Ohmic heating as a method of obtaining paraprobiotics: Impacts on cell structure and viability by flow cytometry

Ohmic pasteurization of probiotic chocolate dairy desserts and its quality attributes

The study evaluated the effects of conventional pasteurization and ohmic heating (OH) at different electric fields (12, 16, 20, or 24 V/cm-1) on probiotic chocolate dairy desserts' physicochemical, microbiological, sensory properties and volatile profiles. Both treatments were analyzed for parameters such as pH, syneresis, cream stability index, rheology, bioactive compounds (total phenolics and antioxidant capacity), and probiotic viability (Lactobacillus acidophilus LA-05) over a 28-day storage period. Ohmic heating at higher electric fields (20 and 24 V/cm-1) showed comparable results to pasteurization for most parameters, with non-significant differences or even higher values for some. Sensory analysis revealed that pasteurized samples were more associated with "creamy" and "firm" textures. In contrast, OH-treated samples were linked to lumps and fluidity, particularly in OH24 and OH16, respectively. Volatile compounds such as propanal and ethyl propanoate were detected across treatments, with ethyl acetate unique to OH24. The results suggest that OH, especially at higher electric fields, is a promising technology for processing probiotic dairy desserts, offering similar or enhanced qualities compared to conventional pasteurization. These findings provide insights into the potential for OH to be routinely applied in functional dairy product production.

New insights into the roles of fungi and bacteria in the development of medicinal plant

BACKGROUND

The interaction between microorganisms and medicinal plants is a popular topic. Previous studies consistently reported that microorganisms were mainly considered pathogens or contaminants. However, with the development of microbial detection technology, it has been demonstrated that fungi and bacteria affect beneficially the medicinal plant production chain.

AIM OF REVIEW

Microorganisms greatly affect medicinal plants, with microbial biosynthesis a high regarded topic in medicinal plant-microbial interactions. However, it lacks a systematic review discussing this relationship. Current microbial detection technologies also have certain advantages and disadvantages, it is essential to compare the characteristics of various technologies.

KEY SCIENTIFIC CONCEPTS OF REVIEW

This review first illustrates the role of fungi and bacteria in various medicinal plant production procedures, discusses the development of microbial detection and identification technologies in recent years, and concludes with microbial biosynthesis of natural products. The relationship between fungi, bacteria, and medicinal plants is discussed comprehensively. We also propose a future research model and direction for further studies.

Postbiotics are a candidate for new functional foods

Accumulating studies have highlighted the great potential of postbiotics in alleviating diseases and protecting host health. Compared with traditional functional foods (such as probiotics and prebiotics), postbiotics have the advantages of a single composition, high physiological activity, long shelf life, easy absorption, and high targeting, etc. The development of postbiotics has led to a wide range of potential applications in functional food and drug development. However, the lack of clinical trial data, mechanism analyses, safety evaluations, and effective regulatory frameworks has limited the application of postbiotic products. This review describes the definition, classification, sources, and preparation methods of postbiotics, the progress and mechanism of preclinical and clinical research in improving host diseases, and their application in food. Strengthen understanding of the recognition and development of related products to lay a theoretical foundation.

Inactivation of Bacillus cereus spores by ohmic heating: Efficiency and changes of spore biological properties

Bacillus cereus spores pose a significant concern during food processing due to their high resistance to environmental stress. Ohmic heating (OH) is an emerging and alternative heating technology with potential for inactivating such spores. This study evaluated the inactivation effects and the biological property changes of Bacillus cereus spores during OH treatments. OH effectively inactivated spores in milk, orange juice, broth, rice soup, and buffer solution in less time than oil bath heating (OB). A decrease in NaCl content improved spore inactivation at the same temperature. Spores were more sensitive to acid at 80-85 °C with OH treatment. Furthermore, OH at 10 V/cm and 50 Hz could reduce the spore resistance and inhibit an increase in spore hydrophobicity and spore aggregation. Both heating methods resulted in significant dipicolinic acid (DPA) leakage and damage to the cortex and inner membranes of the spores. However, OH at 10 V/cm and 50 Hz had the lowest DPA leakage and inflicted the least damage to the inner membrane. The damage to the spore's inner membrane was considered the primary reason for inactivation by OB and OH treatments. Still, OH at 10 V/cm and 50 Hz might also block the germination or outgrowth of treated spores or cause damage to the spore core.

Postbiotics-peptidoglycan, lipoteichoic acid, exopolysaccharides, surface layer protein and pili proteins-Structure, activity in wounds and their delivery systems

Chronic wound healing is a pressing global public health concern. Abuse and drug resistance of antibiotics are the key problems in the treatment of chronic wounds at present. Postbiotics are a novel promising strategy. Previous studies have reported that postbiotics have a wide range of biological activities including antimicrobial, immunomodulatory, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory abilities. However, several aspects related to these postbiotic activities remain unexplored or poorly known. Therefore, this work aims to outline general aspects and emerging trends in the use of postbiotics for wound healing, such as the production, characterization, biological activities and delivery strategies of postbiotics. In this review, a comprehensive overview of the physiological activities and structures of postbiotic biomolecules that contribute to wound healing is provided, such as peptidoglycan, lipoteichoic acid, bacteriocins, exopolysaccharides, surface layer proteins, pili proteins, and secretory proteins (p40 and p75 proteins). Considering the presence of readily degradable components in postbiotics, potential natural polymer delivery materials and delivery systems are emphasized, followed by the potential applications and commercialization prospects of postbiotics. These findings suggest that the treatment of chronic wounds with postbiotic ingredients will help provide new insights into wound healing and better guidance for the development of postbiotic products.

Probiotics and Paraprobiotics: Effects on Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis and Their Consequent Potential in Neuropsychiatric Therapy

Neuropsychiatric disorders are clinical conditions that affect cognitive function and emotional stability, often resulting from damage or disease in the central nervous system (CNS). These disorders are a worldwide concern, impacting approximately 12.5% of the global population. The gut microbiota has been linked to neurological development and function, implicating its involvement in neuropsychiatric conditions. Due to their interaction with gut microbial communities, probiotics offer a natural alternative to traditional treatments such as therapeutic drugs and interventions for alleviating neuropsychiatric symptoms. Introduced by Metchnikoff in the early 1900s, probiotics are live microorganisms that provide various health benefits, including improved digestion, enhanced sleep quality, and reduced mental problems. However, concerns about their safety, particularly in immunocompromised patients, warrant further investigation; this has led to the concept of "paraprobiotics", inactivated forms of beneficial microorganisms that offer a safer alternative. This review begins by exploring different methods of inactivation, each targeting specific cellular components like DNA or proteins. The choice of inactivation method is crucial, as the health benefits may vary depending on the conditions employed for inactivation. The subsequent sections focus on the potential mechanisms of action and specific applications of probiotics and paraprobiotics in neuropsychiatric therapy. Probiotics and paraprobiotics interact with gut microbes, modulating the gut microbial composition and alleviating gut dysbiosis. The resulting neuropsychiatric benefits primarily stem from the gut-brain axis, a bidirectional communication channel involving various pathways discussed in the review. While further research is needed, probiotics and paraprobiotics are promising therapeutic agents for the management of neuropsychiatric disorders.

Lactiplantibacillus plantarum MIUG BL21 paraprobiotics: Evidences on inactivation kinetics and their potential as cytocompatible and antitumor alternatives

Two new -biotics concepts, such as paraprobiotics and postbiotics were introduced, with beneficial effects beyond the viability of probiotic. In this study, the effect of individual (thermal, ohmic heating, high pressure, and ultrasound) and combined (ohmic, high pressure and ultrasound in combination with heating) treatments on the inactivation kinetics of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum was investigated. Different inactivation rates were obtained, up to 8.18 after 10 min at 90 °C, 2.07 after 15 min at a voltage gradient of 20 V/cm, 6.62 after 10 min at 600 MPa and 3.6 after ultrasound treatment for 10 min at 100 % amplitude. The experimental data were fitted to Weibullian model proposed by Peleg, allowing to estimate the inactivation rate coefficient (b) and the shape of the inactivation curves (n). At lower concentration, the samples showed both cytocompatibility and antiproliferative effect, stimulating the cell proliferation on both murine fibroblast and human colorectal adenocarcinoma cell lines.

Elimination of Pathogen Biofilms via Postbiotics from Lactic Acid Bacteria: A Promising Method in Food and Biomedicine

Pathogenic biofilms provide a naturally favorable barrier for microbial growth and are closely related to the virulence of pathogens. Postbiotics from lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are secondary metabolites and cellular components obtained by inactivation of fermentation broth; they have a certain inhibitory effect on all stages of pathogen biofilms. Postbiotics from LAB have drawn attention because of their high stability, safety dose parameters, and long storage period, which give them a broad application prospect in the fields of food and medicine. The mechanisms of eliminating pathogen biofilms via postbiotics from LAB mainly affect the surface adhesion, self-aggregation, virulence, and QS of pathogens influencing interspecific and intraspecific communication. However, there are some factors (preparation process and lack of target) which can limit the antibiofilm impact of postbiotics. Therefore, by using a delivery carrier and optimizing process parameters, the effect of interfering factors can be eliminated. This review summarizes the concept and characteristics of postbiotics from LAB, focusing on their preparation technology and antibiofilm effect, and the applications and limitations of postbiotics in food processing and clinical treatment are also discussed.

Postbiotics: Functional Food Materials and Therapeutic Agents for Cancer, Diabetes, and Inflammatory Diseases

Postbiotics are (i) "soluble factors secreted by live bacteria, or released after bacterial lysis, such as enzymes, peptides, teichoic acids, peptidoglycan-derived muropeptides, polysaccharides, cell-surface proteins and organic acids"; (ii) "non-viable metabolites produced by microorganisms that exert biological effects on the hosts"; and (iii) "compounds produced by microorganisms, released from food components or microbial constituents, including non-viable cells that, when administered in adequate amounts, promote health and wellbeing". A probiotic- and prebiotic-rich diet ensures an adequate supply of these vital nutrients. During the anaerobic fermentation of organic nutrients, such as prebiotics, postbiotics act as a benevolent bioactive molecule matrix. Postbiotics can be used as functional components in the food industry by offering a number of advantages, such as being added to foods that are harmful to probiotic survival. Postbiotic supplements have grown in popularity in the food, cosmetic, and healthcare industries because of their numerous health advantages. Their classification depends on various factors, including the type of microorganism, structural composition, and physiological functions. This review offers a succinct introduction to postbiotics while discussing their salient features and classification, production, purification, characterization, biological functions, and applications in the food industry. Furthermore, their therapeutic mechanisms as antibacterial, antiviral, antioxidant, anticancer, anti-diabetic, and anti-inflammatory agents are elucidated.

Postbiotics: an exposition on next generation functional food compounds- opportunities and challenges

Consumer's interest for health promoting foods has reshaped the food industry to come up with novel biological compounds with diverse health benefits. Postbiotic are the cell fractions, or cell lysates which have emerged as potential functional food compounds during the last decade. The health benefits of postbiotic are well established while attempts are underway to understand their interaction, production, processing and safety. The review explore the challenges and opportunities to devise better growth mediums, cell lysis and extraction, characterization, stability and applications of postbiotics in both food and pharma industry along with the market trends, success stories and safety concerns regarding postbiotics. The scientific and commercial interest in postbiotic have resulted in extensive investigations and clinical documentation of various physiological benefits and additional bioactivity. The findings validate food and pharma application of the postbiotics and further emphasize on documentation of bioactivity and safety of these compounds.

Effect of Thermal Inactivation on Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory Activities and Chemical Profile of Postbiotics

Inactivation is a crucial step in the production of postbiotics, with thermal inactivation being the prevailing method employed. Nevertheless, the impact of thermal treatment on bioactivity and chemical composition remains unexplored. The objective of this study was to assess the influence of heating temperature on the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory properties and the chemical composition of ET-22 and BL-99 postbiotics. The findings revealed that subjecting ET-22 and BL-99 to thermal treatment ranging from 70 °C to 121 °C for a duration of 10 min effectively deactivated them, leading to the disruption of cellular structure and release of intracellular contents. The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity of ET-22 and BL-99 postbiotics remained unaffected by mild heating temperatures (below 100 °C). However, excessive heating at 121 °C diminished the antioxidant activity of the postbiotic. To further investigate the impact of thermal treatments on chemical composition, non-targeted metabolomics was conducted to analyze the cell-free supernatants derived from ET-22 and BL-99. The results revealed that compared to mild inactivation at temperatures below 100 °C, the excessive temperature of 121 °C significantly altered the chemical profile of the postbiotic. Several bioactive components with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, including zomepirac, flumethasone, 6-hydroxyhexanoic acid, and phenyllactic acid, exhibited a significant reduction in their levels following exposure to a temperature of 121 °C. This decline in their abundance may be associated with a corresponding decrease in their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. The cumulative evidence gathered strongly indicates that heating temperatures exert a discernible influence on the properties of postbiotics, whereby excessive heating leads to the degradation of heat-sensitive active constituents and subsequent diminishment of their biological efficacy.

Recent advances and potentiality of postbiotics in the food industry: Composition, inactivation methods, current applications in metabolic syndrome, and future trends

Postbiotics are defined as "preparation of inanimate microorganisms and/or their components that confers a health benefit on the host". Postbiotics have unique advantages over probiotics, such as stability, safety, and wide application. Although postbiotics are research hotspots, the research on them is still very limited. This review provides comprehensive information on the scope of postbiotics, the preparation methods of inanimate microorganisms, and the application and mechanisms of postbiotics in metabolic syndrome (MetS). Furthermore, the application trends of postbiotics in the food industry are reviewed. It was found that postbiotics mainly include inactivated microorganisms, microbial lysates, cell components, and metabolites. Thermal treatments are the main methods to prepare inanimate microorganisms as postbiotics, while non-thermal treatments, such as ionizing radiation, ultraviolet light, ultrasound, and supercritical CO2, show great potential in postbiotic preparation. Postbiotics could ameliorate MetS through multiple pathways including the modulation of gut microbiota, the enhancement of intestinal barrier, the regulation of inflammation and immunity, and the modulation of hormone homeostasis. Additionally, postbiotics have great potential in the food industry as functional food supplements, food quality improvers, and food preservatives. In addition, the SWOT analyses showed that the development of postbiotics in the food industry exists both opportunities and challenges.

Effects of artificial honey and epigallocatechin-3-gallate on streptococcus pyogenes

Background

Streptococcus pyogenes is an important global human pathogen that causes pharyngitis, and antibacterial therapy has become an important part of the overall therapy for pharyngitis. As natural derivatives, honey and green tea are often recommended for patients with pharyngitis in traditional Chinese medicine without experimental theoretical basis on wether the combined effect of honey and green tea on pharyngitis is better than they alone. The aims of this study were to explore the effects of artificial honey (AH) and epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) on S. pyogenes and elucidate the possible mechanisms, which were investigated using MIC (the minimum inhibitory concentration), FIC (fractional inhibitory concentration) index, growth pattern, biofilm formation and RT-qPCR.

Results

The MIC of AH on S. pyogenes was 12.5% (v/v) and the MIC of EGCG was 1250 μg/ml. The FIC index of AH and EGCG was 0.5. The planktonic cell growth, growth pattern and biofilm formation assays showed that AH and EGCG mixture had stronger inhibitory effect on S. pyogenes than they alone. RT-qPCR confirmed that the expression of hasA and luxS gene were inhibited by AH and EGCG mixture.

Conclusions

AH and EGCG mixture can inhibit the planktonic cell growth, biofilm formation and some virulence genes expression of S. pyogenes, better than they alone. The combination of honey and green tea have the potential to treat pharyngitis as natural derivatives, avoiding drug resistance and double infection.

The future of functional food: Emerging technologies application on prebiotics, probiotics and postbiotics

This review was the first to gather literature about the effect of emerging technologies on probiotic, prebiotic, and postbiotic products. Applying emerging technologies to probiotic products can increase probiotic survival and improve probiotic properties (cholesterol attachment, adhesion to Caco-2 cells, increase angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial activities, and decrease systolic blood pressure). Furthermore, it can optimize the fermentation process, produce or maintain compounds of interest (bacteriocin, oligosaccharides, peptides, phenolic compounds, flavonoids), improve bioactivity (vitamin, aglycones, calcium), and sensory characteristics. Applying emerging technologies to prebiotic products did not result in prebiotic degradation. Still, it contributed to higher concentrations of bioactive compounds (citric and ascorbic acids, anthocyanin, polyphenols, flavonoids) and health properties (antioxidant activity and inhibition of ACE, α-amylase, and α-glucosidase). Emerging technologies may also be applied to obtain postbiotics with increased health effects. In this way, current studies suggest that emerging food processing technologies enhance the efficiency of probiotics and prebiotics in food. The information provided may help food industries to choose a more suitable technology to process their products and provide a basis for the most used process parameters. Furthermore, the current gaps are discussed. Emerging technologies may be used to process food products resulting in increased probiotic functionality, prebiotic stability, and higher concentrations of bioactive compounds. In addition, they can be used to obtain postbiotic products with improved health effects compared to the conventional heat treatment.

Chlorine Tolerance and Cross-Resistance to Antibiotics in Poultry-Associated Salmonella Isolates in China

Chlorine disinfectants have been widely used in the poultry supply chain but this exposure can also result in the development of bacterial tolerance to chlorine and this is often linked to antibiotic cross-resistance. The objectives of this study were to investigate sodium hypochlorite (NaClO) tolerance of Salmonella isolated from poultry supply chains and evaluate cross-resistance. We collected 172 Salmonella isolates from poultry farms, slaughter houses and retail markets in China during 2019–2020. We found that S. Enteritidis, S. Kentucky, and S. Typhimurium constituted > 80% of our Salmonella isolates. Overall, 68% of Salmonella isolates were resistant to > 3 antibiotics and S. Kentucky displayed a significantly (p > 0.05) higher frequency (93.2%) of multidrug resistance than the other serovars. Tolerance to chlorine at MIC > 256 mg/L was detected in 93.6% of isolates (161/172) and tolerant isolates displayed higher decimal reduction times (D value) and less ultrastructural damage than did the suspectable strains under chlorine stress. Spearman analysis indicated significant positive correlations between chlorine tolerance (evaluated by the OD method) and antibiotic resistance (p < 0.05) to ceftiofur, tetracycline, ciprofloxacin and florfenicol and this was most likely due to efflux pump over-expression. The most frequently detected chlorine resistance gene was qacEΔ1 (83.1%, n = 143) and we found a positive correlation between its presence and MIC levels (r = 0.66, p < 0.0001). Besides, we found weak correlations between chlorine-tolerance and antibiotic resistance genes. Our study indicated that chlorine disinfectants most likely played an important role in the emergence of chlorine tolerance and spread of antibiotic resistance and therefore does not completely control the risk of food-borne disease. The issue of disinfectant resistance should be examined in more detail at the level of the poultry production chain.

Potential of Flow Cytometric Approaches for Rapid Microbial Detection and Characterization in the Food Industry-A Review

As microbial contamination is persistent within the food and bioindustries and foodborne infections are still a significant cause of death, the detection, monitoring, and characterization of pathogens and spoilage microorganisms are of great importance. However, the current methods do not meet all relevant criteria. They either show (i) inadequate sensitivity, rapidity, and effectiveness; (ii) a high workload and time requirement; or (iii) difficulties in differentiating between viable and non-viable cells. Flow cytometry (FCM) represents an approach to overcome such limitations. Thus, this comprehensive literature review focuses on the potential of FCM and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) for food and bioindustry applications. First, the principles of FCM and FISH and basic staining methods are discussed, and critical areas for microbial contamination, including abiotic and biotic surfaces, water, and air, are characterized. State-of-the-art non-specific FCM and specific FISH approaches are described, and their limitations are highlighted. One such limitation is the use of toxic and mutagenic fluorochromes and probes. Alternative staining and hybridization approaches are presented, along with other strategies to overcome the current challenges. Further research needs are outlined in order to make FCM and FISH even more suitable monitoring and detection tools for food quality and safety and environmental and clinical approaches.

Recent advances in the concept of paraprobiotics: Nutraceutical/functional properties for promoting children health

Probiotics consumption has been associated with various health promoting benefits, including disease prevention and even treatment by modulating gut microbiota. Contrary to this, probiotics may also overstimulate the immune system, trigger systemic infections, harmful metabolic activities, and promote gene transfer. In children, the fragile immune system and impaired intestinal barrier may boost the occurrence of adverse effects following probiotics' consumption. To overcome these health challenges, the key focus has been shifted toward non-viable probiotics, also called paraprobiotics. Cell wall polysaccharides, peptidoglycans, surface proteins and teichoic acid present on cell's surface are involved in the interaction of paraprobiotics with the host, ultimately providing health benefits. Among other benefits, paraprobiotics possess the ability to regulate innate and adaptive immunity, exert anti-adhesion, anti-biofilm, anti-hypertensive, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-proliferative, and antagonistic effects against pathogens, while also enhance clinical impact and general safety when administered in children in comparison to probiotics. Clinical evidence have underlined the paraprobiotics impact in children and young infants against atopic dermatitis, respiratory and gastrointestinal infections, in addition to be useful for immunocompromised individuals. Therefore, this review focuses on probiotics-related issues in children's health and also discusses the Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium spp. qualities for qualifying as paraprobiotics and their role in promoting the children's health.

Paraprobiotics: A New Perspective for Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals

Probiotics are live microorganisms that confer health benefits on the host. However, in recent years, several concerns on their use have been raised. In particular, industrial processing and storage of probiotic products are still technological challenges as these could severely impair cell viability. On the other hand, safety of live microorganisms should be taken into account, especially when administered to vulnerable people, such as the elderly and immunodeficient individuals. These drawbacks have enhanced the interest toward new products based on non-viable probiotics such as paraprobiotics and postbiotics. In particular, paraprobiotics, defined as "inactivated microbial cells (non-viable) that confer a health benefit to the consumer," hold the ability to regulate the adaptive and innate immune systems, exhibit anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative and antioxidant properties and exert antagonistic effect against pathogens. Moreover, paraprobiotics can exhibit enhanced safety, assure technological and practical benefits and can also be used in products suitable for people with weak immunity and the elderly. These features offer an important opportunity to prompt the market with novel functional foods or nutraceuticals that are safer and more stable. This review provides an overview of central issues on paraprobiotics and highlights the urgent need for further studies aimed at assessing safety and efficacy of these products and their mechanisms of action in order to support decisions of regulatory authorities. Finally, a definition is proposed that unambiguously distinguishes paraprobiotics from postbiotics.

Ohmic heating increases inactivation and morphological changes of Salmonella sp. and the formation of bioactive compounds in infant formula

The effect of ohmic heating (OH) (50, 55, and 60 °C, 6 V/cm) on the inactivation kinetics (Weibull model) and morphological changes (scanning electron microscopy and flow cytometry) of Salmonella spp. in infant formula (IF) was evaluated. In addition, thermal load indicators (hydroxymethylfurfural and whey protein nitrogen index, HMF, and WPNI) and bioactive compounds (DPPH, total phenolics, ACE, α-amylase, and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities) were also studied. OH presented a more intense inactivation rate than conventional heating, resulting in a reduction of about 5 log CFU per mL at 60 °C in only 2.91 min, being also noted a greater cell membrane deformation, higher formation of bioactive compounds, and lower values for the thermal load parameters. Overall, OH contributed to retaining the nutritional value and improve food safety in IF processing.

Live and ultrasound-inactivated Lacticaseibacillus casei modulate the intestinal microbiota and improve biochemical and cardiovascular parameters in male rats fed a high-fat diet

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of ingestion of live (9 log CFU mL-1) and ultrasound-inactivated (paraprobiotic, 20 kHz, 40 min) Lacticaseibacillus casei 01 cells for 28 days on healthy parameters (biochemical and cardiovascular) and intestinal microbiota (amplicon sequencing of 16S ribosomal RNA) of rats fed a high-fat diet. Twenty-four male Wistar rats were divided into four groups of six animals: CTL (standard diet), HFD (high-fat diet), HFD-LC (high-fat diet and live L. casei), and HFD-ILC (high-fat diet and inactivated L. casei). The administration of live and ultrasound-inactivated L. casei prevented the increase (p < 0.05) in cholesterol levels (total and LDL) and controlled the insulin resistance in rats fed a high-fat diet. Furthermore, it promoted a modulation of the intestinal microbial composition by increasing (p < 0.05) beneficial bacteria (Lachnospiraceae and Ruminoccocaceae) and decreasing (p < 0.05) harmful bacteria (Clostridiaceae, Enterobacteriaceae, and Helicobacteriacea), attenuating the effects promoted by the HFD ingestion. Only live cells could increase (p < 0.05) the HDL-cholesterol, while only inactivated cells caused attenuation (p < 0.05) of the blood pressure. Results show beneficial effects of live and inactivated L. casei 01 and indicate that ultrasound inactivation produces a paraprobiotic with similar or improved health properties compared to live cells.