Antimicrobial potential of chickpea flour hydrolysates against foodborne pathogens Academic Article in Scopus uri icon

abstract

  • In the context of higher education it is imperative that students focus on solving real problems during their professional education. The objective of this project was to motivate 7th semester students of Biotechnology Engineering, under a scheme of problem-based learning, to develop an innovative solution to solve a real problem affecting the food industry. The proposed problem was the escalating bacterial resistance and associated risks posed by foodborne pathogens to both food quality and public health. It had created the necessity for natural alternatives to the conventional chemical preservatives employed in the food industry. The research developed assessed the antimicrobial potential of hydrolysates derived from chickpea flour germinated in the presence of Se, Zn or the combination of both. The protein fraction within the flour was extracted by a solubility-based method and digested using pepsin or pancreatin. The resulting hydrolysates were evaluated for their antimicrobial efficacy at concentrations of 5.0, 10.0, and 15.0 mg/mL against pathogenic foodborne bacteria (Salmonella enterica, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Listeria monocytogenes), employing a resazurin assay. Notably, pancreatin demonstrated the highest hydrolysis efficiency. Pepsin hydrolysates exhibited no discernible antimicrobial activity against the tested bacteria and, in fact, promoted their growth. Conversely, three pancreatin hydrolysates displayed antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) at 15.0 mg/mL, while the remaining hydrolysates neither inhibited its growth or that of other bacteria. In conclusion, these identified peptides present a potential alternative to chemical antimicrobial preservatives, in combating S. aureus contamination. © 2024 Latin American and Caribbean Consortium of Engineering Institutions. All rights reserved.

publication date

  • January 1, 2024