A nutritional survey and evaluation was made in Huntington disease patients by the 24-h-recall method. Control subjects and choreic patients consumed a diet that supplied all the essential amino acids. The diet was hypocaloric, rich in animal protein, and low in fat and carbohydrates. The ratio of calcium to phosphorus in the groups studied was less than 1. High vitamin A and low vitamin C and niacin intakes were observed in Huntington disease patients. Only 17% of control subjects showed weight deficiency; 55% of the patients at stages III and IV of the disease were malnourished despite receiving the same food intake as controls. Although iron intake was deficient in all groups studied, it was enough to maintain normal serum levels of this metal. The deficiencies found in some nutrients do not explain the clinical manifestations observed in Huntington disease patients.

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The production of bacteriocins by lactic acid bacteria (LAB) has been of wide interest in the food industry due to their potential application in biopreservation. The production of bacteriocins is usually low in single strain fermentation, but can improve when the bacteriocinogenic strain is cultured in association with another bacteria. The present work aims to evaluate the growth and production of bacteriocins by Pediococcus pentosaceus 147 (bacteriocinogenic strain) in co-culture with Lactobacillus plantarum LE27 (inducer strain) using a culture medium based on cheese whey (CW). Strains were inoculated in co-culture in a CW broth at 7.24 Log CFU/mL of initial concentration of P. pentosaceus 147 and incubated at 37°C. Bacteriocin production was measured after 24 h by the critical dilution method, biomass was measured by plating on MRS agar (1% aniline blue), and a mono-culture was used as a control. The titers of bacteriocins produced by P. pentosaceus 147 in mono-culture were 19,200 AU/mL lower than those obtained in co-culture with Lb. plantarum LE27 at 51,200 AU/mL. The effect of adding the inducer strain at different times of incubation (3, 6, 9, and 12 h) was evaluated, with the addition of the induction factor at the beginning of the incubation of P. pentosaceus 147 generating the highest bacteriocin activity. This study shows the potential of inducing bacteriocinogenesis using co-cultures of strains of the genera Pediococcus and Lactobacillus and using alternative substrates such as cheese whey.

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Las enteroparasitosis constituyen un importante problema de salud pública a nivel global, afectando principalmente a la población infantil de los países tropicales. Nuestro objetivo fue determinar la prevalencia de parásitos intestinales en niños de 2 a 5 años en 17 hogares comunitarios

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are considered as a good alternative to reduce the risk of food borne diseases in food industry. In addition to the improvement effects on the organoleptic characteristics of fermented foods from the LAB metabolites, they can inhibit the growth of microorganisms responsible of the food spoilage. This work is an advance on the biodiversity exploration of natural additives in food. Isolation, identification and screening of potential antimicrobial activity of LAB were the aims on this work. Species of Lactobacillus (Lb. casei, Lb. brevis, Lb. paracasei, and Lb. plantarum) and Pediococcus acidilactici were identified and their antagonism against Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 and Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 7644 was demonstrated.

De las actividades acuícolas, la producción en estanques tiene una gran importancia en los países como Brasil, Colombia y Venezuela, entre otros, en donde las cifras de producción presentan un panorama de crecimiento acelerado. La piscicultura, por ejemplo, tiene un enorme potencial debido a las óptimas condiciones de nuestros países en cuanto a hidrología, topografía y edafología, y por la riqueza en especies ícticas con cualidades para cultivo. Así, la piscicultura se torna una actividad agropecuaria autóctona y ventajosa. Trabajar con riquezas naturales propias permite ventajas competitivas, minimizando costos, y reduciendo necesidades de importar insumos y tecnología, entre otras. Observamos que otras actividades agropecuarias se sustentan en especies importadas y adaptadas a las más adversas condiciones, como ejemplo, el ganado europeo, el arroz chino, etc. Sin embargo, se debe reconocer que desarrollar tecnologías de producción obliga a considerar aspectos ambientales que garanticen su permanencia en el tiempo, con beneficios sociales, económicos, etc. La acuicultura como cualquier actividad genera impacto, empezando porque se desarrolla en ecosistemas artificiales diferentes a los naturales, y afectando los recursos hídricos por la cantidad de efluentes ricos en materia orgánica, que son vertidos sin siquiera saber lo que está siendo lanzado. Este artículo presenta una revisión de la actividad, los diferentes tipos de impactos generados y algunas alternativas biológicas para el tratamiento de los efluentes, buscando herramientas para alcanzar una acuicultura responsable.