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Uv-A Light: A Novel Method For Food Dehydration, Mckade S. Roberts

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Dehydration is one of the most prevalent forms of food preservation, with approximately 85% of food is hot air drying due to the simplicity of the process. The high temperatures employed in this method may also induce a loss in nutritional quality, which involves destruction of micronutrients (vitamins), and loss of color.

The aim of this work is to develop a low energy, non-thermal method of food dehydration that results in a high-quality product through the application of Ultraviolet light, within the UV-A range. UV light can be separated into its 3 categories based on the wavelength of light from …

Antimicrobial Assay Of Sagebrush Roots, Lauren Rachel (Moody) Mcfadden

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Plants produce secondary metabolites for various functions, one of which is antibacterial activities. Sagebrush has historically been used by Native Americans for different medicinal purposes, suggesting that it may have secondary metabolites that would have medicinal values, including antimicrobial activities, and can be a natural source for antibiotics. This study aims to carry out the antimicrobial activity of Sagebrush root extract against a handful of bacteria. We tested the antimicrobial activity of root extract of Sagebrush against six bacteria such as Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus cereus, E. coli DHSα (Lab cloning strain), Agrobacterium tumefaciens GV3101 (Lab cloning strain), Pseudomonas …

Characterization Of Lactose Esters For Their Antimicrobial And Emulsification Properties, Guneev Sandhu

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Sucrose esters have an established use in food industry as emulsifiers. Two novel lactose esters (lactose monodecanoate and lactose monomyristate) were synthesized and studied for their antimicrobial and emulsification properties. Lactose is a byproduct in cheese production and is an inexpensive carbohydrate source.

The antimicrobial activity of lactose monodecanoate (LMD) and lactose monomyristate (LMM) was tested against the growth of seven different bacteria. Both esters, when dissolved in dimethoxy sulfoxide (DMSO), proved bactericidal against Bacillus cereus, Mycobacteria KMS and Streptococcus suis. LMM/DMSO was bactericidal against B. cereus at concentrations between 1 and 3 mg/ml. LMM/DMSO was bactericidal against …

Antimicrobial Properties Of Syringopeptin 25a And Rhamnolipids, Prerak T. Desai

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The increasing bacterial resistance to available antibiotics requires the search for new antibacterial compounds to be broadened. This study investigated the antimicrobial properties of two secondary metabolites from fluorescent pseudomonads -- syringopeptin 25A, a lipodepsipeptide produced by Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae, and a rhamnolipid mixture produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The rate of antimicrobial action was determined by monitoring the rate of uptake of propidium iodide during exposure to the compounds. Inhibition was also confirmed by the microbroth dilution method to determine the MI Cs. Both the compounds inhibited growth of Gram-positive organisms, including Mycobacterium smegmatis, staphylococci, and …

The Morphological Effects Of Two Antimicrobial Peptides, Hecate-1 And Melittin, On Escherichia Coli, William G. Henk, William J. Todd, Frederick M. Enright, Pamela S. Mitchell

Scanning Microscopy

The effects of the 26 amino acid, cationic, amphipathic, antibacterial peptide melittin and hecate-1, a 23 amino acid analog of it, on the gram negative bacterium Escherichia coli were investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron micros-copy (TEM), and freeze-fracture. Both peptides killed virtually all bacteria at the peptide concentration and cell density used. TEM and SEM revealed aggregates of bacteria entangled with material extruded from the bacterial surfaces. SEM revealed irregular bacterial surfaces with bleb-like projections. TEM and freeze-fracture indicate that the bacterial inner and outer membranes, as well as the peptidoglycan layer between, were extensively damaged. The …