Effect of Inulin on the Viability of L. plantarum during Storage and In Vitro Digestion and on Composition Parameters of Vegetable Fermented Juices

Exploring the potential of red pitaya pulp (Hylocererus sp.) as a plant-based matrix for probiotic delivery and effects on betacyanin content and flavoromics

This study evaluated the potential of red pitaya pulp fermented with Lacticaseibacillus paracasei subsp. paracasei F-19 (F-19) as a base for probiotic products. Physicochemical parameters, sugar, betacyanin, and phenolic contents, and antioxidant activity were analyzed over 28 days at 4 °C and compared to a non-fermented pulp, and to a pulp fermented with Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB-12 (BB-12). Volatile compounds were identified using HS-SPME/GC-MS. Probiotic viability during storage and survival through in vitro-simulated gastrointestinal tract (GIT) stress were assessed. Red pitaya pulp, rich in moisture (85.83 g/100 g), carbohydrates (11.65 g/100 g), and fibers (2.49 g/100 g), supported fermentation by both strains. F-19 and BB-12 lowered pH, with F-19 showing stronger acidification, and maintained high viability (8.85-8.90 log CFU/mL). Fermentation altered sugar profiles and produced unique volatile compounds, enhancing aroma and sensory attributes. F-19 generated 2-phenylethanol, a unique flavor compound, absent in BB-12. Phenolic content initially increased but antioxidant activity decreased during storage. Betacyanin remained stable for up to 14 days. Red pitaya improved F-19 viability through the simulated GIT, while BB-12 populations significantly decreased (p < 0.05). These results suggest red pitaya pulp is a promising plant-based matrix for F-19, offering protection during digestion and highlighting its potential as a functional food with enhanced bioactive compound bioavailability and sensory attributes.

Vegetable substrates as an alternative for the inclusion of lactic acid bacteria with probiotic potential in food matrices

Vegetable substrates are food matrices with micronutrients, antioxidants, and fiber content with a high potential for bioprocesses development. In addition, they have been recognized as essential sources of a wide range of phytochemicals that, individually or in combination, can act as bioactive compounds with potential benefits to health due to their antioxidant and antimicrobial activity and recently due to their status as prebiotics in the balance of the human intestinal microbiota. This systematic review explores the benefits of lactic fermentation of plant matrices such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, and cereals by bacteria with probiotic potential, guaranteeing cell viability (106-107 CFU/mL) and generating bioactive metabolic products for modulation of the gut microbiome.

Lactic acid bacteria viability in different refrigerated food matrices: a systematic review and Meta‑analysis

The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to determine which variables affect the viability of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) added to different types of refrigerated foods during the first 28 days. Scopus, ScienceDirect, PubMed and Cochrane Central Register of Reviews databases were searched from 1997 to April 2022. A total of 278 studies, which showed randomized and controlled experiments published in peer reviewed journals, were included. The viability of LAB in different moments during the storage process was synthesized as mean point estimate (MPE) via random-effects meta-analyses and the effect of multiple factors on the LAB´s viability was evaluated by multiple meta-regression. The meta-analysis showed that the decrease in LAB viability will be more abrupt the greater the initial dose. The physical structure of food may influence bacterial viability. Fruit was the type of product that most quickly lost viability. Co-culture of two or more species did not affect viability. Preservation methods had an unfavorable effect and prebiotics had a beneficial effect on bacterial viability. Viability was genus dependent. The data obtained in this study provide an overview of the factors to be taken into account for the design of new foods.

Optimizing the Fermentation Conditions of Cudrania tricuspidata Fruit Using Bacillus amyloliquefaciens for Anti-Inflammatory Activity and GC-MS-Based Volatile Component Characteristics

The aim of this study is to optimize the performance conditions used for maximum anti-inflammatory activity and to clarify in vitroanti-inflammatory properties of fermented C. tricuspidata fruit. Based on the single-factor experiment and Box-Behnken design, the optimized fermentation conditions of C. tricuspidata fruit for maximum anti-inflammatory activity were 3.8 d fermentation period, 8.4% (v/w) inoculation concentration, and 29.2°C fermentation temperature. Under optimal conditions, anti-inflammatory activity-based nitric oxide of fermented C. tricuspidata fruit reached 93.9%. Moreover, this study provides a theoretical basis and experimental data containing β-hexosaminidase and reactive oxygen species for the medical use and industrialization of C. tricuspidata fruit fermentation. Interestingly, the results of GC-MS analysis confirmed that fermented C. tricuspidata fruits detect volatile components different from unfermented C. tricuspidata fruits. We suggested that this volatile component may have been involved in the anti-inflammatory reaction, but scientific verification of this is needed later. Therefore, an in-depth study of volatile components detected from fermented C. tricuspidata fruits will need to be conducted later.

Viability of Probiotic Microorganisms and the Effect of Their Addition to Fruit and Vegetable Juices

Consumers' recent interest in healthier diets has increased the demand for food products with functional properties, such as probiotics. However, most probiotic food types available on the market are of dairy origin, which limits their consumption by individuals with food intolerances and by those who adhere to strict vegan and vegetarian diets. The aim of the current review is to assess both the limitations and impacts of the addition of probiotic microorganisms to fruit, vegetable, and/or mixed juices. Thus, an integrative literature review was herein carried out. A bibliographic survey was carried out in the following databases: Lilacs, Medline, Web of Science, Scopus, and Scielo. In addition, searches for studies published in English from 2010 to 2021 were carried out, based on the following meshes: "fruit", ''vegetable", ''juice", and "probiotics", which were used both in combination with each other and with Boolean operators such as "AND" and "OR". Although 254 articles were initially found in the literature search, only 21 of them were selected to compose the final sample. The included studies mainly addressed microorganism viability and physicochemical analyses. Overall, fruit and/or vegetable juices can be suitable matrices used to help the development of probiotic food types. However, the microorganisms added to these products must be capable of adapting to and surviving in them to enable a product's success. Therefore, factors such as pH, fiber content, amino acids, and phenolic compounds play an essential role in the survival of probiotic microorganisms. Given the wide variety of analyses, a comparison between parameters was the major limitation of the present study. Future studies should focus on filling the gaps persisting in the development of probiotic fruit and/or vegetable juices as well as mixed juices.

Biologically Active Supplements Affecting Producer Microorganisms in Food Biotechnology: A Review

Microorganisms, fermentation processes, and the resultant metabolic products are a key driving force in biotechnology and, in particular, in food biotechnology. The quantity and/or quality of final manufactured food products are directly related to the efficiency of the metabolic processes of producer microorganisms. Food BioTech companies are naturally interested in increasing the productivity of their biotechnological production lines. This could be achieved via either indirect or direct influence on the fundamental mechanisms governing biological processes occurring in microbial cells. This review considers an approach to improve the efficiency of producer microorganisms through the use of several types of substances or complexes affecting the metabolic processes of microbial producers that are of interest for food biotechnology, particularly fermented milk products. A classification of these supplements will be given, depending on their chemical nature (poly- and oligosaccharides; poly- and oligopeptides, individual amino acids; miscellaneous substances, including vitamins and other organic compounds, minerals, and multicomponent supplements), and the approved results of their application will be comprehensively surveyed.

Inulin addition improved probiotic survival in soy-based fermented beverage

Currently, the growing demand for non-dairy functional foods leads to the constant development of new products. The objective of the present work was to obtain a soy-based fermented beverage employing the strains Lactiplantibacillus plantarum CIDCA 8327 or Lacticaseibacillus paracasei BGP1 and to analyze the effect of post-fermentation addition of inulin of low or high average polymerization degree on the bacterial resistance. Also, the antimicrobial and antioxidant activity of the fermented soy-based beverages were analyzed. The soy-based matrix was shown to be a suitable substrate for the growth of both lactic acid bacteria, and the fermented beverages obtained presented bioactive properties such us antioxidant activity and bactericidal effect against pathogen microorganisms. The addition of inulin after the fermentation process avoid the hydrolysis and so, preserve its polymerization degree and thus the potential prebiotic effect. The incorporation of inulin to the soy-based fermented beverages increased the bacterial count after 30 days of refrigerated storage up to 8.71 ± 0.15 and 8.41 ± 0.10 log CFU/mL for L. paracasei and L. planatrum respectively. The resistance to the gastrointestinal conditions of the strain L. paracasei BGP1 in the fermented beverage was improved up to 70% when inulin of high polymerization degree was added. Meanwhile the strain L. plantarum CIDCA 8327 showed a survival of 97 and 94% in the fermented beverage added with inulin of low or high polymerization degree, respectively. These results contribute to the development of non-dairy products containing inulin and probiotics and the diversification agri-based functional foods.

Antimicrobial and Antibiofilm Effect of Inulin-Type Fructans, Used in Synbiotic Combination with Lactobacillus spp. Against Candida albicans

There is great interest in the search for new alternatives to antimicrobial drugs, and the use of prebiotics and probiotics is a promising approach to this problem. This study aimed to assess the effect of inulin-type fructans, used in synbiotic combinations with Lactobacillus paracasei or Lactobacillus plantarum, on the production of short-chain fatty acids and antimicrobial activity against Candida albicans. The inhibition assay using the L. paracasei and L. plantarum supernatants resulting from the metabolization of inulin-type fructans displayed growth inhibition and antibiofilm formation against C. albicans. Inhibition occurred at concentrations of 12.5, 25, and 50% of the L. paracasei supernatant and at a concentration of 50% of the L. plantarum supernatant. The analysis of short-chain fatty acids by gas chromatography showed that lactic acid was the dominating produced metabolite. However, acetic, propionic, and butyric acids were also detected in supernatants from both probiotics. Therefore, the synbiotic formulation of L. paracasei or L. plantarum in the presence of inulin-type fructans constitutes with anticandidal effect is a possible option to produce antifungal drugs or antimicrobial compounds.

The Extraction, Functionalities and Applications of Plant Polysaccharides in Fermented Foods: A Review

Plant polysaccharides, as prebiotics, fat substitutes, stabilizers, thickeners, gelling agents, thickeners and emulsifiers, have been immensely studied for improving the texture, taste and stability of fermented foods. However, their biological activities in fermented foods are not yet properly addressed in the literature. This review summarizes the classification, chemical structure, extraction and purification methods of plant polysaccharides, investigates their functionalities in fermented foods, especially the biological activities and health benefits. This review may provide references for the development of innovative fermented foods containing plant polysaccharides that are beneficial to health.

Controlled fermentation of curly kale juice with the use of autochthonous starter cultures

The aim of this paper was to evaluate the influence of different indigenous lactic acid bacteria isolates - as a single culture or bacterial consortium - on the functional and physicochemical properties of fermented curly kale juice. All tested variants exhibited good growth parameters, manifested by efficient pH lowering, increases in acidity, and fructose and glucose metabolism, as well as a significant inhibition of pathogens. A slight increase in total phenolic content was observed, while antioxidant activity remained unchanged. L. sakei and MIX A were associated with an increase in riboflavin and pyridoxine content, while L. plantarum only contributed to an increase in vitamin B₆ content. Bioconversion of individual phenolic compounds, carotenoids, and glucosinolates strongly depended on the strain-specific metabolism. In the process, the levels of ferulic acid and other hydroxycinnamic acids were maintained, while the content of 9-cis lutein increased. Considering presented results and our previous research regarding probiotic features of LAB strains, among tested starter cultures - L. plantarum seemed to possess the best characteristics as a potential starter culture for controlled fermentation of curly kale juice.

Aggrandizement of fermented cucumber through the action of autochthonous probiotic cum starter strains of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and Pediococcus pentosaceus

Purpose

Cucumber fermentation is traditionally done using lactic acid bacteria. The involvement of probiotic cultures in food fermentation guarantees enhanced organoleptic properties and protects food from spoilage.

Methods

Autochthonous lactic acid bacteria were isolated from spontaneously fermented cucumber and identified to species level. Only strains adjudged as safe for human consumption were examined for their technological and functional characteristics. Strain efficiency was based on maintaining high numbers of viable cells during simulated GIT conditions and fermentation, significant antioxidant activity, EPS production, nitrite degradation, and antimicrobial ability against Gram-positive and Gram-negative foodborne pathogens.

Result

Two strains, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum NPL 1258 and Pediococcus pentosaceus NPL 1264, showing a suite of promising functional and technological attributes, were selected as a mixed-species starter for carrying out a controlled lactic acid fermentations of a native cucumber variety. This consortium showed a faster lactic acid-based acidification with more viable cells, at 4% NaCl and 0.2% inulin (w/v) relative to its constituent strains when tested individually. Sensory evaluation rated the lactofermented cucumber acceptable based on texture, taste, aroma, and aftertaste.

Conclusion

The results suggest that the autochthonous LAB starter cultures can shorten the fermentation cycle and reduce pathogenic organism’ population, thus improving the shelf life and quality of fermented cucumber. The development of these new industrial starters would increase the competitiveness of production and open the country’s frontiers in the fermented vegetable market.

Barley-based probiotic food mixture: health effects and future prospects

Consumers around the globe are increasingly aware of the relation between nutrition and health. In this sense, food products that can improve gastrointestinal health such as probiotics, prebiotics and synbiotics are the most important segment within functional foods. Cereals are the potential substrates for probiotic products as they contain nutrients easily assimilated by probiotics and serve as the transporters of Lactobacilli through the severe conditions of gastrointestinal tract. Barley is one of the important substrates for the probiotic formulation because of its high phenolic compounds, β-glucans and tocols. The purpose of this review is to examine recent information regarding barley-based probiotic foods with a specific focus on the potential benefits of barley as a substrate for probiotic microorganisms in the development of dairy and nondairy based food products, and to study the effects of food matrices containing barley β-glucans on the growth and features of Lactobacillus strains after fermentation.

Probiotic red quinoa drinks for celiacs and lactose intolerant people: study of functional, physicochemical and probiotic properties during fermentation and gastrointestinal digestion

The consumption of probiotic foods is rather limited for many sectors of the population (vegans, lactose intolerant and celiacs). Therefore, it is necessary to offer functional alternatives for these sectors. Different red quinoa drinks were fermented with L. plantarum (QLPBB) and B. longum (QBLBB) at different times. Results showed that microbial concentration reached high levels (6-8 Log CFU/mL) after 6 h and probiotic viability was very high (6 Log CFU/mL) after gastrointestinal digestion (GD). However, QBLBB reached the best probiotic concentration at 24 h. From 6 h of fermentation, probiotic resistance to some antibiotics, especially B. longum, could have a great potential to restore the intestinal microbiota during and after treatment with certain antibiotics. QLPBB showed the highest levels of total polyphenols and antioxidant capacity (AOC) after GD. Therefore, these red quinoa drinks have potential as functional probiotic beverages for vegans, celiacs and allergic to milk protein and lactose-intolerant people.

Microencapsulation of Lactobacillus casei and Lactobacillus rhamnosus in pectin and pectin-inulin microgel particles: Effect on bacterial survival under storage conditions

The main objective of the research was to evaluate the performance of synbiotic delivery systems using pectin microgels on the protection of two probiotic strains (Lactobacillus casei ATCC 393 and Lactobacillus rhamnosus strain GG [ATCC 53103]) to simulated gastrointestinal digestion (GD) and storage conditions (4 ± 1 °C) in a 42 days trial. Microgel particles were prepared by ionotropic gelation method and three variables were evaluated: incubation time (24 and 48 h), free vs encapsulated cells, and presence or absence of prebiotic (commercial and Jerusalem artichoke inulin). Results demonstrated an encapsulation efficiency of 96 ± 4% into particles with a mean diameter between 56 and 118 μm. The viability of encapsulated cells after 42 days storage stayed above 7 log units, being encapsulated cells in pectin-inulin microgels more resistant to GD compared to non-encapsulated cells or without prebiotics. In all cases incubation time influenced the strains' survival.

Assessment of the bacterial diversity of agave sap concentrate, resistance to in vitro gastrointestinal conditions and short-chain fatty acids production

Low bacterial diversity in the gut has been associated with the development of several diseases. Agave sap concentrate (ASC) is obtained from the thermal treatment of the fresh sap called "aguamiel", an artisanal Mexican food. In this study, we assessed the microbial diversity from three different ASC producing regions in Mexico using high-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene and evaluated their resistance to an in vitro gastrointestinal process as well as their ability to produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFA). Seven phyla and 120 genera were detected in ASC samples; Firmicutes had the highest relative read abundance at the phylum level, whereas Bacillus was the most abundant genus. Bacterial diversity at phylum and genus levels was highly dependent on the region where ASC was produced. The microbiota from a selected sample was resistant to low pH conditions, bile salts and intestinal enzymes. Moreover, bacteria were able to survive and grow in the colonic environment. SCFA production was comparable with that observed for a well-known probiotic, Lactobacillus plantarum 299v, that was used as control. These findings demonstrate that ASC contains a bacterial ecosystem with potential probiotic benefits.

Non-Dairy Fermented Beverages as Potential Carriers to Ensure Probiotics, Prebiotics, and Bioactive Compounds Arrival to the Gut and Their Health Benefits

In alignment with Hippocrates' aphorisms "Let food be your medicine and medicine be your food" and "All diseases begin in the gut", recent studies have suggested that healthy diets should include fermented foods to temporally enhance live microorganisms in our gut. As a result, consumers are now demanding this type of food and fermented food has gained popularity. However, certain sectors of population, such as those allergic to milk proteins, lactose intolerant and strict vegetarians, cannot consume dairy products. Therefore, a need has arisen in order to offer consumers an alternative to fermented dairy products by exploring new non-dairy matrices as probiotics carriers. Accordingly, this review aims to explore the benefits of different fermented non-dairy beverages (legume, cereal, pseudocereal, fruit and vegetable), as potential carriers of bioactive compounds (generated during the fermentation process), prebiotics and different probiotic bacteria, providing protection to ensure that their viability is in the range of 106-107 CFU/mL at the consumption time, in order that they reach the intestine in high amounts and improve human health through modulation of the gut microbiome.

Inclusion of prebiotics on the viability of a commercial Lactobacillus casei subsp. rhamnosus culture in a tropical fruit beverage

The viability of probiotics in the development of functional tropical fruit beverages is a technological challenge that may benefit from the addition of prebiotics, due to the synergistic (synbiotic) interaction. This study evaluated the viability of a commercial probiotic (Lactobacillus casei) in a blended red fruit beverage (RFB; 20% strawberry, 10% blackberry and 5% papaya), enriched with three separate prebiotics: inulin (IN), fructooligosaccharides (FOS) and galactooligosaccharides, added at 1 and 5%. The consumer preference for the beverages was also examined. The inoculum was produced in MRS broth supplemented with 10% RFB, which reached the exponential phase (9.96 log CFU mL^-1) after incubation at 37 °C for 24 h. In search of the probiotic strain's adaptation and viability in the presence of the different prebiotics (measured by optical density, OD_{600 nm}), the prebiotics were added to MRS broth at 1 and 5%. Since 1% IN (OD = 3.99 ± 0.36) and 1% FOS (OD = 3.48 ± 0.28) were the most significant, these treatments, without inoculation of probiotics, were assessed by the sensory panel. Although neither RFB was significantly preferred the RFB with 1% IN received the greatest number of responses (n = 33/60). Its effect on the viability of L. casei inoculated in the RFB was monitored by the growth kinetics at 37 °C for 50 h. The findings indicated that fortification with 1% IN could have a possible protective effect on the stability of L. casei in RFBs, highlighting the use of tropical fruits as potential carriers of probiotics.

Milk fat protects Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis Bb-12 from in vitro gastrointestinal stress in potentially synbiotic table spreads

The viability and the in vitro gastrointestinal survival of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis Bb-12 (Bifidobacterium Bb-12) in table spreads with different proportions of milk fat (MF) and palm olein (PO) (MF : PO 40 : 60 and MF : PO 20 : 80) were investigated for up to 28 days of storage at 5 °C. Moreover, qPCR alone and combined with propidium monoazide (PMA) were compared with the traditional plate count method for determining the in vitro gastrointestinal survival of Bifidobacterium Bb-12 in table spreads after 35 days of storage. Formulations showed probiotic viabilities ranging from 8 to 9 log CFU g-1 across the whole storage period, and the milk fat and palm olein in different concentrations did not affect this viability. Bifidobacterium Bb-12 showed good survival after six hours under in vitro simulated gastrointestinal conditions during the studied storage period, with average reductions of 1.70 (MF : PO 40 : 60) and 2.16 log CFU g-1 (MF : PO 20 : 80). The results of the qPCR with PMA treatment and the plate count method were similar and the qPCR without PMA treatment was shown to overestimate the Bifidobacterium Bb-12 populations. However, the MF : PO 40 : 60 spread showed a Bb-12 population between 0.76 and 1.43 log CFU g-1 higher than that of MF : PO 20 : 80. Thus, the results showed that table spreads, especially food matrices with a higher proportion of milk fat, are suitable for the incorporation of Bifidobacterium Bb-12.