Current Trends in Exploiting the Influence of Natural Substances, Compounds and Probiotics as Antimicrobial Agents for Food and Health Applications, 2nd Edition

A special issue of Applied Microbiology (ISSN 2673-8007).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2025 | Viewed by 2858

Special Issue Editors


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Istituto di Scienze dell’Alimentazione, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (ISA-CNR), Via Roma 64, 83100 Avellino, Italy
Interests: antimicrobial activity of natural extracts/essential oils; microencapsulation of bacteria; entrappment of secondary metabolites; development of functional beverages; quorum sensing; biofilm; innovative technologies
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Dipartimento Agricoltura, Ambiente e Alimenti, Università degli Studi del Molise, Via De Sanctis, 86100 Campobasso, Italy
Interests: food microbiology; probiotics; Lactic acid bacteria; functional foods; antimicrobial activity; biofilm
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue is a continuation of our previous Special Issue “Current Trends in Exploiting the Influence of Natural Substances, Compounds and Probiotics as Antimicrobial Agents for Food and Health Applications”.

Antibiotics, which are considered a mainstay of modern clinical medicine, are facing huge interest due to significant antimicrobial resistance that has emerged in several bacteria of nosocomial and community origin, posing a serious threat to human health. Additionally, different microbial pathogens also pose serious dangers to the food industry, where international rules discourage the use of conventional additives to prolong and preserve the quality and safety of foods. Regarding drug-resistant microbes, some pathogens such as particular molds, the food pathogens Listeria spp and Streptococcus mutans, and the emerging oral pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis are significant. The so-called “ESKAPEE” group of pathogens, which include Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacter, and Escherichia coli, also pose a threat. Therefore, novel and effective approaches are necessary in order to combat this life-threatening issue. Herbs, as well as some foods and probiotic bacteria, are capable of combating pathogens, interacting with them, and acting on microbial cell membranes, the cytoplasm, quorum sensing, biofilms, drug efflux pumps, R-plasmids, etc. In this Special Issue, we aim to assemble current research and critical opinions on the different actions exhibited by natural extracts, foods, or probiotics against the pathogens cited above, as well as other pathogenic bacteria or molds that are pertinent to health; to describe recent technologies that are potentially relevant in the detection and monitoring of the microbial scenario; and to examine the actions of natural antimicrobials during the shelf-life of food, or on the surfaces of medical devices. Thus, we invite you to contribute to this Special Issue with your latest research findings or review articles in these areas. We look forward to your contributions.

Dr. Filomena Nazzaro
Prof. Dr. Vincenzo De Feo
Prof. Dr. Raffaele Coppola
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Microbiology is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1000 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Related Special Issue

Published Papers (2 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

15 pages, 7099 KiB  
Article
The Isolation, Identification and Characterization of a Wild-Type Strain Pseudomonas aeruginosa PM1012 from the Cloacal Microbiota of a Common Wall Lizard (Podarcis muralis Laurenti, 1768)
by Irina Lazarkevich, Stephan Engibarov, Simona Mitova, Rumyana Eneva, Tsvetelina Paunova-Krasteva, Dayana Borisova, Emiliya Vacheva, Nikola Stanchev, Steliyana Popova, Yana Gocheva and Maria Gerginova
Appl. Microbiol. 2024, 4(3), 1396-1410; https://doi.org/10.3390/applmicrobiol4030096 - 22 Sep 2024
Viewed by 721
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a ubiquitous environmental Gram-negative bacterium and also an opportunistic pathogen for both humans and animals, causing acute or chronic infections. It has been frequently detected in healthy and diseased reptiles, more commonly in captive ones. Since most studies are primarily [...] Read more.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a ubiquitous environmental Gram-negative bacterium and also an opportunistic pathogen for both humans and animals, causing acute or chronic infections. It has been frequently detected in healthy and diseased reptiles, more commonly in captive ones. Since most studies are primarily on clinical isolates, the pathogenic potential of strains originating from wild animals is poorly explored. We isolated the strain P. aeruginosa PM1012 from the cloacal microbiota of a common wall lizard (Podarcis muralis Laurenti, 1768) from a free-living population. The effect of temperature, pH and salinity on its growth was evaluated. Antibiotic resistance, the expression of several virulence factors as some extracellular enzymes, pyocyanin production and biofilm formation were also assessed. Apart from intrinsic resistance, the newly isolated strain P. aeruginosa PM1012 presented an antibiotic susceptibility profile with a low resistance rate limited to meropenem and intermediate to ceftazidime and aztreonam. Protease, lipase and gelatinase secretion was detected. Strong pyocyanin production was observed in the optimal range of growth conditions. An excellent biofilm-forming capacity was manifested. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 1475 KiB  
Article
Synergistic Effect of Postbiotic Yeast ABB C22® on Gut Inflammation, Barrier Function, and Protection from Rotavirus Infection in In Vitro Models
by Lydia Carrera Marcolin, Jordi Cuñé Castellana, Laia Martí Melero, Carlos de Lecea and Maria Tintoré Gazulla
Appl. Microbiol. 2024, 4(2), 811-823; https://doi.org/10.3390/applmicrobiol4020056 - 16 May 2024
Viewed by 1206
Abstract
Diarrhoea is a serious cause of mortality worldwide that can lead to dehydration, gut barrier function impairment, nutrient malabsorption, and alterations of the gut microbiota (dysbiosis). The current solutions for its management, such as oral rehydration salts (ORS), inhibitors of gut motility, antibiotics, [...] Read more.
Diarrhoea is a serious cause of mortality worldwide that can lead to dehydration, gut barrier function impairment, nutrient malabsorption, and alterations of the gut microbiota (dysbiosis). The current solutions for its management, such as oral rehydration salts (ORS), inhibitors of gut motility, antibiotics, and living probiotics, only partially counteract the mechanisms of the disease and do not provide a full coverage of the problem. The potential risks of the use of living probiotic strains, particularly in immunocompromised patients, can be eliminated with the use of tyndallized (heat-killed) postbiotic bacteria and yeast. ABB C22® is a postbiotic combination of three tyndallized yeasts, namely Saccharomyces boulardii, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Kluyveromyces marxianus. To assess the action of the postbiotic combination on diarrhoea, immune and gut epithelial cell signalling assays, the gut barrier formation assay, and the rotavirus gene expression assay were performed. ABB C22® showed a strong anti-inflammatory effect, an induction of the build-up of the gut epithelium, and a degree of protection against rotavirus infection. These experimental studies support the use of the postbiotic ABB C22® as a solution for the management of diarrhoea and gastrointestinal conditions, alone or in combination with existing but incomplete treatments. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop