Dairy starters and fermented dairy products modulate gut mucosal immunity

Effects of Dairy Matrix on the Intestinal, Liver, and Bone Transcriptome of Healthy Rats

Fermentation is one of the oldest food processing techniques and is widely utilized in dairy product processing, during which nutrient availability and bioactive compounds are altered. However, the complete mode of action by which fermented dairy exerts beneficial effects on the host remains unknown. The present study investigated the effect of milk and yogurt ingestion alone or combined with prebiotic inulin on the transcriptome of colonic mucosa, liver, and femur in healthy rats. Young growing male rats were fed one of four experimental diets containing (1) skimmed milk, (2) skimmed milk supplemented with inulin (5% w/w), (3) yogurt, or (4) yogurt supplemented with inulin (5% w/w) for 6 weeks. Microarray results revealed that yogurt consumption resulted in 2195 upregulated differential expressed genes (DEGs) and 1474 downregulated DEGs in colonic mucosa as compared with milk consumption. According to Gene Ontology (GO) categories and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis, tight junction-, immune system-related pathways in the colonic mucosa and metabolic pathways in the liver were enriched with yogurt consumption. No evident differences were identified in the bone transcriptome between the diet groups. In conclusion, the study found that the intake of fermented dairy exerts more pronounced effects on gene expression in the intestinal tissue than prebiotics supplementation.

Relationship Between Fermented Food Consumption Patterns, hs-CRP, and Chronic Diseases Among Middle-Aged Koreans: Data from the 2015-2018 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination

Background/Objectives: Fermented foods promote digestion and may help prevent chronic diseases. However, studies on their relationship with health indicators in Korea remain limited. This study aimed to identify fermented food consumption patterns among middle-aged Korean adults and to analyze their association with high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and chronic disease. Methods: This study analyzed 7111 adults aged 40-64 years from the 6th-7th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES, 2015-2018). hs-CRP values were categorized as <1 mg/L, 1-3 mg/L, and ≥3 mg/L. Latent profile analysis (LPA) classified fermented foods into 10 categories using Mplus 8.11, with LMR-LRT significance and entropy ≥ 0.7 determining the number of classes. Logistic regression analysis using SPSS 29.0 was conducted to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for hs-CRP and chronic disease (p < 0.05). Results: LPA identified four consumption patterns: (LFP), (FABP), (FDP), and (FGP). hs-CRP was highest in LFP (1.0 ± 1.2 mg/L), followed by FABP (0.8 ± 1.1 mg/L) and FDP and FGP (0.9 ± 1.2 mg/L) (p < 0.001). Compared to LFP, FGP had ORs of 0.810 (95% CI: 0.690-0.950, p < 0.005) for hypertension and 0.586 (95% CI: 0.459-0.747, p < 0.001) for diabetes. For dyslipidemia, ORs were 0.832 (95% CI: 0.720-0.962, p < 0.005) for FABP and 0.832 (95% CI: 0.719-0.962, p < 0.005) for FDP. Conclusions: This study classified fermented food consumption patterns and analyzed their association with hs-CRP and chronic disease. FGP and FDP showed lower inflammation and reduced odds of hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia compared to LFP. These findings highlight the potential of healthy fermented food consumption patterns to support inflammation control and chronic disease prevention.

The Impact of Fermented Dairy Products and Probiotics on Bone Health Improvement

The bone is an important body organ due to its role in locomotion, protection and mineral homeostasis. Bone health is affected by various intrinsic and extrinsic factors like genetics, diet, environment and immune status of an individual. Being a dynamic organ, bones are continuously being remodeled and the remodeling is mediated by an intricate balance of bone formation and resorption which, in turn, are regulated by environmental, genetic, hormonal and neural factors. Lack of balance in any of these factors leads to bone disorders such as osteoporosis. Fermented dairy products along with their probiotics content play a significant role in bone remodeling process ensuring the maintenance of intricate balance in bone forming cells (osteoblasts) and bone resorbing cells (osteoclasts). Proteins and various minerals are important constituents of bone. Dairy products, especially fermented ones, are significant because of being a good source of proteins and minerals required to make and maintain a healthy bone. In addition, these provide the body with probiotics which are involved in bone health improvement by enhancing the bioavailability of dietary constituents, production of short chain fatty acids and reducing the inflammatory components. Hence, fermented dairy products should be a regular part of our diet to keep our bone healthy.

Bibliometric Analysis of Probiotic Bacillus in Food Science: Evolution of Research Trends and Systematic Evaluation

With the in-depth and comprehensive research on probiotic Bacillus, it has become a hot topic in food science. However, the current status of research using bibliometric analysis to assess the application of probiotic Bacillus in food science has not been comprehensively reviewed. The Web of Science (WOS) database was used in this review's bibliometric analysis to determine the hotspots for research as well as the extent of completed experiments. Furthermore, a systematic review was conducted on the research hotspots of probiotic Bacillus in food science. The comprehensive analysis showed it was a growing and global research field. The keywords with high frequency mainly included "spore," "strain," and "production," which were research hot topics in the last decade. The application of the spore form or nutrient cells of probiotic Bacillus in industrialized food production through nutrient fortification, fermentation agents, and highly efficient synthesis of metabolites showed great development potential.

Propionibacterium freudenreichii Prevents Food Allergy in Mice via the Surface Layer Protein SlpB

The prevalence of food allergies has increased in recent decades in industrialized developed countries. Defects are influenced by environmental factors in early life, including early colonizers of the human gut microbiota. Therapeutic solutions are limited, and the lack of efficient treatments has led to the search for new treatments, including biotherapies. Promising results from this search suggest that immunomodulatory probiotic bacteria, in particular, may yield new biotherapeutic or preventive strategies to address the increasing burden of food allergies. In this context, we investigated the potential impact of Propionibacterium freudenreichii CIRM-BIA129, a recognized immunomodulatory probiotic bacterium, on food allergy development in a murine model. Preventive effects of this probiotic were evaluated in the context of an induced wheat gliadin allergy. Following sensitization using gliadins, clinical and immunological parameters were monitored following an oral challenge with wheat gliadin. When consumed orally, P. freudenreichii CIRM-BIA129 prevented induced wheat gliadin allergy. Probiotic administration favored the differentiation of Treg cells at the expense of Th2 cells in mice. Notably, P. freudenreichii CIRM-BIA129 ΔslpB, which contains a mutation in the slpB gene encoding a key surface protein involved in adhesion and immunomodulation, failed to induce the same phenotype. Accordingly, the wild-type probiotic stimulated IL-10 production by human peripheral blood mononuclear cells, while the mutant did not. Altogether, these results indicate that the P. freudenreichii CIRM-BIA129 strain can mitigate the food allergic response through its immunomodulatory effects mediated by the surface layer protein SlpB. This finding provides new perspectives for biotherapies aimed at managing the increased prevalence of food allergy.

The causal effects of dietary component intake and blood metabolites on risk of delirium: a Mendelian randomization study

Backgrounds

Growing evidence has indicated that the nutritional quality of dietary intake and alterations in blood metabolites were related to human brain activity. This study aims to investigate the causal relationship between dietary component intake, blood metabolites, and delirium risks.

Methods

We performed Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis using genetic variants as instrumental variables for dietary component intake, blood metabolites, and delirium. Inverse variance weighting, maximum likelihood, weighted median, weighted mode, and MR-Egger methods were used for statistical analyses.

Results

We found that genetic prediction of salt added to food (odds ratio [OR] 1.715, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.239-2.374, p = 0.001) significantly increased the risks of delirium, while low-fat polyunsaturated margarine used in cooking (OR 0.044, 95%CI 0.004-0.432, p = 0.007), cheese intake (OR 0.691, 95%CI 0.500-0.955, p = 0.025) and coffee intake (OR 0.595, 95%CI 0.370-0.956, p = 0.032) was suggestively associated with decreased risks of delirium. Moreover, increased blood 1-stearoylglycerol levels (OR 0.187, 95%CI 0.080-0.435, p = 9.97E-05) significantly contributed to reducing the risks of delirium. 3-methoxytyrosine (OR 0.359, 95%CI 0.154-0.841, p = 0.018) also has the potential to decrease the risk of delirium.

Conclusion

Our study highlights the potential causal effect relationships of dietary component intake and blood metabolites on the risk of delirium, which potentially provides novel insights into targeted dietary prevention strategies or biomarkers for delirium.

Prospective, Randomized, Double-Blind Parallel Group Nutritional Study to Evaluate the Effects of Routine Intake of Fresh vs. Pasteurized Yogurt on the Immune System in Healthy Adults

The immune system is affected by the dietary products humans intake. Immune system regulation by nutrition has uses in the clinical context, but it can also benefit healthy populations by delaying or preventing the emergence of immune-mediated chronic illnesses. In this study, the purpose was to describe and compare the modulator effects on the immune system of the routine ingestion of fresh vs. pasteurized yogurt. A unicentral, prospective, randomized, double-blind, parallel group 8-week nutritional study was carried out comparing the ingestion of 125 g of the products in healthy adults three times a day. A complete battery of in vitro tests on the activity of the immune system, processes and phenomena was performed. Exclusive immune-modulatory effects of fresh yogurt with respect to base line were found in terms of increased systemic IgM (primary immune responses), increased synthesis of IFN-gamma upon stimulation (Th1) and increased peripheral T cells (mainly "naive" CD4s). In the three interventions, we observed an increased phagocytic activity and burst test in granulocytes, together with increased secretion of IL-6, IL-1 β and IL-8 (pro-inflammatory) and increased CD16 expression (FcR favoring phagocytosis) in granulocytes. Overall, it is concluded that regardless of bacteria being alive or thermally inactivated, yogurt has common effects on the innate system, but the presence of live bacteria is necessary to achieve a potentiating effect on the specific immune response.

Immunomodulatory Activity of Probiotics in Models of Bacterial Infections

As resistance to conventional antibiotics among bacteria continues to increase, researchers are increasingly focusing on alternative strategies for preventing and treating bacterial infections, one of which is microbiota modulation. The objective of this review is to analyze the scientific literature on the immunomodulatory effects of probiotics in bacterial infections. This is an integrative review of the literature based on systematic steps, with searches performed in the databases Medline, PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and ScienceDirect. The most prevalent bacterial genera used to evaluate infectious processes were Salmonella, Escherichia, Klebsiella, and Streptococcus. Lactobacillus was the most commonly used probiotic genus, with Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus is the most frequently used species. In most studies, prophylactic treatment with concentrations of probiotics equal to or greater than 8 log CFU/mL was chosen. However, there was considerable heterogeneity in terms of effective treatment duration, indicating that the results cannot be generalized across all studies. This review found that probiotics interact with the immune system through different mechanisms and have a positive effect on preventing different types of bacterial infections.

Occurrence, Risk Implications, Prevention and Control of CIT in Monascus Cheese: A Review

Monascus is a filamentous fungus that has been used in the food and pharmaceutical industries. When used as an auxiliary fermenting agent in the manufacturing of cheese, Monascus cheese is obtained. Citrinin (CIT) is a well-known hepatorenal toxin produced by Monascus that can harm the kidneys structurally and functionally and is frequently found in foods. However, CIT contamination in Monascus cheese is exacerbated by the metabolic ability of Monascus to product CIT, which is not lost during fermentation, and by the threat of contamination by Penicillium spp. that may be introduced during production and processing. Considering the safety of consumption and subsequent industrial development, the CIT contamination of Monascus cheese products needs to be addressed. This review aimed to examine its occurrence in Monascus cheese, risk implications, traditional control strategies, and new research advances in prevention and control to guide the application of biotechnology in the control of CIT contamination, providing more possibilities for the application of Monascus in the cheese industry.

The Influence of Diet and Its Components on the Development and Prevention of Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC)

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is diagnosed annually in nearly a million people worldwide, with approximately half of them being diagnosed at an advanced stage of the disease. Non-infectious risk factors for the development of HCC include an unbalanced lifestyle, including poor dietary choices characterized by a low intake of antioxidants, such as vitamins E and C, selenium, and polyphenols, as well as an excessive consumption of energy and harmful substances. Repeated bad dietary choices that contribute to an unbalanced lifestyle lead to the accumulation of fatty substances in the liver and to it entering an inflammatory state, which, without intervention, results in cirrhosis, the main cause of HCC. This review of the English language literature aims to present the food components that, when included in the daily diet, reduce the risk of developing HCC, as well as identifying foods that may have a carcinogenic effect on liver cells.

The synbiotic combination of probiotics and inulin improves NAFLD though modulating gut microbiota

Prebiotics can promote the growth of probiotics, cocombine of these is called synbiotics, and synbiotics is powerful regulators of gut microbiota. Intestinal microbiota plays an important role in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), so synbiotics could be a therapeutic alternative. This study aims to investigate the effect of synbiotics combination of probiotics (Streptococcus Bifidobacterium and Streptococcus thermophilus) and prebiotics (Inulin) in vivo model of early NAFLD using yogurt as carrier. The results demonstrate that the yogurt with synbiotics combination group (HS) improves the biochemical indicators related to total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and insulin resistance (IR) in mice (P< .01). HS improves the development of lipid metabolism and inflammation by activating the AMPK and NFκB signaling pathway. In addition, HS restores the intestinal barrier dysfunction and inflammation caused by a high-fat diet. The 16S rRNA demonstrates that the gut microbiota composition of mice treated with HS is significantly altered specifically, the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio is significantly lower than in HFD-fed mice (P< .01). Our findings suggest the applicability of HS in preventing obesity-related NAFLD via its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and improved lipid metabolism by the gut-liver axis and provide a solid theoretical foundation for developing prebiotics for the prevention of NAFLD.

Development of Zn2+-controlled expression system for lactic acid bacteria and its application in engineered probiotics

Lactococcus lactis and Streptococcus thermophilus are considered as ideal chassis of engineered probiotics, while food-grade genetic tools are limited in those strains. Here, a Zn2+-controlled gene expression (ZICE) system was identified in the genome of S. thermophilus CGMCC7.179, including a transcriptional regulator sczAst and a promoter region of cation transporter czcD (PczcDst). Specific binding of the SczAst to the palindromic sequences in PczcDst was demonstrated by EMSA analysis, suggesting the regulation role of SczAst on PczcDst. To evaluate their possibility to control gene expression in vivo, the sczAst-PczcDst was employed to drive the expression of green fluorescence protein (GFP) gene in L. lactis NZ9000 and S. thermophilus CGMCC7.179, respectively. Both of the transformants could express GFP under Zn2+ induction, while no fluorescence without Zn2+ addition. For optimal conditions, Zn2+ was used at a final concentration of 0.8 mM in L. lactis and 0.16 mM in S. thermophilus at OD600 close to 0.4, and omitting yeast extract powder in the medium unexpectedly improved GFP expression level by 2.2-fold. With the help of the ZICE system, engineered L. lactis and S. thermophilus strains were constructed to secret cytokine interleukin-10 (IL-10) with immunogenicity, and the IL-10 content in the supernatant of the engineered L. lactis was 59.37 % of that under the nisin controlled expression system. This study provided a tightly controlled expression system by the food-grade inducer Zn2+, having potential in development of engineered probiotics.

Propionibacterium freudenreichii CIRM-BIA 129 mitigates colitis through S layer protein B-dependent epithelial strengthening

The growing incidence of human diseases involving inflammation and increased gut permeability makes the quest for protective functional foods more crucial than ever. Propionibacterium freudenreichii (P. freudenreichii) is a beneficial bacterium used in the dairy and probiotic industries. Selected strains exert anti-inflammatory effects, and the present work addresses whether the P. freudenreichii CIRM-BIA129, consumed daily in a preventive way, could protect mice from acute colitis induced by dextran sodium sulfate (DSS), and more precisely, whether it could protect from intestinal epithelial breakdown induced by inflammation. P. freudenreichii CIRM-BIA129 mitigated colitis severity and inhibited DSS-induced permeability. It limited crypt length reduction and promoted the expression of zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1), without reducing interleukin-1β mRNA (il-1β) expression. In vitro, P. freudenreichii CIRM-BIA129 prevented the disruption of a Caco-2 monolayer induced by proinflammatory cytokines. It increased transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) and inhibited permeability induced by inflammation, along with an increased ZO-1 expression. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) from P. freudenreichii CIRM-BIA129, carrying the surface layer protein (SlpB), reproduced the protective effect of P. freudenreichii CIRM-BIA129. A mutant strain deleted for slpB (ΔslpB), or EVs from this mutant strain, had lost their protective effects and worsened both DSS-induced colitis and inflammation in vivo. These results shown that P. freudenreichii CIRM-BIA129 daily consumption has the potential to greatly alleviate colitis symptoms and, particularly, to counter intestinal epithelial permeability induced by inflammation by restoring ZO-1 expression through mechanisms involving S-layer protein B. They open new avenues for the use of probiotic dairy propionibacteria and/or postbiotic fractions thereof, in the context of gut permeability.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Propionibacterium freudenreichii reduces dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced intestinal permeability in vivo. P. freudenreichii does not inhibit inflammation but damages linked to inflammation. P. freudenreichii inhibits intestinal epithelial breakdown through S-layer protein B. The protective effects of P. freudenreichii depend on S-layer protein B. Extracellular vesicles from P. freudenreichii CB 129 mimic the protective effect of the probiotic.

Risk factors predisposing children to food allergies

BACKGROUND

Food allergies are the most common cause of anaphylaxis in children, and their incidence is increasing globally. The aim of this study was to determine the risk factors leading to food allergies in childhood.

METHODS

Children with food allergies and non-atopic healthy children were compared using a questionnaire that included prenatal, neonatal, and postnatal risk factors.

RESULTS

A total of 314 subjects, 155 patients and 159 healthy children for the control group, were enrolled in the study. The median age of patients with a food allergy at diagnosis was 6 months (1-156 months), and 71 patients (45.8%) were males. The median age of the control group was 12 months (1-61 months), and 67.0% were males. Older maternal age (P = 0.023), birth by caesarean section (P = 0.001), birth in the summer or autumn (P = 0.011), crowded housing (P = 0.001), damp houses (P = 0.001), being fed with breast milk and complementary food (P = 0.001), use of synthetic bedding (P = 0.024), and being the oldest child in the family (P = 0.001) were the considered risk factors for an immunoglobulin-E (IgE)-mediated food allergy. A low frequency of yoghurt consumption by mother (P = 0.001) and use of wool bedding (P = 0.018) were identified as risk factors for non-IgE-mediated food allergies. Low socioeconomic status (P = 0.001) played a protective role against both IgE- and non-IgE-mediated food allergies whereas breastfeeding played a protective role against IgE-mediated food allergies (P = 0.030).

CONCLUSION

The most important aspect of this study was that it separately identified prenatal, neonatal, and postnatal risk factors for IgE- and non-IgE-mediated food allergies.

In Vivo Functional Properties of Dairy Bacteria

This literature review aimed to collect investigations on the in vivo evidence for bacteria associated with fermented dairy foods to behave as probiotics with beneficial effects in the prevention and treatment of various diseases. All main bacterial groups commonly present in high numbers in fermented milks or cheeses were taken into account, namely starter lactic acid bacteria (SLAB) Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and lactis, L. helveticus, Lactococcus lactis, Streptococcus thermophilus, non-starter LAB (NSLAB) Lacticaseibacillus spp., Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, dairy propionibacteria, and other less frequently encountered species. Only studies regarding strains of proven dairy origin were considered. Studies in animal models and clinical studies showed that dairy bacteria ameliorate symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), mucositis, metabolic syndrome, aging and oxidative stress, cancer, bone diseases, atopic dermatitis, allergies, infections and damage caused by pollutants, mild stress, and depression. Immunomodulation and changes in the intestinal microbiota were the mechanisms most often involved in the observed effects. The results of the studies considered indicated that milk and dairy products are a rich source of beneficial bacteria that should be further exploited to the advantage of human and animal health.

Physicochemical Characteristics, Antioxidant Properties and Consumer Acceptance of Greek Yogurt Fortified with Apple Pomace Syrup

Despite having high polyphenolic phytochemicals and functional components, apple pomace (AP) is often discarded in landfills, leading to pollution. The study aimed to find a sustainable application for AP in Greek yogurt fortified with AP syrup (APS). Physicochemical characteristics and antioxidant properties were analyzed for APS (APS0.00, APS1.25, APS2.50, APS3.75, APS5.00). As the AP content in the syrup increased, moisture content, titratable acidity, and viscosity significantly increased (p < 0.05). The total polyphenols and flavonoid content of APS increased with increasing AP content. In Greek yogurt fortified with APS (APY), reducing sugar content (0.55 mg/mL to 0.71 mg/mL) significantly increased with fermentation time and AP content, whereas pH level (6.85 to 4.28) decreased. The antioxidant activities by DPPH radical scavenging activity, ABTS radical scavenging activity, ferric reducing antioxidant power, and reducing power were also significantly increased with the AP content and fermentation time. In the consumer acceptance test of APY, APY1.25 had significantly high scores in overall acceptance, taste acceptance, and aftertaste acceptance with purchase intent (p < 0.05). The Greek yogurt fortified with APS as functional food had improved antioxidant properties and consumer acceptance, suggesting the possibility of developing sustainable AP products.

Why Does Obesity as an Inflammatory Condition Predispose to Colorectal Cancer?

Obesity is a complex and multifactorial problem of global importance. Additionally, obesity causes chronic inflammation, upregulates cell growth, disturbs the immune system, and causes genomic instability, increasing the risk of carcinogenesis. Colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancers, and it has become a global problem. In 2018, there were around 1.8 million new cases and around 881,000 deaths worldwide. Another risk factor of colorectal cancer associated with obesity is poor diet. A Western diet, including a high intake of red and processed meat and a low consumption of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and fiber, may increase the risk of both colorectal cancer and obesity. Moreover, the Western diet is associated with a proinflammatory profile diet, which may also affect chronic low-grade inflammation. In fact, people with obesity often present gut dysbiosis, increased inflammation, and risk of colorectal cancer. In this article, the association between obesity and colorectal cancer is discussed, including the most important mechanisms, such as low-grade chronic inflammation, gut dysbiosis, and poor diet.

Association between Intake of Fermented Dairy Product and Diet Quality, Health Beliefs in a Representative Sample of Polish Population

This study aimed to evaluate the association of diet quality and perception of consumption benefits with intake of fermented dairy products in a representative sample of the Polish population. The study was carried out in February 2020 and involved 2009 men and women randomly sampled from the representative Polish population stratified into two age groups (19-30 and 66-75 years). Dairy product intake was evaluated using a qualitative food frequency questionnaire. Diet quality was assessed by calculating the Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener (MEDAS) score. The perceived health benefit of dairy product consumption was assessed by a literature-based questionnaire. The Health Concern Scale was used to measure participants' attitudes toward health. The median intake of fermented dairy products was 0.8 portion/day (IQR: 0.4-1.6). Intake of fermented dairy products was associated with a higher MEDAS score. We observed that people with the highest intake of fermented dairy products consumed more oils, vegetables, wine, legumes, fish and seafood, sweets and pastries, nuts, had a higher preference for white meat and were more likely to report their perceived benefits to maintain body weight, reduce cardiovascular risk, and improve immune and dental health. Moreover, a high intake of fermented dairy products was positively related to paying more attention to health. Our study identified patterns of health behaviors associated with the frequent consumption of fermented dairy products. We observed that the intake of fermented dairy products is associated with better diet quality, consumer self-consciousness, and a greater attitude toward personal health.