Fouad Achemchem

Introduction: The aim of this study was to assess the longitudinal effects of measurement time, concentrate supplementation, birth type, sex and geographic region on morphometric development in goats. Methods: The data consisted of 1,932 observations from 322 goats followed over six measurement occasions. Linear mixed models were used to analyze body weight (BW), chest circumference (CC), body length (BL), withers height (WH), total length (TL), neck length (NL), head length (HL), and head width (HW). Results: Measurement month had significant effects on all traits (p < 0.001), indicating pronounced time-related changes in body mass and conformation. No significant overall main effect of concentrate supplementation was found for any trait. However, the interaction between supplementation and month was significant for CC (p < 0.001), suggesting a time-dependent nutritional response in thoracic development. Birth type affected BW, CC, WH and TL and showed significant interactions with month for BW, WH, TL, NL, HL, and HW. Sex had a significant effect on CC, BL, WH, and TL, while sex × month interactions were observed for all eight traits, indicating age-dependent sexual dimorphism. Region had a significant main effect only on CC, whereas region × month interactions were found for BW and HL. Predicted trajectories also showed convergence between singleton-born and twin-born goats for BW and WH at later measurements, while males maintained greater predicted CC than females. Residual diagnostics suggested that prediction errors were largely centered around zero, although some traits showed departures from strict normality and homogeneity of variance. Discussion: Overall, time was the major factor affecting goat morphometric development, whereas the effects of concentrate supplementation, birth type, sex and geographic region were trait-specific and dependent on developmental stage. CC was especially informative as a field trait for monitoring growth because of its sensitivity to several biological and management factors.

Traditional camel meat products from the southern Moroccan Sahara may include indigenous lactic acid bacteria (LAB) with potential for biopreservation, however their antibacterial and safety properties are poorly investigated. The present work aims at isolation and characterization of LAB from fresh, fermented and dried-fermented camel meat, and identification of antibacterial strains. The total number of samples tested was 54. LAB were isolated on De Man, Rogosa and Sharpe (MRS) agar under anaerobic conditions at 30 °C for 24–48 h and characterized by Gram staining, catalase test, growth profiling and biochemical assays. Of 2,592 isolates collected, 69 (2.68%) demonstrated antibacterial activity against at least one pathogen tested by agar well diffusion against Salmonella Enteritidis, Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes. Selection of six isolates with inhibition zones of 15–35 mm. The most active was Latilactobacillus sakei MC1923 with zones of 30, 35 and 30 mm against S. respectively, Enteritidis, S. aureus, and L. monocytogenes. No hemolytic or gelatinase activity were observed in the selected isolates. The isolates were identified as Enterococcus faecium and Latilactobacillus sakei based on 16S rRNA sequencing. Traditional camel meat products are promising sources of LAB with antibacterial activity. Additional genomic safety evaluation and validation in food-matrix are required before their application as protective or starter cultures.

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) from traditional foods are a useful source of natural biopreservatives. This study isolated and characterized indigenous LAB from goat meat produced in the argan grove ecosystem of the Souss-Massa region, Morocco, to identify strains that could improve food safety and shelf life. LAB were isolated under anaerobic conditions and screened by Gram staining, catalase test, growth profiling, and biochemical assays. Proteolytic, gelatinase, and hemolytic activity were assessed, together with antimicrobial activity against foodborne pathogens by agar well diffusion. The most promising strains were identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The selected isolates belonged to Latilactobacillus and Enterococcus. Several isolates strongly inhibited Salmonella enterica, Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus, and none were hemolytic or gelatinase-positive. The sustained inhibition even after neutralization of pH suggested that the antimicrobial effects might be mediated by bacteriocin-like compounds or other non-acidic metabolites. In the strains tested, L. sakei MG4013 gave the best results because of its wide range of antimicrobial activity and absence of hemolytic, gelatinase, proteolytic and lipolytic activities. Goat meat from the Souss-Massa region therefore harbours LAB with biopreservative potential, with potential for use as natural preservatives in traditional meat products or as starter cultures in fermented foods. However, before being used as natural preservatives or starter cultures, they need to be further validated in food matrices.

Bifurcaria bifurcata R. Ross 1958 is a perennial brown seaweed belonging to the Sargassaceae family and represents an underexploited marine bioresource with promising applications in the sustainable food and pharmaceutical sectors. To support its sustainable valorization as an alternative to synthetic additives, this study provides a comprehensive evaluation of the chemical composition, bioactivity, and mineral profile of B. bifurcata to support its valorization. The essential oil, obtained by hydrodistillation and characterized by GC—MS, revealed a rich chemical profile comprising 51 compounds, of which 42 were identified, accounting for 95.37% of the total composition. The major constituents included 2′-hydroxy-4′,5′-dimethylacetophenone (13.11%), benzene, 1-ethyl-3,5-dimethyl- (9.79%), 1,5,9-cyclododecatriene, 1,5,9-trimethyl- (8.57%), and benzene, 1-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-4-methoxy- (8.52%). The essential oil exhibited moderate antioxidant activity under in vitro conditions, with a total antioxidant activity of 74.85 ± 2.78 mg E α-tocopherol/g and IC₅₀ values of 0.103 ± 0.004 (DPPH), 0.106 ± 0.002 (FRAP), and 2.672 ± 0.123 mg/mL (β-carotene bleaching assay). In addition, notable antibacterial activity was observed against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, and Listeria monocytogenes, with inhibition zones ranging from 10 to 12 mm. Mineral analysis of the seaweed powder highlighted its nutritional importance, with high levels of organic matter, proteins, and sugars, along with substantial concentrations of essential macroelements (K, Ca, Mg, and Na) and trace elements (Fe, Mn, and Zn). Overall, these findings demonstrate the potential of B. bifurcata as a sustainable marine resource for the development of natural antioxidants, antimicrobial agents, and mineral-rich ingredients, contributing to environmentally friendly food systems and green pharmaceutical applications.

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are valuable natural bio-preservatives due to their ability to produce antimicrobial compounds such as organic acids, hydrogen peroxide, and bacteriocins. This study aimed to isolate and characterize LAB from Moroccan camel meat and evaluate their antimicrobial potential against major foodborne pathogens. From 2304 isolates obtained from fresh, fermented, and dried camel meat, 115 exhibited antimicrobial activity against Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella enterica Enteritidis, and Staphylococcus aureus. Seven isolates demonstrated broad-spectrum activity with inhibition zones ranging from 15 to 30 mm. Physiological and biochemical tests, combined with API 20 Strep identification, revealed that most isolates belonged to Enterococcus faecium. These isolates are promising candidates for natural preservation of camel meat, offering a sustainable alternative to synthetic preservatives. These findings highlight the potential of camel-meat-associated lactic acid bacteria as natural, clean-label bio-preservatives, particularly in arid regions where camel meat serves as a vital protein source and limited cold-chain infrastructure increases the risk of spoilage.

The development of shelf-stable functional foods remains a key challenge in probiotic product formulation, particularly for non-dairy alternatives adapted to traditional diets. Amlou, a Moroccan spread made from argan oil, almonds, and honey or sugar, may serve as a promising plant-based probiotic carrier. This study evaluated the viability of three LAB strains, Lactobacillus gasseri (commercial), Latilactobacillus sakei AE126, and Enterococcus durans Y17, in seven Amlou formulations containing varying argan oil (5–10%) and sugar (0–10%) concentrations. Samples were stored at ambient temperature (25 °C) for 45 days. Viability, pH, and water activity were monitored periodically. Probiotic survival significantly depended on formulation (ANOVA, p < 0.05). Viability losses remained below 1 log CFU/g across all samples. The best results were observed in formulations containing 10% argan oil and either 0% or 5% sugar, depending on the probiotic strain, suggesting a synergistic protective effect of lipids and moderate carbohydrate levels. These findings indicate that Amlou could serve as a shelf-stable, culturally relevant carrier for probiotic delivery.

This study explores the biopreservative and antioxidant potential of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from low-sodium vegetable fermentations. Five vegetables, green pepper, tomato, eggplant, carrot, and cabbage, were fermented with varying NaCl concentrations (0–3%) for 45 days. Fifty-six presumptive LAB were isolated, and eight LAB strains exhibiting strong antimicrobial activity against Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus were selected for further analysis. The isolates showed significant tolerance to salinity (6.5–18% NaCl), alkaline pH (9.6), and heat stress (45 °C and 60 °C for 30 min). Antimicrobial assays against eight indicator pathogens confirmed a broad inhibition spectrum attributed to bacteriocin-like substances, while antioxidant assays indicated significant antioxidant activity (27–65%), with strain L10 showing the highest radical scavenging potential (p < 0.05). API 20 STREP profiling revealed three dominant taxa: Leuconostoc, Lactococcus lactis, and Enterococcus faecium. These findings highlight LAB as stress-tolerant, multifunctional strains with promising applications as natural biopreservatives and probiotic candidates for developing functional, low-sodium fermented foods.

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are increasingly recognized for their role in food biopreservation due to their ability to synthesize antimicrobial compounds. Milk naturally harbors a wide variety of LAB, offering a promising source for identifying strains with biopreservative potential. This study investigated the antagonistic effects, safety characteristics, and technological properties of LAB strains isolated from traditionally fermented milk. Thirty-two dairy samples were analyzed, and the resulting LAB isolates were screened for inhibitory activity against Listeria monocytogenes CECT 4032 and Staphylococcus aureus CECT 976 using agar spot and well diffusion assays. All tested strains exhibited strong antimicrobial effects, with particularly notable inhibition of L. monocytogenes. After phenotypic screening, five representative isolates were selected for molecular identification and further assessment of safety-related attributes, functional capabilities, auto- and co-aggregation properties. 16S rRNA gene sequencing revealed that four strains belonged to the genus Enterococcus, specifically, one E. faecium and three E. durans, while one was classified as a Lactococcus species. Moreover, none of the strains showed proteolytic or lipolytic activities which highlights their potential use in dairy fermentation processes.