scholarly journals Development of a High-Throughput Microfluidic qPCR System for the Quantitative Determination of Quality-Relevant Bacteria in Cheese

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthias Dreier ◽  
Hélène Berthoud ◽  
Noam Shani ◽  
Daniel Wechsler ◽  
Pilar Junier

The composition of the cheese microbiome has an important impact on the sensorial quality and safety of cheese. Therefore, much effort has been made to investigate the microbial community composition of cheese. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) is a well-established method for detecting and quantifying bacteria. High-throughput qPCR (HT-qPCR) using microfluidics brings further advantages by providing fast results and by decreasing the cost per sample. We have developed a HT-qPCR approach for the rapid and cost-efficient quantification of microbial species in cheese by designing qPCR assays targeting 24 species/subspecies commonly found in cheese. Primer pairs were evaluated on the Biomark (Fluidigm) microfluidic HT-qPCR system using DNA from single strains and from artificial mock communities. The qPCR assays worked efficiently under identical PCR conditions, and the validation showed satisfying inclusivity, exclusivity, and amplification efficiencies. Preliminary results obtained from the HT-qPCR analysis of DNA samples of model cheeses made with the addition of adjunct cultures confirmed the potential of the microfluidic HT-qPCR system to screen for selected bacterial species in the cheese microbiome. HT-qPCR data of DNA samples of two downgraded commercial cheeses showed that this approach provides valuable information that can help to identify the microbial origin of quality defects. This newly developed HT-qPCR system is a promising approach that will allow simultaneous monitoring of quality-relevant species in fermented foods with high bacterial diversity, thereby opening up new perspectives for the control and assurance of high product quality.

2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 341-350 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jasmine Kaur ◽  
Anshul Sharma ◽  
Sulhee Lee ◽  
Young-Seo Park

Lactobacillus brevis is a part of a large family of lactic acid bacteria that are present in cheese, sauerkraut, sourdough, silage, cow manure, feces, and the intestinal tract of humans and rats. It finds its use in food fermentation, and so is considered a “generally regarded as safe” organism. L. brevis strains are extensively used as probiotics and hence, there is a need for identifying and characterizing these strains. For identification and discrimination of the bacterial species at the subspecific level, repetitive element-polymerase chain reaction method is a reliable genomic fingerprinting tool. The objective of the present study was to characterize 13 strains of L. brevis isolated from various fermented foods using repetitive element-polymerase chain reaction. Repetitive element-polymerase chain reaction was performed using three primer sets, REP, Enterobacterial Repetitive Intergenic Consensus (ERIC), and (GTG)5, which produced different fingerprinting patterns that enable us to distinguish between the closely related strains. Fingerprinting patterns generated band range in between 150 and 5000 bp with REP, 200–7500 bp with ERIC, and 250–2000 bp with (GTG)5 primers, respectively. The Jaccard’s dissimilarity matrices were used to obtain dendrograms by the unweighted neighbor-joining method using genetic dissimilarities based on repetitive element-polymerase chain reaction fingerprinting data. Repetitive element-polymerase chain reaction proved to be a rapid and easy method that can produce reliable results in L. brevis species.


PeerJ ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. e8544
Author(s):  
Matthias Dreier ◽  
Hélène Berthoud ◽  
Noam Shani ◽  
Daniel Wechsler ◽  
Pilar Junier

Background Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) is a well-established method for detecting and quantifying bacteria, and it is progressively replacing culture-based diagnostic methods in food microbiology. High-throughput qPCR using microfluidics brings further advantages by providing faster results, decreasing the costs per sample and reducing errors due to automatic distribution of samples and reagents. In order to develop a high-throughput qPCR approach for the rapid and cost-efficient quantification of microbial species in complex systems such as fermented foods (for instance, cheese), the preliminary setup of qPCR assays working efficiently under identical PCR conditions is required. Identification of target-specific nucleotide sequences and design of specific primers are the most challenging steps in this process. To date, most available tools for primer design require either laborious manual manipulation or high-performance computing systems. Results We developed the SpeciesPrimer pipeline for automated high-throughput screening of species-specific target regions and the design of dedicated primers. Using SpeciesPrimer, specific primers were designed for four bacterial species of importance in cheese quality control, namely Enterococcus faecium, Enterococcus faecalis, Pediococcus acidilactici and Pediococcus pentosaceus. Selected primers were first evaluated in silico and subsequently in vitro using DNA from pure cultures of a variety of strains found in dairy products. Specific qPCR assays were developed and validated, satisfying the criteria of inclusivity, exclusivity and amplification efficiencies. Conclusion In this work, we present the SpeciesPrimer pipeline, a tool to design species-specific primers for the detection and quantification of bacterial species. We use SpeciesPrimer to design qPCR assays for four bacterial species and describe a workflow to evaluate the designed primers. SpeciesPrimer facilitates efficient primer design for species-specific quantification, paving the way for a fast and accurate quantitative investigation of microbial communities.


2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (02) ◽  
pp. 32-42
Author(s):  
Widiar Onny Kurniawan

Increasing competition in the hospitality industry, making hotels should increase the advantage in competing. An important part of improving the competitive advantage of hotels is to set, measure and allocate accurately the costs to be efficient. Cost efficient will help managers to make decisions so as to increase the occupancy rate of hotels that ultimately impact on profit. Researchers conducted research on the Hotel "X" located in the city of Surabaya where this hotel is one of the oldest four-star hotel in the city of Surabaya. Determination of the cost as the cost of room rental at Hotel "X" is still using the traditional method of the cost of renting each room on the same "X" Hotel. The purpose of this study is to know the application of Activity Based Costing (ABC) method in the calculation of service fee and the determination of the hotel room rental price "X". The technique of data analysis performed is to analyze the traditional method that is being used by Hotel "X" and compare with ABC method. The results of this study is the calculation of the cost of room rental using ABC method is more accurate when compared with traditional methods. Hotel "X" should consider undercost in the cost of room rental so that the hotel does not suffer long-term losses resulting in earnings.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donatas Bagočius ◽  
Aleksas Narščius

An underwater noise is the most pervasive type of physical energy that spreads in underwater marine environment. The concerns regarding man-made underwater noise effects on the aquatic animals became prominent within scientific communities. The determination of underwater noise levels became very actual either for environmental monitoring or scientific research purposes. Various tools for acquisition of the underwater sound as well, modelling became available, although some techniques are costly and requires special considerations. One of the examples are the sound recording devices containing hydrophones along with digital sound acquisition systems used for recording of ambient (continuous) underwater sounds. By the date there are already developed the international and European standards for monitoring the long term (yearly) underwater continuous noise levels. However, the techniques known to be able to record the short and mid-term noise levels can serve for the research purposes greatly. In this research the cost efficient autonomous underwater sound recorder was developed, with the purpose to record an ambient underwater noise continuously and autonomously for the periods of up to 15 days, following the already known methods. In this paper we present the steps of the development of the autonomous recorder, its features and capabilities as well, calibration results of the underwater sound recording system.


Teisė ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 119 ◽  
pp. 105-117
Author(s):  
Jurgis Bartkus

The article analyses the importance of the admissibility of evidence in Lithuanian civil proceedings. The analysis of various sources of law allows to link the admissibility of evidence in civil proceedings not only with one of the features of evidence, but also with the objectives of this institute in civil proceedings: ensuring the quality of proof, the cost-efficient process, a fair and just trial, and other values.The reduction of the importance of the admissibility of evidence is essentially influenced by aspects related to the whole evidentiary process – the principle of free evaluation of evidence, the purpose of determination of material truth, and procedural norms establishing the judge as the final assessor of admissibility of evidence and facts. The objectives of the admissibility of evidence in civil proceedings make it necessary to find possible solutions that ensure a more appropriate relationship between the admissibility of evidence and the reasons of its importance.


Liquidity ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 103-109
Author(s):  
Yuri Nanda Larasati ◽  
Jafril Khalil

Regulation of the financial services authority (OJK) No. 31/POJK.05/2016 on Venture had arranged that the financial services agency on the basis of the law of pledge is in coaching and supervision OJK. Yet the existence of laws – invitation to Governing Enterprise pawn shops causing business activities conducted by the above parties are not yet regulated. The condition is feared could cause harm to the consumer society. The purpose of this research is to know the procedures, mechanisms, protection of goods and guarantee the consumer on an informal pledge financing, methods of determination of the cost of maintenance of the goods and the goods of the execution mechanism of the pledge as well as protection for the collateral items are viewed from the side of the consumer by looking at laws-invitations and Sharia. To find out whether the pledge have gotten permission from OJK. This research uses qualitative research methods with the study of library research, field data and simulations. The approach used in this study is the empirical juridical approach. Elaboration upon the results is discussed further in this article.


2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 42
Author(s):  
Roshanira Che Mohd Noor ◽  
Nur Atiqah Rochin Demong

Providing a safe and healthy workplace is one of the most effective strategies in for holding down the cost of doing construction business. It was a part of the overall management system to facilitate themanagement of the occupational health and safety risk that are associated with the business of the organization. Factors affected the awareness level inclusive of safety and health conditions, dangerous working area, long wait care and services and lack of emergency communication werethe contributed factors to the awareness level for the operational level. Total of 122 incidents happened at Telekom Malaysia Berhad as compared to year 2015 only 86 cases. Thus, the main objective of this study was to determine the relationship between safety and health factors and the awareness level among operational workers.The determination of this research was to increase the awareness level among the operational level workerswho committing to safety and health environment.


2016 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 183-190
Author(s):  
Dwi Urip Wardoyo

This study aims to determine the determination of the cost of production for products produced by PT. DWA. The Company is engaged in the manufacturing industry specialized in automotive components. Its activity is carried out through a series of production processes, so that expenses spent in the production will be calculated into the cost of the production sold. The population in this study were all manufacturing companies in Jakarta. Convenience sampling method selected one of the companies that get the confidence to assemble three national car project in Indonesia, namely Timor, Bakrie and Maleo. Test analysis used in this study is to test the calculation of full costing with job order costing. This study shows that (a) determination of the cost elements associated with the cost of production and (b) determining the cost of production on a product-based job costing with full costing approach. Keywords: cost of production, full costing


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