extend the shelf life of food. Moreover, the potential synergistic effects of LBs with bacteriophages and biodegradable food packaging for meat is also explored. This innovative combination offers a comprehensive approach to meat preservation, enhancing both microbial control and sustainability. Overall, the inclusion of LBs extends the shelf life of meat products through bacteriostatic mechanisms, whereas bacteriophages offer direct (lytic) action against pathogens. Enhancing meat preservation and safety with mixed microbe-mediated strategies requires deeper empirical and theoretical insights and further revision of laws and ethical considerations.

This study explores the development of functional fermented beverages using fibre-rich residues derived from olive pruning, vineyard pruning, chicory root, and red onion, obtained after subcritical water extraction of polyphenols. Two microbial strains, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and Bacillus subtilis, were evaluated for their fermentation performance across different fibre matrices, with and without sugar supplementation. Key parameters including microbial growth, pH evolution, and reducing sugar content were monitored, and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum showed superior acidification and viability (>9 log CFU/mL), especially in sugar-enriched formulations, while Bacillus subtilis showed a limited performance. Based on fermentation efficiency, three sugar-supplemented formulations were selected to scale-up: olive pruning fibre and vineyard pruning fibre fermented with Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and olive pruning fibre fermented with Bacillus subtilis. Red onion fibre extract was excluded from scale-up experiments due to its high viscosity, which made it impossible to measure reducing sugars, consistent with its high water-holding capacity. Fermentation significantly increased antioxidant capacity, reaching up to 750 µmol Trolox equivalents/L and 18 mg of gallic acid equivalents/L in L. plantarum-fermented samples, confirming microbial release of bound phenolics and formation of bioactive metabolites. The resulting beverages were microbiologically stable (final pH < 4.5), sensorially acceptable, and potentially antioxidant-rich, supporting their role in sustainable food system development and circular bioeconomy.

This study assessed how high-moisture extrusion (HME) alters the structural, functional, and in vitro digestibility properties of two barley flours with contrasting starch architectures: waxy barley (Annapurna^®) and high-amylose barley (Hilose^®). The flours were processed at three moisture contents (50%, 60%, and 70%) and two screw speeds (100 and 150 rpm). Moisture content emerged as the main processing factor influencing the response of both barley matrices, although the magnitude and direction of the changes depended strongly on barley composition. At 50% moisture and 150 rpm, the higher specific mechanical energy was associated with increased amylose content and resistant starch formation, with Hilose^® reaching 13.8% resistant starch. In contrast, processing at 70% moisture increased water absorption and rapidly digestible starch, which reached 69.6% in Annapurna^®. Intermediate conditions (60% moisture, 100 rpm) favored β-glucan retention and were associated with higher slowly digestible starch, exceeding 40% in Hilose^®. HME also induced matrix-dependent changes in in vitro protein digestibility and in starch and protein structural organization, as evidenced by FTIR analysis and protein molecular weight distribution. Overall, the results show that the functional and nutritional effects of HME depend on the interaction between processing conditions and the intrinsic starch architecture of the barley matrix, supporting the use of HME to obtain barley flours with differentiated technological and nutritional properties.