Browsing by Author "Benavides, Sergio"

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    Innovative Integration of Arrayan (Luma apiculata) Extracts in Chitosan Coating for Fresh Strawberry Preservation
    (MDPI, 2023) Benavides, Sergio; Franco, Wendy
    Strawberries are a rich source of vitamins and antioxidants, among other nutrients, but they are highly susceptible to mechanical injuries, dehydration, and microbial spoilage, and thus have a limited post-harvest shelf-life. Bioactive edible coatings have been studied to decrease or prevent these damages. In this study, ethanolic extracts of Arrayan (Luma apiculata), a traditional berry from the south of Chile, were used to enrich a chitosan-based edible film and coat fresh strawberries. A long-term storage (10 degrees C) study was conducted to determine the strawberries' weight loss, microbial stability, fruit firmness impact, and antioxidant activity. Later, a sensory panel was conducted to determine overall consumer acceptance. Our results show that the bioactive coating inhibited the growth of different pathogenic bacteria and spoilage yeast. In the stored strawberries, the weight loss was significantly lower when the bioactive coating was applied, and the samples' firmness did not change significantly over time. Microbial growth in the treated strawberries was also lower than in the control ones. As expected, the antioxidant activity in the coated strawberries was higher because of the Arrayan extract, which has high antioxidant activity. Regarding sensory qualities, the covered strawberries did not show significant differences from the uncoated samples, with an overall acceptance of 7.64 on a 9-point scale. To our knowledge, this is the first time an edible coating enriched with Arrayan extracts has been reported as able to prevent strawberries' decay and spoilage.
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    Screening and Selection of Native Lactic Acid Bacteria Isolated from Chilean Grapes
    (Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI), 2025) Vargas Luna, Carla; Godoy, Liliana; Benavides, Sergio; Ceppi de Lecco, Consuelo; Urtubia, Alejandra; Franco, Wendy
    © 2025 by the authors.The aim of this study was investigating the biological diversity of lactic acid bacteria isolated from Chilean grapes and identifying potential candidates for use as malolactic fermentation starter cultures. The isolated bacteria underwent a comprehensive six-stage screening process, which was mutually exclusive except for the evaluation of tyramine production and citric acid intake. This process included morphological, metabolic, fermentation yield, and resistance tests to identify promising malolactic strains. Morphological assessments led to the selection of 23 isolates, which were genetically identified as Levilactobacillus brevis (65% abundance) and Leuconostoc mesenteroides (35% abundance). Among these, eight strains exhibited low sugar metabolism rates, while three demonstrated competitive growth and malolactic activity in a synthetic medium containing 10% ethanol, outperforming a commercial strain. Low consumption was observed in the qualitative citric acid intake test, whereas a positive response was noted for tyramine production. At the conclusion of the sequential selection criteria, Levilactobacillus brevis BCV-46 exhibited the most favorable characteristics for potential use as a malolactic starter culture, successfully withstanding the combined stress factors of ethanol, pH, and SO2.
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    Thyme essential oil loaded microspheres for fish fungal infection: microstructure, in vitro dynamic release and antifungal activity
    (2021) Benavides, Sergio; Mariotti-Celis, Maria Salome; Paredes, Maria Jose Carolina; Parada, Javier A.; Franco, Wendy V.
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