In recent years, there has been a strong focus on beneficial foods with probiotic microorganisms and functional organic substances. In this context, there is an increasing interest in the commercial use of kefir, since it can be marketed as a natural beverage that has health promoting bacteria. There are numerous commercially available kefir based-products. Kefir may act as a matrix in the effective delivery of probiotic microorganisms in different types of products. Also, the presence of kefir’s exopolysaccharides, known as kefiran, which has biological activity, certainly adds value to products. Kefiran can also be used separately in other food products and as a coating film for various food and pharmaceutical products. This article aims to update the information about kefir and its microbiological composition, biological activity of the kefir’s microflora and the importance of kefiran as a beneficial health substance.

The gibberellins (GAs) are an important group of hormones which exert various effects on promoter and regulator of plant growth. Gibberellic acid (GA₃) is a natural plant hormone, with great economical and industrial importance. It affects stem elongation, germination, elimination of dormancy, flowering, sex expression, enzyme induction and leaf and fruit senescence. Despite its diverse applications, the use of GA₃ is limited due to its high production costs. The industrial process currently used for the production of GA₃ is based on submerged fermentation (SmF) techniques. As an alternative for its production, solid state fermentation (SSF) has also been investigated for its ability to increase the yields of GA₃ with the use of agro-industrial wastes as support/substrate, which contributes to the decreased production costs. This review describes GA₃’s physical, chemical and biological properties, its production by fermentation and new advances that are being carried out with special interest on the SSF technique.

Agriculture is essential for nutrition and the global economy, becoming increasingly important due to population growth and higher food demand. This situation boosts interest in creating bioproducts that enhance productivity sustainably while reducing environmental issues and strain on natural resources. Bioinoculants are important innovations that use beneficial microorganisms to boost crop growth and resilience. They enhance the interaction between soil and plants by solubilizing essential nutrients and producing phytohormones. This not only boosts agricultural productivity but also promotes environmentally sustainable practices by decreasing reliance on chemical fertilizers. Considering the relevance of this subject to advances in agro-industrial biotechnology, this review analyzes recent studies and patent advances on the production and use of bioinoculants, as well as their integration into agricultural practices and plant development. It also explores the dynamics of production and downstream processes on an industrial scale, regulations in different countries, and growing market demands, which is an important feature of this review. Furthermore, future perspectives for the application of bioinoculants in agro-industrial biotechnology are discussed, emphasizing the critical role that these biological agents play in advancing agricultural sustainability.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the yeast diversity and physicochemical characteristics of spontaneous coffee bean fermentation conducted in the coffee-producing region in Cerrado Mineiro, Brazil. During 48 h of fermentation, yeast population increased from 6.60 to 7.89 log CFU·g⁻¹, with concomitant pulp sugar consumption and organic acids production (mainly lactic (3.35 g·L⁻¹) and acetic (1.27 g·L⁻¹) acids). According to ITS-rRNA gene sequencing, yeast population was mainly represented by Saccharomyces sp., followed by Torulaspora delbrueckii, Pichia kluyveri, Hanseniaspora uvarum, H. vineae and Meyerozyma caribbica. SPME-GC-MS analysis revealed a total of 25 volatile organic compounds with predominance of hydrocarbons (9 compounds) and higher alcohols (6 compounds). The resulting fermented, roasted coffee beans were analyzed by diverse chemical analysis methods, including Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and mineral and thermogravimetric analysis. The thermal decomposition of the coffee beans occurred in four stages between 90 and 390 °C, with significant mass loss (68%) after the second stage at 190 °C. FTIR spectroscopy confirmed the presence of the main organic functions associated with coffee aroma, such as aromatic acids, ketones, aldehydes and aliphatic esters. The results presented in this study enrich our knowledge concerning yeast diversity and physicochemical characteristics associated with coffee bean fermentation, and can be used to promote a controlled on-farm processing.

Ganoderma lucidum is a well-known representative of mushrooms that have been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries. New discoveries related to this medicinal mushroom and its biological properties are frequently reported. However, only recently have scientists started to pay special attention to G. lucidum spores. This is in part because of the recent development of methods for breaking the spore wall and extracting biocompounds from the spore. Although some research groups are working with G. lucidum spores, data in the literature are still limited, and the methods used have not been systematized. This review therefore describes the main advances in techniques for breaking the spore wall and extracting biocompounds from the spore. In addition, the major active components identified and their biological properties, such as neurological activity and antiaging and cell-protective effects, are investigated because these are of importance for potential drug development.

Sugarcane ethanol production generates about 360 billion liters of vinasse, a liquid effluent with an average chemical oxygen demand of 46,000 mg/L. Vinasse still contains about 11% of the original energy from sugarcane juice, but this chemical energy is diluted. This residue, usually discarded or applied in fertigation, is a suitable substrate for anaerobic digestion (AD). Although the technology is not yet widespread—only 3% of bioethanol plants used it in Brazil in the past, most discontinuing the process—the research continues. With a biomethane potential ranging from 215 to 324 L of methane produced by kilogram of organic matter in vinasse, AD could improve the energy output of sugarcane biorefineries. At the same time, the residual digestate could still be used as an agricultural amendment or for microalgal production for further stream valorization. This review presents the current technology for ethanol production from sugarcane and describes the state of the art in vinasse AD, including technological trends, through a recent patent evaluation. It also appraises the integration of vinasse AD in an ideal sugarcane biorefinery approach. It finally discusses bottlenecks and presents possible directions for technology development and widespread adoption of this simple yet powerful approach for bioresource recovery.