Journal of Food & Industrial Microbiology

The food industry needs a lot of well-trained professionals to produce healthier food products, improve manufacturing processes, and guarantee food safety and security as consumer demand for healthy and convenient food products grows. Graduates in food science and technology must be able to solve problems, think critically, and apply newly acquired knowledge in order for them to effectively address these requirements. Expository or confirmatory practical laboratories, in which the research questions and procedures are already established, are frequently used in undergraduate food science and technology courses. It is generally accepted that expository laboratory practicals provide students with opportunities to learn practical, hands-on skills, interpret data, reinforce theoretical concepts, draw conclusions, and pique their interest in the topic at hand. In light of today's industry 4.0, also known as the fourth industrial revolution, which is characterized by automation and big data, it is essential for students to develop and practice these skills.

In Israel, fungal and mycotoxin levels in wheat and maize silage were examined in a study at six animal feed facilities. The fumonisin mycotoxins FB1 and FB2 were found in each and every sample of maize silage examined. Intriguingly, there was no correlation found between the presence of the fungal species that might produce certain mycotoxins and the silages of wheat and maize. In laboratory-prepared maize silage, we conducted additional research into the effects of pomegranate peel extract (PPE) on Fusarium infection and fumonisin biosynthesis. PPE inhibited Fusarium proliferatum's biosynthesis of FB1 and FB2, resulting in a 90 percent decrease in fumonisin production in silage samples compared to untreated controls. Under PPE treatment, qRT-PCR analysis revealed that key genes involved in the fumonisin-biosynthesis pathway were down regulated, corroborating this finding. Our findings suggest promising new applications for natural compounds that have the potential to replace conventionally used synthetic chemicals and reduce fungal and mycotoxin contamination in agricultural foodstuffs.