A novel fermented soybean, inoculated with selected Bacillus, Lactobacillus and Hansenula strains, showed strong antioxidant and anti-fatigue potential activity

New Insight into Microbial Exploitation to Produce Bioactive Molecules from Agrifood and By-Products' Fermentation

Consumers are increasingly interested in a healthy lifestyle, and choosing foods and ingredients with proven human health benefits has become a current trend. Recently, scientific evidence has proven that the use of microorganisms in different food matrices appears to play a key role in the production of bioactive molecules with biological effects on human health. In particular, selected microorganisms with specific traits can be exploited for the production of specific molecules with high nutraceutical value that can be used in the food industry. This review aims to explore the most recent studies that correlate the use of microorganisms to produce high-value molecules through fermentation and synthetic biology, confirming their strategic role in obtaining nutraceuticals for human consumption with health-promoting effects.

Revealing the Characteristics and Correlations Among Microbial Communities, Functional Genes, and Vital Metabolites Through Metagenomics in Henan Mung Bean Sour

Henan mung bean sour (HMBS) is the raw material for mung bean sour noodles (MBSNs), a traditional fermented food. To investigate the characteristic flavor compounds, we have detected the content of free amino acids (FAAs) and key metabolites including organic acids, sugars, and alcohols. The results revealed that the content associated with umami, sweetness, and bitterness (TVA > 1) showed significant differences. Metagenomic analysis indicated that Lactobacillus delbrueckii was the dominant and characteristic species in WJ and LY15, whereas Bifidobacterium mongoliense, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, and Acetobacter indonesiensis were the dominant species in GY. The abundance of functional genes related to carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism was higher in WJ and LY15. There was a strong correlation between dominant genera and vital metabolites (r |>| 0.7). This study provides a theoretical foundation for the development of HMBS.

Anti-Fatigue Activity of Corn Protein Hydrolysate Fermented by Lactic Acid Bacteria

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to clarify the effect of lactic acid bacteria-fermented corn protein hydrolysate (FCH) on fatigue in mice and explore the connection between fatigue-related indicators and intestinal microbial flora.

METHODS

The fatigue model of mice was constructed by exercise endurance experiment. The anti-fatigue level of FCH was evaluated by measuring physiological and biochemical indexes in mouse serum, liver and skeletal muscle. The relationship between FCH, intestinal flora and fatigue was explored through the analysis of intestinal microbial diversity in mice, and the anti-fatigue mechanism of FCH was further analyzed.

RESULTS

The results showed that the weight-bearing swimming time of mice was prolonged by 1.96 times, and the running time of mice was prolonged by 2.63 times in the high-dose FCH (FCH-H) group. Moreover, the lactic acid contents in the blood were reduced by 16.00%, and lactate dehydrogenase activity and urea nitrogen contents basically returned to the normal level. Meanwhile, the malondialdehyde contents were reduced by 31.24%, and superoxide dismutase activity and glutathione contents were increased by 1.84 times and 1.72 times, respectively. In addition, the glycogen contents of the body were restored, and the muscle glycogen and liver glycogen were increased by 1.81 and 5.81 times, respectively. Analysis of intestinal microbial flora diversity in mice showed that the highest relative abundance was Lactobacillus, and the FCH group could recover and even increase its relative abundance. Lactobacillus was significantly positively correlated with muscle glycogen and SOD.

CONCLUSIONS

FCH can alleviate fatigue by regulating fatigue-related indicators and improving the intestinal microbial flora of the organism.

Anaerobic fermentation of soybean meal by Bacillus subtilis ED-3-7 and its effect on the intestinal microbial community of chicken

A strain named ED-3-7 with a high protease-producing ability was screened in a previous study. This strain can be used for the anaerobic fermentation of soybean meal (SBM) to degrade macromolecular antigen proteins and antinutritional factors. We here evaluated the nutritional quality of the anaerobic fermented SBM and its effects on the chicken intestinal microbial community. Crude protein and acid-soluble protein contents increased by 11.68% and 342.61%, glycinin and β-conglycinin decreased by 82.04% and 88.42%, urease content decreased by 90.10%, and the trypsin inhibitor content was lower than the range specified in the detection kit. After being fed with the fermented SBM, the average daily gain, nutrient digestibility of the chickens increased, and their intestinal bacterial community exhibited significant changes. The richness and diversity of bacterial species decreased, and Lactobacillus became the dominant genus, which was conducive to the health of chicken intestines. The experimental results revealed that ED-3-7 anaerobic fermentation improved the nutritional quality of SBM and had beneficial effects on chicken intestines. Thus, the strain could be used for large-scale industrial production.

Effects of enhanced fermentation with high-yielding strains of Tetramethylpyrazine on flavor quality of Douchiba

Douchiba (DCB) is a nutritious food rich in various functional components such as Tetramethylpyrazine (TTMP), and the strain fermentation is crucial for enhancing its quality. This work utilized Bacillus subtilis S2-2 and Hyphopichia burtonii S6-J1 with high TTMP production for fermentation of soybeans to optimize the pre-fermentation process and to evaluate the flavor quality of mature DCB. The concentration of TTMP in DCB fermented by mixed microbial (MG) was 2.95 times higher than that of of the control. Furthermore, the concentrations of taste substances, organic acids, free amino acids, and free fatty acids in MG were significantly increased. 87 flavor compounds were detected by gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry. The content of aldehydes, alcohols, esters, acids, and pyrazines flavor compounds was higher in MG, with esters and alcohols being notably higher than in other groups. Additionally, the highest comprehensive score of flavor quality was obtained in MG by principal component analysis.

Use of genomics & proteomics in studying lipase producing microorganisms & its application

In biotechnological applications, lipases are recognized as the most widely utilized and versatile enzymes, pivotal in biocatalytic processes, predominantly produced by various microbial species. Utilizing omics technology, natural sources can be meticulously screened to find microbial flora which are responsible for oil production. Lipases are versatile biocatalysts. They are used in a variety of bioconversion reactions and are receiving a lot of attention because of the quick development of enzyme technology and its usefulness in industrial operations. This article offers recent insights into microbial lipase sources, including fungi, bacteria, and yeast, alongside traditional and modern methods of purification such as precipitation, immunopurification and chromatographic separation. Additionally, it explores innovative methods like the reversed micellar system, aqueous two-phase system (ATPS), and aqueous two-phase flotation (ATPF). The article deals with the use of microbial lipases in a variety of sectors, including the food, textile, leather, cosmetics, paper, detergent, while also critically analyzing lipase-producing microbes. Moreover, it highlights the role of lipases in biosensors, biodiesel production, tea processing, bioremediation, and racemization. This review provides the concept of the use of omics technique in the mechanism of screening of microbial species those are capable of producing lipase and also find the potential applications.

Antioxidant capacities and non-volatile metabolites changes after solid-state fermentation of soybean using oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) mycelium

Given the abundance of beneficial properties and enzymes secreted by edible oyster mushrooms, their mycelium could serve as a starter for fermented foods to enhance their nutritional and bioactive quality. This study aimed to investigate the effects on the nutritional ingredients, antioxidant activity, and non-volatile metabolites during solid-state fermentation (SSF) of soybeans by Pleurotus ostreatus mycelium. The results indicated that the contents of dietary fiber and starch in fermented soybeans decreased, while the amounts of protein and lipid increased after SSF (P < 0.05). Analysis of the total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant activities of the fermented soybeans revealed that the methanolic extracts significantly increased TPC and antioxidant activities against intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages, as well as against DPPH and ABTS radicals in vitro. A total 154 differential metabolites were identified after SSF, and a Spearman correlation study revealed a direct relationship between antioxidant activities and certain metabolites including phenolic compounds, oligopeptides, and free fatty acids etc. Among these metabolites, phenolic compounds produced by the shikimic acid pathway were diverse in variety and had the greatest multiple differences. The study discovered that a potential mechanism involving SSF with P. ostreatus mycelium increased the antioxidant activity of soybeans.

Dietary oyster mushroom fermented Vachellia erioloba pods enhance Boschveld chicken meat healthiness without altering its physicochemical quality, growth performance and physiology

The high content of fibre and antinutritional phytochemicals limit the utilization of Vachellia erioloba tree pods as nutraceutical feed additive for indigenous chicken diets. The pods can however be solid-state fermented using oyster mushrooms to enhance the nutritional utility of their spent substrate for the nutrition of the native birds. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of dietary incorporation of V. erioloba pods oyster mushroom spent substrate (OMSS) on growth performance, carcass traits, visceral organs, haemato-biochemistry, and meat quality including its fatty acid composition in Boschveld chickens. In a completely randomized design, 250 4-week old mixed gender Boschveld chicks were randomly allotted to 25 pens in which they were offered treatment diets (0, 1.25, 2.5, 5 and 10% OMSS) each with 5 replicates of 10 for 12 weeks and then slaughtered. While there were neither linear nor quadratic effects of diet on overall feed intake (FI) (P > 0.05) and body weight gain (BWG) (P > 0.05), dietary incorporation of OMSS decreased overall feed conversion efficiency (FCE) (quadratic: P < 0.05) particularly in weeks 5 (linear: P < 0.05), 6 (quadratic: P < 0.01) and 11 (quadratic: P < 0.05) with no effects in subsequent weeks (P > 0.05). Also, OMSS induced no effects on all carcass characteristics, visceral organs, haemato-biochemistry and meat physico-chemical quality (P > 0.05) except for the increase in serum albumin (quadratic: P < 0.05) and bilirubin (quadratic: P < 0.05) as well as 24 h post-slaughter meat lightness (linear: P < 0.01), redness (quadratic: P < 0.05), yellowness (linear: P < 0.05), hue angle (quadratic: P < 0.05), and drip loss (quadratic: P < 0.05). Further, the spent substrate decreased meat myristic (linear: P < 0.01), palmitic (linear: P < 0.05), palmitoleic (linear: P < 0.01), and oleic (linear: P < 0.01) acids, as well as its total polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) (linear: P < 0.05), monounsaturated FAs (MUFAs) (quadratic: P < 0.01), and n-6 PUFAs (linear: P < 0.05). Furthermore, it decreased the meat n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio (quadratic: P < 0.01), with meat from birds fed diets incorporated with 2.5% OMSS eliciting the lowest ratio of 3.63. In contrast, dietary OMSS increased meat stearic (linear: P < 0.001), docosahexaenoic (quadratic: P < 0.01), and tricosanoic (linear: P < 0.001) acid concentrations as well as its total saturated FAs (SFAs) (linear: P < 0.01) and n-3 PUFAs (quadratic: P < 0.01). In conclusion, dietary feeding of V. erioloba pods-derived OMSS enhanced meat nutritional healthiness without majorly altering its physico-chemical quality as well as growth performance, carcass traits, and haemato-biochemistry in Boschveld indigenous chickens. It is recommended for inclusion in indigenous chicken diets at 2.5% level.

Bioremediation of Aflatoxin B1 by Meyerozyma guilliermondii AF01 in Peanut Meal via Solid-State Fermentation

The use of microorganisms to manage aflatoxin contamination is a gentle and effective approach. The aim of this study was to test the removal of AFB1 from AFB1-contaminated peanut meal by a strain of Meyerozyma guilliermondii AF01 screened by the authors and to optimize the conditions of the biocontrol. A regression model with the removal ratio of AFB1 as the response value was established by means of single-factor and response surface experiments. It was determined that the optimal conditions for the removal of AFB1 from peanut meal by AF01 were 75 h at 29 °C under the natural pH, with an inoculum of 5.5%; the removal ratio of AFB1 reached 69.31%. The results of simulating solid-state fermentation in production using shallow pans and fermentation bags showed that the removal ratio of AFB1 was 68.85% and 70.31% in the scaled-up experiments, respectively. This indicated that AF01 had strong adaptability to the environment with facultative anaerobic fermentation detoxification ability. The removal ratio of AFB1 showed a positive correlation with the growth of AF01, and there were no significant changes in the appearance and quality of the peanut meal after fermentation. This indicated that AF01 had the potential to be used in practical production.

Bao Yuan decoction alleviates fatigue by restraining inflammation and oxidative stress via the AMPK/CRY2/PER1 signaling pathway

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Baoyuan Decoction (BYD) was initially recorded in the classic of "Bo Ai Xin Jian" in the Ming dynasty. It is traditionally used for treating weakness and cowardice, and deficiency of vital energy. In researches related to anti-fatigue effects, the reciprocal regulation of AMPK and circadian clocks likely plays an important role in anti-fatigue mechanism, while it has not yet been revealed. Therefore, we elucidated the anti-fatigue mechanism of BYD through AMPK/CRY2/PER1 pathway.

AIM OF THE STUDY

To investigate the effect and mechanism of BYD in reducing fatigue, using pharmacodynamics, network pharmacology and transcriptomics through the AMPK/CRY2/PER1 signaling pathway.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Firstly, the chemical constituents of BYD were qualitatively identified by UHPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap/MS, establishing a comprehensive strategy with an in-house library, Xcalibur software and Pubchem combined. Secondly, a Na2SO3-induced fatigue model and 2,2'-Azobis (2-methylpropionamidine) dihydrochloride (AAPH)-induced oxidative stress model were developed to evaluate the anti-fatigue and anti-oxidant activities of BYD using AB zebrafish. The anti-inflammatory activity of BYD was evaluated using CuSO4-induced and tail cutting-induced Tg (lyz: dsRed) transgenic zebrafish inflammation models. Then, target screening was performed by Swiss ADME, GeneCards, OMIM and DrugBank databases, the network was constructed using Cytoscape 3.9.0. Transcriptome and network pharmacology technology were used to investigate the related signaling pathways and potential mechanisms after treatment with BYD, which were verified by real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR).

RESULTS

In total, 114 compounds from the water extract of BYD were identified as major compounds. Na₂SO₃-induced fatigue model and AAPH-induced oxidative stress model indicated that BYD has significant anti-fatigue and antioxidant effects. Meanwhile, BYD showed significant anti-inflammatory effects on CuSO4-induced and tail cutting-induced zebrafish inflammation models. The KEGG result of network pharmacology showed that the anti-fatigue function of BYD was mainly effected through AMPK signaling pathway. Besides, transcriptome analysis indicated that the circadian rhythm, AMPK and IL-17 signaling pathways were recommended as the main pathways related to the anti-fatigue effect of BYD. The RT-qPCR results showed that compared with a model control group, the treatment of BYD significantly elevated the expression mRNA of AMPK, CRY2 and PER1.

CONCLUSION

Herein, we identified 114 chemical constituents of BYD, performed zebrafish activity validation, while demonstrated that BYD can relieve fatigue by AMPK/CRY2/PER1 signaling pathway through network pharmacology and transcriptome.

Bioactive Compounds in Citrus reticulata Peel Are Potential Candidates for Alleviating Physical Fatigue through a Triad Approach of Network Pharmacology, Molecular Docking, and Molecular Dynamics Modeling

Physical fatigue (peripheral fatigue), which affects a considerable portion of the world population, is a decline in the ability of muscle fibers to contract effectively due to alterations in the regulatory processes of muscle action potentials. However, it lacks an efficacious therapeutic intervention. The present study explored bioactive compounds and the mechanism of action of Citrus reticulata peel (CR-P) in treating physical fatigue by utilizing network pharmacology (NP), molecular docking, and simulation-based molecular dynamics (MD). The bioactive ingredients of CR-P and prospective targets of CR-P and physical fatigue were obtained from various databases. A PPI network was generated by the STRING database, while the key overlapping targets were analyzed for enrichment by adopting KEGG and GO. The binding affinities of bioactive ingredients to the hub targets were determined by molecular docking. The results were further validated by MD simulation. Five bioactive compounds were screened, and 56 key overlapping targets were identified for CR-P and physical fatigue, whereas the hub targets with a greater degree in the PPI network were AKT1, TP53, STAT3, MTOR, KRAS, HRAS, JAK2, IL6, EGFR, and ESR1. The findings of the enrichment analysis indicated significant enrichment of the targets in three key signaling pathways, namely PI3K-AKT, MAPK, and JAK-STAT. The molecular docking and MD simulation results revealed that the bioactive compounds of CR-P exhibit a stronger affinity for interacting with the hub targets. The present work suggests that bioactive compounds of CR-P, specifically Hesperetin and Sitosterol, may ameliorate physical fatigue via the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway by targeting AKT1, KRAS, and MTOR proteins.

Monascus purpureus M-32 fermented soybean meal improves the growth, immunity parameters, intestinal morphology, disease resistance, intestinal microbiota and metabolome in Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei)

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of Monascus purpureus M-32 fermented soybean meal (MFSM) on growth, immunity, intestinal morphology, intestinal microbiota, and intestinal metabolome of Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei). Four groups of diets were formulated, including control group (30% fish meal and 30% soybean meal [SBM] included in the basal diet) and three experimental groups which MFSM replaced 20% (MFSM20), 40% (MFSM40), and 60% (MFSM60) of SBM in control group, respectively. Results showed that the soluble proteins larger than 49 kDa in MFSM were almost completely degraded. Meanwhile, the crude protein, acid-soluble protein, and amino acid in MFSM were increased. The results of shrimp culture experiment showed that the replacement of SBM with MFSM decreased FCR (P < 0.001) and content of malondialdehyde (P = 0.007) in the experimental groups, and increased weight gain rate (P = 0.006), specific growth rate (P = 0.002), survival rate (P = 0.005), intestinal villus height (P < 0.001), myenteric thickness (P = 0.002), the activities of superoxide dismutase (P = 0.002), and lysozyme (P = 0.006) in experimental groups, as well as increased content of calcium (Ca2+) and phosphorus (PO 4 3 - ) in blood and muscle, and enhanced resistance to Vibrio parahaemolyticus infection. The gut microbiota of MFSM groups was significantly different from that of the control group, and the abundance of Actinobacteria and Verrucomicrobia increased significantly in the MFSM60 group, whereas Proteobacteria and Firmicutes decreased. Compared with the control group, there were significant changes in the levels of several intestinal metabolites in the MFSM60 group, including leukotriene C5, prostaglandin A1, taurochenodeoxycholic acid, carnosine, and itaconic acid. The fermentation of SBM by the strain M. purpureus M-32 has the potential to enhance the nutritional quality of SBM, promote the growth of L. vannamei, boost immune response, improve intestinal morphology and microbiota composition, as well as influence intestinal metabolites.

Bacillus subtilis improves antioxidant capacity and optimizes inflammatory state in broilers

OBJECTIVE

Bacillus subtilis, a kind of probiotic with broad-spectrum antibacterial function, was commonly used in livestock and poultry production. Recent research suggested that Bacillus subtilis may have antioxidant properties and improve immune response. This study aimed to verify the probiotic function of Bacillus subtilis in the production of broiler chickens.

METHODS

A total of 324 (1-day-old) Arbor Acres broilers were selected and randomly divided into three groups: basal diet group (Ctr Group), basal diet + antibiotic growth promoter group (Ctr + AGP) and basal diet + 0.5% Bacillus subtilis preparation group (Ctr + Bac). The experiment lasted for 42 days. Muscle, serum and liver samples were collected at 42 days for determination.

RESULTS

The results showed that Bacillus subtilis could decrease malondialdehyde content in the serum and liver (p<0.05) and increase superoxide dismutase 1 mRNA expression (p<0.01) and total superoxide dismutase (p<0.05) in the liver. In addition, compared with AGP supplementation, Bacillus subtilis supplementation increased interleukin-10 (IL-10) and decreased tumor necrosis factor-α and IL-1β level in the serum (p<0.05). At 45 minutes after slaughter Ctr + Bac presented a higher a* value of breast muscle than Ctr Group (p<0.05), while significant change in leg muscle was not identified. Moreover, there was no difference in weight, shear force, cooking loss and drip loss of breast and leg muscle between treatments.

CONCLUSION

Our results demonstrate that Bacillus subtilis in diet can enhance antioxidant capacity and optimize immune response of broilers.

A review: Effects of microbial fermentation on the structure and bioactivity of polysaccharides in plant-based foods

Fermented plant-based foods that catering to consumers' diverse dietary preferences play an important role in promoting human health. Recent exploration of their nutritional value has sparked increasing interest in the structural and bioactive changes of polysaccharides during fermentation, the essential components of plant-based foods which have been extensively studied for their structures and functional properties. Based on the latest key findings, this review summarized the dominant fermented plant-based foods in the market, the involved microbes and plant polysaccharides, and the corresponding modification in polysaccharides structure. Further microbial utilization of these polysaccharides, influencing factors, and the potential contributions of altered structure to the functions of polysaccharides were collectively illustrated. Moreover, future research trend was proposed, focusing on the directional modification of polysaccharides and exploration of the mechanisms underlying structural changes and enhanced biological activity during fermentation.

A comparative study on the nutritional composition, protein structure and effects on gut microbiota of 5 fermented soybean products (FSPs)

In this study, we conducted an analysis of the differences in nutrient composition and protein structure among various fermented soybean products and their impacts on the gut microbiota of rats. Conventional physicochemical analysis was employed to analyze the fundamental physicochemical composition of the samples. Additionally, we utilized high-performance liquid chromatography and ELISA techniques to quantify the presence of antinutritional compounds. Fourier infrared spectroscopy was applied to delineate the protein structure, while 16 s rRNA gene sequencing was conducted to evaluate alterations in gut microbiota abundance. Subsequently, KEGG was utilized for metabolic pathway analysis. Our findings revealed that fermented soybean products improved the nutritional profile of soybeans. Notably, Douchi exhibited the highest protein content at 52.18 g/100 g, denoting a 26.58 % increase, whereas natto showed a 24.98 % increase. Douchi and natto demonstrated the most substantial relative amino acid content, comprising 50.86 % and 49.04 % of the total samples, respectively. Moreover, the levels of antinutritional factors markedly decreased post-fermentation. Specifically, the α-helix content in doujiang decreased by 13.87 %, while the random coil content in soybean yogurt surged by 132.39 %. Rats that were fed FSP showcased notable enhancements in gut microbiota and associated metabolic pathways. A strong correlation was observed between nutrient composition, protein structure, and gut microbiota abundance. This study furnishes empirical evidence supporting the heightened nutritional attributes of FSPs.

Studying Antifatigue Mechanism of Tyr-Pro-Leu-Pro in Exercise Mice Using Label-Free Proteomics

In our previous study, yeast-derived peptide Tyr-Pro-Leu-Pro (YPLP) was found to prolong treadmill time and relieve muscle fatigue in ICR mice. The present study aimed to further investigate the antifatigue mechanism of YPLP. Three doses of YPLP (10, 25, and 50 mg/kg·d) were given to exercise mice for 4 weeks. Results showed that YPLP reduced the oxidative response via the nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) pathway and promoted energy metabolism through the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathway. Label-free proteomics results showed that 81 differential abundance proteins (DAPs) were regulated by high-dose YPLP. These DAPs belonged to proteasome, mitochondrial, and muscle proteins. YPLP was mainly involved in proteasome, aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis, focal adhesion, and MAPK signal pathways to enhance muscle endurance. Furthermore, real-time quantitative PCR and Western blotting results proved that YPLP upregulated Psmd14 expression and downregulated p38 MAPK expression. Overall, this study revealed the mechanism behind YPLP to alleviate exercise fatigue.

Integrated microbiota and multi-omics analysis reveal the differential responses of earthworm to conventional and biodegradable microplastics in soil under biogas slurry irrigation

As one of the promising alternatives of conventional plastic mulching film (C-PMF), biodegradable plastic mulching films (B-PMF) were employed in agronomy production to alleviate the environmental burden of C-PMF. However, information regarding the potential toxicity effects of biodegradable microplastics (MPs) in soil still in scarcity, and the available findings were found to be controversial. Additionally, little is known about the molecular toxicity effects of conventional and biodegradable MPs on terrestrial organisms. Thus, 5 % (w/w) biodegradable (polylactic acid, PLA) and conventional (polyvinylchloride, PVC; low-density polyvinylchloride, LDPE) MPs were employed to assess the toxicity effects on Eisenia fetida in agricultural soil with biogas slurry irrigation. In the present study, transcriptomic, metabolomic profiles and individual indexes were selected to reveal the toxicity mechanisms from molecular level to the individual response. Furthermore, dysbiosis of bacterial community in gut was also investigated for obtaining comprehensive knowledge on the MPs toxicity. At the end of the exposure, the number of survival earthworms after MPs exposure was significantly reduced. Compared with the initial body weight, PLA and LDPE increased the biomass of earthworms after MPs exposure, while no significant influence on the biomass was observed in PVC treatment. Microbacterium, Klebsiella and Chryseobacterium were significantly enriched in earthworm gut after PLA, PVC and LDPE exposure, respectively (p < 0.05). Transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis revealed that PLA exposure induced neurotransmission disorder and high energetic expenditure in earthworms. However, PVC and LDPE inhibited the nutrient absorption efficiency and activated the innate immunity responses of earthworms. The PLS-SEM results showed that the effects of MPs were dominated by the polymer types, and hence, significantly and directly influence the gut bacterial community of earthworms. This study provides a better understanding of the similarities and discrepancies in toxicity effects of biodegradable and conventional MPs from the perspectives of individual, gut bacterial community, transcriptome and metabolome.

Effects of lactic acid bacteria on antioxidant activity in vitro and aroma component of Eucommia ulmoides tea

Eucommia ulmoides tea is a popular functional health drink in Asian countries, but its unique herbal aroma is difficult for consumers to accept. The effects of four lactic acid bacteria strains (Lactobacillus plantarium, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Lactobacillus acidophilus and Streptococcus thermophilus) fermentation on the physicochemical property, antioxidant activity in vitro and aroma component of E. ulmoides leaves were studied. Within the four strains, the sample by L. bulgaricus fermentation showed the higher concentrations of chlorogenic acid, geniposidic acid and stronger antioxidant activity in vitro. Moreover, the sample by L. bulgaricus fermentation produced a stronger fruity and floral flavor. These results suggested that L. bulgaricus was the best strain for fermentation E. ulmoides tea. The differences between different strains should be considered when selecting lactic acid bacteria for raw material fermentation of fruits and vegetables.

Nutritional and functional insight into novel probiotic lycopene-soy milk by genome edited Bacillus subtilis

Nutritional and functional soy-based milk gains growing attention globally in food industry. However, its poor sensorial attributes, single flavor, and limited substance variety become critical issues in displaying balanced nutrition and multifunction for health. Herein, a novel probiotic lycopene-soy milk was developed by genome edited Bacillus subtilis harboring lycopene biosynthesis cassette with efficient lycopene production of 25.73 ± 1.57 mg/g DCW. Further investigation displayed desirable pH, reducing sugar, protein, total phenolic content and isoflavone for achieved milk than conventional soy milk, implying it with well-balanced nutritional quality. Notably, achieved milk exhibited stronger antioxidant capacity and higher isoflavone bioavailability for functionality. Moreover, it possessed significantly high scores for taste, appearance, and overall acceptability, suggesting its excellent sensorial attributes. To our delight, it is the first time to fortify soy-milk with probiotic and lycopene by genome edited B. subtilis to explore additive effect on improving nutritional value and functionality for food application.

From microbes to molecules: a review of microbial-driven antioxidant peptide generation

Oxidative stress, arising from excess reactive oxygen species (ROS) or insufficient antioxidant defenses, can damage cellular components, such as lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids, resulting in cellular dysfunction. The relationship between oxidative stress and various health disorders has prompted investigations into potent antioxidants that counteract ROS's detrimental impacts. In this context, antioxidant peptides, composed of two to twenty amino acids, have emerged as a unique group of antioxidants and have found applications in food, nutraceuticals, and pharmaceuticals. Antioxidant peptides are sourced from natural ingredients, mainly proteins derived from foods like milk, eggs, meat, fish, and plants. These peptides can be freed from their precursor proteins through enzymatic hydrolysis, fermentation, or gastrointestinal digestion. Previously published studies focused on the origin and production methods of antioxidant peptides, describing their structure-activity relationship and the mechanisms of food-derived antioxidant peptides. Yet, the role of microorganisms hasn't been sufficiently explored, even though the production of antioxidant peptides frequently employs a variety of microorganisms, such as bacteria, fungi, and yeasts, which are recognized for producing specific proteases. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of microorganisms and their proteases participating in enzymatic hydrolysis and microbial fermentation to produce antioxidant peptides. This review also covers endogenous peptides originating from microorganisms. The information obtained from this review might guide the discovery of novel organisms adept at generating antioxidant peptides.

Increased Expression Levels of Thermophilic Serine Protease TTHA0724 through Signal Peptide Screening in Bacillus subtilis and Applications of the Enzyme

The thermostable protease TTHA0724 derived from Thermus thermophilus HB8 is an ideal industrial washing enzyme due to its thermophilic characteristics; although it can be expressed in Escherichia coli via pET-22b, high yields are difficult to achieve, leading to frequent autolysis of the host. This paper details the development of a signal peptide library in the expression system of B. subtilis and the optimization of signal peptides for enhanced extracellular expression of TTHA0724. When B. subtilis was used as the host and the optimized signal peptide was used, the expression level of TTHA0724 was 16.7 times higher compared with E. coli. B. subtilis as an expression host does not change the characteristics of TTHA0724. The potential application fields of TTHA0724 are studied. TTHA0724 can be used as a detergent additive at 60 °C, which can sterilize and eliminate mites while thoroughly cleaning protein stains. Soybean meal enzymatic hydrolysis with TTHA0724 at a high temperature produced a higher content of antioxidant peptides. These results indicate that TTHA0724 has great potential for industrial applications.

Significance of Fermentation in Plant-Based Meat Analogs: A Critical Review of Nutrition, and Safety-Related Aspects

Plant-based meat analogs have been shown to cause less harm for both human health and the environment compared to real meat, especially processed meat. However, the intense pressure to enhance the sensory qualities of plant-based meat alternatives has caused their nutritional and safety aspects to be overlooked. This paper reviews our current understanding of the nutrition and safety behind plant-based meat alternatives, proposing fermentation as a potential way of overcoming limitations in these aspects. Plant protein blends, fortification, and preservatives have been the main methods for enhancing the nutritional content and stability of plant-based meat alternatives, but concerns that include safety, nutrient deficiencies, low digestibility, high allergenicity, and high costs have been raised in their use. Fermentation with microorganisms such as Bacillus subtilis, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, Neurospora intermedia, and Rhizopus oryzae improves digestibility and reduces allergenicity and antinutritive factors more effectively. At the same time, microbial metabolites can boost the final product's safety, nutrition, and sensory quality, although some concerns regarding their toxicity remain. Designing a single starter culture or microbial consortium for plant-based meat alternatives can be a novel solution for advancing the health benefits of the final product while still fulfilling the demands of an expanding and sustainable economy.

Non-gene-editing microbiome engineering of spontaneous food fermentation microbiota-Limitation control, design control, and integration

Non-gene-editing microbiome engineering (NgeME) is the rational design and control of natural microbial consortia to perform desired functions. Traditional NgeME approaches use selected environmental variables to force natural microbial consortia to perform the desired functions. Spontaneous food fermentation, the oldest kind of traditional NgeME, transforms foods into various fermented products using natural microbial networks. In traditional NgeME, spontaneous food fermentation microbiotas (SFFMs) are typically formed and controlled manually by the establishment of limiting factors in small batches with little mechanization. However, limitation control generally leads to trade-offs between efficiency and the quality of fermentation. Modern NgeME approaches based on synthetic microbial ecology have been developed using designed microbial communities to explore assembly mechanisms and target functional enhancement of SFFMs. This has greatly improved our understanding of microbiota control, but such approaches still have shortcomings compared to traditional NgeME. Here, we comprehensively describe research on mechanisms and control strategies for SFFMs based on traditional and modern NgeME. We discuss the ecological and engineering principles of the two approaches to enhance the understanding of how best to control SFFM. We also review recent applied and theoretical research on modern NgeME and propose an integrated in vitro synthetic microbiota model to bridge gaps between limitation control and design control for SFFM.

The Recent Advances in the Utility of Microbial Lipases: A Review

Lipases are versatile biocatalysts and are used in different bioconversion reactions. Microbial lipases are currently attracting a great amount of attention due to the rapid advancement of enzyme technology and its practical application in a variety of industrial processes. The current review provides updated information on the different sources of microbial lipases, such as fungi, bacteria, and yeast, their classical and modern purification techniques, including precipitation and chromatographic separation, the immunopurification technique, the reversed micellar system, aqueous two-phase system (ATPS), aqueous two-phase flotation (ATPF), and the use of microbial lipases in different industries, e.g., the food, textile, leather, cosmetics, paper, and detergent industries. Furthermore, the article provides a critical analysis of lipase-producing microbes, distinguished from the previously published reviews, and illustrates the use of lipases in biosensors, biodiesel production, and tea processing, and their role in bioremediation and racemization.

Bioactive protein hydrolysates obtained from amaranth by fermentation with lactic acid bacteria and Bacillus species

Protein hydrolysates are a promising source of bioactive peptides. One strategy by which they can be obtained is fermentation. This method uses the proteolytic system of microorganisms to hydrolyze the parental protein. Fermentation is a little-explored method for obtaining protein hydrolysates from amaranth. Different strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and Bacillus species isolated from goat milk, broccoli, aguamiel, and amaranth flour were used in this work. First, the total protein degradation (%TPD) of amaranth demonstrated by the strains was determined. The results ranged from 0 to 95.95%, the strains that produced a higher %TPD were selected. These strains were identified by molecular biology and were found to correspond to the genera Enterococcus, Lactobacillus, Bacillus, and Leuconostoc. Fermentation was carried out with amaranth flour and the selected strains. After this process, water/salt extracts (WSE) containing the released protein hydrolysates were obtained from amaranth doughs. The peptide concentration was measured by the OPA method. The antioxidant, antihypertensive and antimicrobial activity of the WSE was evaluated. In the FRAP test, the best WSE was LR9 with a concentration of 1.99 μMTE/L ± 0.07. In ABTS, 18C6 obtained the highest concentration with 19.18 μMTE/L ± 0.96. In the DPPH test, there was no significant difference. In terms of antihypertensive activity, inhibition percentages ranging from 0 to 80.65% were obtained. Some WSE were found to have antimicrobial properties against Salmonella enterica and Listeria monocytogenes. Fermentation of amaranth with LAB and Bacillus spp. allowed the release of protein hydrolysates with antioxidant, antihypertensive, and antimicrobial activity.

Bacillus subtilis K-C3 as Potential Starter to Improve Nutritional Components and Quality of Shrimp Paste and Corresponding Changes during Storage at Two Alternative Temperatures

This study aimed to evaluate Bacillus subtilis K-C3 as a potential starter to improve shrimp paste quality, particularly in terms of nutritional profiles. The quality/characteristic changes of shrimp paste with and without inoculation during storage for 18 months when stored at low (4 °C) and room (28 °C) temperature were also investigated. The results found that this B. strain increased essential amino acids (EAAs) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), as well as antioxidant properties including 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging activities, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and metal chelating activity in the experimental shrimp paste compared to traditional shrimp paste (p < 0.05). The faster development of some characteristics of inoculated samples were also noted, as indicated by the higher total viable count (TVC), formal and amino nitrogen content, pH, and browning index, as well as biogenic amines, indicating different quality which may be further responsible for different product acceptability. The changes in quality/characteristics of shrimp paste were observed throughout the 18 months of storage. Shrimp paste stored at room temperature accelerated those changes faster than samples stored at low temperature (p < 0.05); however, the quality of them still meets the product’s standard even storage for 18 months. Meanwhile, shrimp paste stored at a low temperature had an amount of yeast and mold over the limitation (>3.00 log CFU/g), indicating food spoilage. Thus, storage at room temperature can extend this product’s shelf-life better than storage at low temperature. Overall, inoculation with B. subtilis K-C3, in conjunction with storage at room temperature, resulted in quality improvement and maintenance in shrimp paste, particularly in the aspects of nutritional profiles and safety concern, as the shrimp paste should have a shelf-life of at least 18 months.

Evaluation of Non-Fermented and Fermented Chinese Chive Juice as an Alternative to Antibiotic Growth Promoters of Broilers

The present study explores the application of CC juice as a suitable feed additive and alternative to conventional antibiotics. We performed a comparative study to investigate the effects of non-fermented and fermented CC juice on broiler productivity, meat quality, blood characteristics, intestinal characteristics, and microbiota associated with intestinal characteristics. A total of 800 one-day-old Ross 308 broiler chickens were randomly assigned to one of the four dietary treatment groups: (1) basal diet (negative control; NC); (2) basal diet + 0.01% enramycin (positive control; PC); (3) basal diet + 3% non-fermented CC juice (NCC; CC juice 10%, water 90%); and (4) basal diet + 3% fermented CC juice (FCC; CC juice 10%, water 90%, Lactobacillus plantarum SK4719). Feed and water were provided ad libitum. Intriguingly, all treatments showed similar results in terms of broiler productivity and chicken meat quality. Considering organ characteristics, the FCC group showed a low spleen weight and lower (p < 0.05) blood levels of AST and total cholesterol (TCHO). Regarding intestinal characteristics, the CC feed additive (NCC and FCC) resulted in a heavier intestinal weight (p < 0.05) without affecting the length ratio of the villi or the crypt compared to the control (NC or PC). NCC and FCC lowered the growth of intestinal pathogens (p < 0.01). In summary, the addition of FCC can maintain poultry health by improving blood compositions and inhibiting the growth of intestinal pathogens, leading to a productivity comparable to that of poultry treated with growth-promoting antibiotics.

Food for healthier aging: power on your plate

Inflammageing is a persistent low-level inflammatory burden that accompanies age-related dysregulation of the immune system during normative aging and within the diseasome of aging. A healthy diet containing a balanced amount of macronutrients, vitamins and minerals, adequate in calories and rich in poly(phenols), has an essential role in mitigating the effects of inflammageing and extending healthspan through modulation of the activity of a range of factors. These include transcription factors, such as nuclear factor erythroid-derived 2 related factor 2 (Nrf2) and nuclear factor-κB (NF-kB), the inflammasome and the activities of the gut microbiota. The aim of this narrative review is to discuss the potential of food to ameliorate the effects of the diseasome of aging.

Fermented Soy Products and Their Potential Health Benefits: A Review

In the growing search for therapeutic strategies, there is an interest in foods containing natural antioxidants and other bioactive compounds capable of preventing or reversing pathogenic processes associated with metabolic disease. Fermentation has been used as a potent way of improving the properties of soybean and their components. Microbial metabolism is responsible for producing the β-glucosidase enzyme that converts glycosidic isoflavones into aglycones with higher biological activity in fermented soy products, in addition to several end-metabolites associated with human health development, including peptides, phenolic acids, fatty acids, vitamins, flavonoids, minerals, and organic acids. Thus, several products have emerged from soybean fermentation by fungi, bacteria, or a combination of both. This review covers the key biological characteristics of soy and fermented soy products, including natto, miso, tofu, douchi, sufu, cheonggukjang, doenjang, kanjang, meju, tempeh, thua-nao, kinema, hawaijar, and tungrymbai. The inclusion of these foods in the diet has been associated with the reduction of chronic diseases, with potential anticancer, anti-obesity, antidiabetic, anticholesterol, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective effects. These biological activities and the recently studied potential of fermented soybean molecules against SARS-CoV-2 are discussed. Finally, a patent landscape is presented to provide the state-of-the-art of the transfer of knowledge from the scientific sphere to the industrial application.

Spore Powder of Paecilomyces hepiali Shapes Gut Microbiota to Relieve Exercise-Induced Fatigue in Mice

Paecilomyces hepiali, a fungal strain isolated from natural Ophiocordyceps sinensis, contains similar pharmacologically active components, has been used widely as a substitute of O. sinensis in functional food and medicine. However, the components and anti-fatigue effects of P.hepiali spores and their mechanisms of action are largely unknown. Here, we compared the chemical composition in P.hepiali spore (HPS) and mycelium (HPM) by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry analysis. We found 85 metabolites with significant differences, and HPS contains more L-Malic acid, Oxalacetic acid, Fructose-1,6-bisphosphate, and L-Arginine than HPM. Then we evaluated their anti-fatigue effects and regulatory effects on the gut microbiota in mice. The forced swimming time (SW) was only significantly increased in HPS groups: the high and low dose of the HPS group was 101% and 72% longer than the control group, respectively. Both HPS and HPM treatment decreased lactic acid, blood urea nitrogen, creatine kinase while increased lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels in the blood. Moreover, mice treated with HPS and HPM showed less skeletal muscle fiber spacing and breakage. The relative abundance of Alistips, Eubacterium, Bacterium, Parasutterella, and Olsenella in the gut microbiota of the HPS group was higher than that in the HPM group through 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis. These changes may be related to the regulation of nucleotide, amino acid, and carbohydrate metabolism. Correlation analysis between the gut microbiota and fatigue-related indicators suggested that Alistips, Clostridium, Akkermansia, Olsenella, and Lactobacillus were positively correlated with the SW and LDH content. Our findings demonstrated that HPS has beneficial anti-fatigue effects by regulating gut microbiota.

A Novel Fermented Rapeseed Meal, Inoculated with Selected Protease-Assisting Screened B. subtilis YY-4 and L. plantarum 6026, Showed High Availability and Strong Antioxidant and Immunomodulation Potential Capacity

A study was conducted to investigate the yield of small peptides from rapeseed meal (RSM) by solid-state fermentation (SSF) with acid-protease-assisting B. subtilis YY-4 and L. plantarum CICC6026 (FRSMP). This study explored the availability, antioxidant capacity and immunomodulation activity. The objective of this study was to develop a novel functional food ingredient to contribute to health improvement. The results showed that the concentrations of soluble peptides and free amino acids significantly increased after fermentation (p < 0.001), and the concentration of small molecular peptides (molecular weight < 1 KDa) significantly increased (p < 0.001). The dense surface microstructure of the RSM after fermentation was changed to be loose and porous. The FRSMP exhibited high availability and high antioxidant activity, and it displayed high immunomodulation activity. The novel fermentation was effective for improving the nutritional and biological properties, which provided a feasible method of enhancing the added value.

Fermented food: Should patients with cardiometabolic diseases go back to an early neolithic diet?

Fermentation has been used since the Early Neolithic period to preserve foods. It has inherent organoleptic and nutritive properties that bestow health benefits, including reducing inflammation and oxidative stress, supporting the growth of salutogenic microbiota, enhancing intestinal mucosal protection and promoting beneficial immunometabolic health effects. The fermentation of food with specific microbiota increases the production salutogenic bioactive compounds that can activate Nrf2 mediated cytoprotective responses and mitigate the effects of the 'diseasome of aging' and its associated inflammageing, which presents as a prominent feature of obesity, type-2 diabetes, cardiovascular and chronic kidney disease. This review discusses the importance of fermented food in improving health span, with special reference to cardiometabolic diseases.

Conventional and in silico approaches to select promising food-derived bioactive peptides: A review

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Seaweed and edible insects are considered new sources of bioactive peptides.

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Conventional approaches are necessary to validate the bioactivity of peptides.

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Bioinformatics tools accelerate the obtaining of bioactive peptides.

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The integrated approach is a promising strategy to obtain bioactive peptides.

The interest for food-derived bioactive peptides, either from common or unconventional sources, has increased due to their potential therapeutic effect against a wide range of diseases. The study of such bioactive peptides using conventional methods is a long journey, expensive and time-consuming. Hence, bioinformatic approaches, which can not only help to predict the formation of bioactive peptides from any known protein source, but also to analyze the protein structure/function relationship, have gained a new meaning in this scientific field. Therefore, this review aims to provides an overview of conventional characterization methods and the most recent advances in the field of in silico approaches for predicting and screening promising food-derived bioactive peptides.

Novel green soybean shuidouchi fermented by Bacillus velezensis with multibioactivities

Soybeans are usually fermented by Bacillus subtilis to produce shuidouchi, which is a traditional fermentation soybean product in China. In the study, green soybeans were fermented by Bacillus velezensis to make a novel green soybean shuidouchi with multibioactivities. The processing conditions were optimized as follows: initial moisture content 75%, inoculum concentration 7 log CFU/g, and incubation time 24 h for prefermentation; water addition 50%, salt addition 6%, temperature 45°C, 3 days for postfermentation. The fermented green soybean shuidouchi (FGSS) showed 234.8 FU/g dry weight (DW) for the fibrinolytic activity and IC50 of 0.33 mg/ml for the anticoagulant activity. FGSS had higher contents of chemical components including 3.6 mg rutin (RE)/g DW of total flavonoids, 8.2 mg gallic acid (GAE)/g DW of total phenolics, 63.7 mg/g DW of reducing sugars, and 163.8 mg/g DW of peptides than the unfermented green soybean shuidouchi (UGSS). Moreover, it exhibited high antioxidant activities of 29.8, 85.1 μmol trolox equivalent (TE)/g DW, and 12.8 μmol Fe2+/g DW through 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS), and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) experiments. Thus, a novel green soybean shuidouchi fermented by B. velezensis owing to multibioactivities can provide a theoretical basis for the further development of functional shuidouchi.

Chemical properties and anti-fatigue effect of polysaccharide from Pholiota nameko

The aim of this study was to explore the primary chemical properties and anti-fatigue effect in vivo of Pholiota nameko polysaccharide (PNP). Through UV-visible spectrum, the absorption peaks of proteins, nucleic acids and pigments were not found. The organic functional groups of polysaccharides (3,289.97, 1,584.72, and 1,045.23 cm^-1 so on) were measured by IR spectroscopy. The PNP was a semi-crystalline or non-crystalline substance, possessed a three-dimensional lump structure with a smooth, dense surface and amorphous structure according to the scanning electron microscopy and XRD images. Moreover, the PNP was chain or bright-spot structures formed by the entanglement of multiple polysaccharide fibers on the basis of atomic force microscopy. The results of anti-fatigue suggested the PNP could significantly extend the forced swim time from 121.58 ± 18.48 and 101.91 ± 14.27 min to 154.95 ± 24.26 and 134.13 ± 25.71 min in male and female mice respectively. The LDH activity was up to 31.68 ± 4.60 U/ml in male mice and 29.49 ± 5.12 U/ml in female mice. Meanwhile, the Ca²⁺ -Mg²⁺ -ATPase activity was reached to 2.49 ± 0.41 μmol/(mg·h) in male mice and 2.44 ± 0.29 μmol/(mg·h) in female mice. The SOD activity was increased to 5.92 ± 1.19 U/ml in male mice and 5.89 ± 0.98 U/ml in female mice, while the MDA content was decreased to 2.24 ± 0.34 nmol/mg in male mice and 2.02 ± 0.41 nmol/mg in female mice. These results showed a theoretical basis for application of the PNP in food and pharmacy as a natural physical strengthening substance. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Fatigue affects physical and mental health in vivo, which resulted in negative effects on everyday tasks, leisure activities, cognitive and behavioral performances and is very common in modern life. Therefore, this study was designed to explore the primary chemical properties and research the anti-fatigue effects of Pholiota nameko polysaccharide (PNP) in mice. And then, it would be a reference for the development and utilization of PNP as a kind of healthy food on sub-health.

Anaerobic Solid-State Fermentation of Soybean Meal With Bacillus sp. to Improve Nutritional Quality

The study evaluated the impact of fermentation with Bacillus sp. on the nutritional quality of soybean meal (SBM) and the changes of bacterial community structure during fermentation. High protease-producing strains were screened to degrade SBM macromolecular protein and anti-nutritional factors (ANFs). Unsterilized SBM then underwent an anaerobic solid-state fermentation method to evaluate the effects of fermentation. Results showed that for the nine high-producing protease strains that were screened, acid-soluble protein (ASP) contents in fermented SBM increased, with the highest value found to be 13.48%, which was fermented using strain N-11. N-11 was identified as Bacillus subtilis. N-11 fermentation reduced ANFs such as glycinin and β-conglycinin by 82.38 and 88.32%, respectively. During N-11 fermentation, the bacterial richness and diversity in SBM increased but not significantly. The high-yield protease strain B. subtilis N-11 selected in this experiment improved the nutritional quality of SBM through fermentation, and it can be used for industrial large-scale production.

Assessment of Intestinal Immunity and Permeability of Broilers on Partial Replacement Diets of Two-Stage Fermented Soybean Meal by Bacillus velezensis and Lactobacillus brevis ATCC 367

The effect of soybean peptides from fermented soybean meal on the intestinal immunity and tight junction of broilers was assessed. Roughly, two-stage fermented soybean meal prepared with Bv and Lb (FSBM_B+L), which has nearly three times higher soluble peptides than soybean meal (SBM), and reduced galacto-oligosaccharide (GOS) content and allergen protein. The one-stage fermented by Bv (FSBM_B) has the highest soluble peptides, while commercial lactic acid bacteria (FSBM_L) has the highest Lactic acid bacteria count; these were used to compare the differences in the process. Ross308 broilers (n = 320) were divided into four groups: SBM diet and a diet replaced with 6% FSBM_B+L, FSBM_B, or FSBM_L. The growth performance was recorded during the experiment, and six birds (35-day-old) per group were euthanized. Analysis of their jejunum and ileum showed that the fermented soybean meal significantly improved the villus height in the jejunum (p < 0.05) and reduced the crypt hyperplasia. The FSBM_B group had the highest reducing crypt depth; however, the FSBM_B+L group had the highest villus height/crypt depth in the ileum (p < 0.05). In the jejunum, the relative mRNA of CLDN-1 and Occludin increased 2-fold in the treatments, and ZO-1 mRNA increased 1.5 times in FSBM_L and FSBM_B+L (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the level of NF-κB and IL-6 mRNAs in FSBM_L increased, respectively, by 4 and 2.5 times. While FSBM_B, along with FSBM_B+L, had a 1.5-fold increase in the mRNA of IL-10, that of NF-κB increased 2-fold. FSBM_B+L and FSBM_B singly led to a 2- and 3-fold increase in IL-6 mRNA, respectively (p < 0.05). FSBM_B and FSBM_B+L can also upregulate MUC2 in the jejunum (p < 0.05). In short, using the soybean peptides from two-stage fermented soybean meal can ameliorate the negative factors of SBM and effectively regulate immune expression and intestinal repair, which will help broilers maintain intestinal integrity.

Bacterial Distribution, Biogenic Amine Contents, and Functionalities of Traditionally Made Doenjang, a Long-Term Fermented Soybean Food, from Different Areas of Korea

Since doenjang quality depends on the bacterial composition, which ambient bacteria in the environment and production conditions influence, a complete understanding of the bacteria community in traditionally madetraditionally made doenjang (TMD) from different regions is needed. We aimed to investigate the bacteria composition and quality of TMD in the following areas: Chonbuk (CB), Chonnam (CN), Kyungsang (KS), Kangwon (KW), Chungchung (CC) provinces, and Jeju island (JJ) of Korea. Twenty-nine TMD samples from different regions were used to assess biogenic amine contents, bacteria composition using next-generation methods, and metabolic functions of the bacteria using Picrust2. Bacillus spp. were isolated, and their antioxidant and fibrinolytic activities were determined. Most TMD contained high amounts of beneficial bacteria (Bacillus, Lactobacillus, Pediococcus and Weissella). However, some KS samples contained harmful bacteria (Cronobacter, Proteus and Acinetobacter) and less beneficial B. velezensis bacteria. There was no similarity among the regional groups, and each TMD showed a different bacteria composition. Shannon index, α-diversity index, was lower in TMD from JJ and CB than the other areas, but there was no β-diversity among TMD from the six area groups. Picrust2 analysis revealed that the functional potential for arachidonic acid metabolism was lowest in JJ and CN, that for supporting insulin action was highest in KS and JJ, and that for carbohydrate digestion and absorption was lowest in CB and JJ among all groups (p < 0.05) according to the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes Orthology. Histamine contents were lower in CN and CC, and tyramine contents did not differ significantly. B. velezensis, B. subtilis, B. licheniformis, B. siamensis, and B. amyloliquefaciens were isolated from TMD. None of the isolated Bacillus spp. contained the B. cereus gene. B. subtilis from CN had the highest fibrinolytic activity, and B. velezensis from CB had the highest antioxidant activity. In conclusion, TMD mainly contained various Bacillus spp., and the predominant one was B. velezensis, which had antioxidant and fibrinolytic activity regardless of the regional origin.

Fermented Deer Blood Ameliorates Intense Exercise-Induced Fatigue via Modulating Small Intestine Microbiota and Metabolites in Mice

Intense and excessive exercise-induced fatigue has become an important health issue and can damage intestinal health. Deer blood, as a food byproduct with nutritional value, has been found to restore physical strength. However, little is known about the antifatigue effect of fermented deer blood (FDB) on intense exercise mice. The purpose of the present study is to investigate the antifatigue effect of FDB, and whether this effect is correlated with the altered small intestinal microbiota and metabolites in exercise mice. In this study, 5-week-old male C57BL/6J mice are given treadmill exercise with or without FDB supplementation (30 and 150 mg/kg/d) for 3 weeks. FDB significantly reduces metabolic byproduct accumulation, liver and intestinal damage, and enhances glycogen storage and antioxidant capacity in intense exercise mice. Moreover, FDB restructures the small intestinal microbiota by increasing the abundance of probiotics and butyric acid producing bacteria and decreasing the abundance of pathogenic bacteria. FDB also regulates the levels of metabolites involved in TCA cycle and amino acid metabolism in urine and small intestine content. Correlation analysis shows that FDB-modulated microbiota is highly associated with its antifatigue effect. FDB may ameliorate fatigue and intestinal injury through targeting small intestinal microbiota.

Effects of alkali, enzymes, and ultrasound on monosodium glutamate byproduct for a sustainable production of Bacillus subtilis

Due to the hindrance of flocculated polymers and bacterial cell wall, the production of Bacillus subtilis using monosodium glutamate byproduct (MSGB) was low. With the assistance of scanning electron microscope images, effects of alkali, lysozyme, papain, ultrasound, and their combinations on MSGB were evaluated using the results of soluble protein, carbohydrate, monosaccharides and peptidoglycans. Alkali could dissolve flocculated polymers increasing 21% soluble MSGB, and thus enhanced the subsequent treatments (ultrasound, lysozyme, or papain) to increase 14-17% soluble MSGB. As ultrasound mainly released intercellular components (mannose, and glucose) while lysozyme or papain mainly released cell wall components (peptidoglycans), the combination of alkali, ultrasound, and enzymes led to a highest soluble MSGB (78%), yielding a maximal B. subtilis production of 6.6 × 10⁹ colony-forming units mL^-1. This yield was about 33 times that of using untreated MSGB, and the key to improve B. subtilis production was the release of carbohydrate.