Application of Cheese Whey Containing Postbiotics of Lactobacillus acidophilus LA5 and Bifidobacterium animalis BB12 as a Preserving Liquid in High-Moisture Mozzarella

Chia seed mucilage film with Lactobacillus acidophilus LA-5 postbiotics: Preparation and antimicrobial performance in ultra-filter cheese against Escherichia coli O157:H7

A novel biopolymer-based film with antibacterial properties was developed using chia seed mucilage (CSM) and postbiotics. Postbiotics were prepared from Lactobacillus acidophilus LA-5 using Ultra-filter (UF) cheese whey as the culture medium, as a sustainable approach. CSM -LA-5 films containing LA-5 postbiotics (200 mg/mL) and CSM were prepared using a casting method. The CSM film exhibited a weak inhibitory effect against Escherichia coli O157:H7 (12.2 ± 0.2 mm). However, incorporating LA-5 into the CSM film significantly enhanced (P < 0.05) antimicrobial activity, resulting in a larger inhibition zone (15.3 ± 0.5 mm). The presence of active LA-5 postbiotic compounds in the CSM -LA-5 film was confirmed using FTIR spectroscopy. Field Emission Scanning electron microscopy images confirmed the even distribution of LA-5 on the CSM film. The embedding of postbiotics in the CSM film caused changes in CSM mechanical properties, which decreased tensile strength (from 0.98 MPa to 0.49 MPa) and increased strain-to-break (from 209 % to 276 %), mostly owing to the presence of high molecular weight compounds. The antimicrobial properties of the films were evaluated against E. coli in UF cheese. The initial bacterial count on the surface of UF white cheese (∼ 4.46 log10 CFU/g) was completely inactivated by CSM -LA5 (200 mg/mL) after 15 days of storage at 4 °C. In contrast, reductions in E. coli of about 2.46 and 1.81 log10 CFU/g were observed after 15 days in the CSM film and control group, respectively. Biopolymer-based films incorporating LA-5 postbiotics exhibit innovative antibacterial properties and are thus suitable for use in cheese packaging.

Investigating Chemical Composition and Functionality of Lactobacillus acidophilus LA-5 Postbiotics Prepared in Classic and Cheese Whey Media

This study aimed to characterize two types of postbiotics from Lactobacillus acidophilus LA-5 prepared in De Man, Rogosa, and Sharpe (MRS-Pb) and UF cheese whey (W-Pb). We compared the chemical compositions, functional properties, and toxicities of the prepared probiotics. Assessments included antimicrobial and antioxidant activities, total and individual phenolic compounds, volatile compounds, individual free amino acids, and organic acid contents. Cytotoxicity and potential effects on cell proliferation were assessed using MTT and wound healing assays in HCT-116 intestinal epithelial cancer cells. The results revealed differences in the chemical composition of the two postbiotics. Citric, lactic, and butyric acids were the main organic acids in W-Pb, whereas malic and acetic acids were the main organic acids in MRS-Pb. High levels of hydrocarbons were found in MRS-Pb. W-Pb exhibited potent antimicrobial activity against Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli than MRS-Pb, while the antioxidant potential of MRS-Pb was higher than that of W-Pb. L. acidophilus postbiotics significantly reduced HCT-116 cell viability in a dose-dependent manner (10, 20, and 40 mg/mL for MRS-Pb and 10 and 20 mg/mL for W-Pb). MRS-Pb exhibited more potent effects and cytotoxicity than W-Pb did. Postbiotics did not affect HCT-116 cell proliferation or migration. Both postbiotics increased TAC in a concentration-dependent manner in treated cells, with MRS-Pb showing a stronger effect. These results suggest that the type of culture medium can significantly affect the bioactive properties, chemical composition, and toxicity of postbiotics.

Investigating the Antibacterial, Antioxidant, and Cholesterol-lowering Properties of Yogurt Fortified with Postbiotic of Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum in the Wistar Rat Model

Postbiotics have gained attention in the food industry due to their functional properties and ease of use compared to their live parent cells. Postbiotics are the metabolic byproducts of probiotic microorganisms, offering advantages such as antimicrobial and anti-diabetic effects. The study aimed to explore the potential antibacterial, antioxidant, and cholesterol-lowering effects of postbiotics from Lactobacillus acidophilus (LA) and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (LbP) through in vitro and in vivo studies. Freeze-dried postbiotics from L. acidophilus BLAC 258 and L. plantarum were used in yogurt to inhibit foodborne pathogens over a 21-day storage period at 4 °C. The cholesterol-lowering effects of the postbiotic yogurt were assessed in Wistar rats fed with Normal Basal Diet (NBD) and High Cholesterol Diet (HCD). All experiments were performed in triplicate, and the collected data were analyzed with a one-way ANOVA using SPSS v.20 (2021) software. The Tukey Honestly Significant Difference (HSD) test was used for means differences at the 95% confidence interval. The results showed that postbiotic-fortified yogurt exhibited significant antioxidant and antibacterial effects. The antioxidant capacity of the yogurt increasingly peaked at 48.81% on day 14. Also, Listeria monocytogenes counts in the postbiotic yogurt decreased by approximately 2 Log10 on day 3. High-cholesterol-fed rats receiving postbiotic yogurt experienced significant reductions in total cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL levels. Overall results indicate that postbiotics functional yogurt might be a safe and effective strategy for managing cholesterol levels and inhibiting foodborne pathogens.

A Novel Approach to the Use of Xanthan Gum: Evaluation of Probiotic Promoter, Postbiotic Formation and Techno-Functional Effect

In the present study, the effect of xanthan gum was evaluated on the metabolic activity and survival of two probiotic strains, namely B. lactis and L. casei using in vitro assay and skim milk model system. In vitro assay was carried out identifying by pH, optical cell density (OD), and formation of postbiotics (lactic, acetic, propionic, and butyric acids) in different basal media including glucose, inulin, and xanthan gum as carbon source. The highest pH values were recorded for control (without carbon source) and media with xanthan gum, whereas the media with glucose and xanthan gum had the highest OD values. In comparison to strains, B. lactis had higher pH and lower OD values than L. casei. It was found that xanthan gum supported the formation of postbiotics as a result of bacterial fermentation. In the skim milk model system, xanthan gum did not negatively affect probiotic viability, and the counts of both strains were above the required level for health benefits (8 log cfu g-1) after 28-day storage. The use of xanthan gum in skim milk matrix positively affected techno-functional properties such as syneresis, color, and textural parameters of samples.

Feasibility of lactiplantibacillus plantarum postbiotics production in challenging media by different techniques

The postbiotic derived from Lactiplantibacillus plantarum bacteria was produced in three culture media: milk, MRS, and whey, and its antibacterial and antifungal properties were evaluated. To investigate the production efficiency of postbiotics, three methods, heating, sonication and centrifugation, were utilized to prepare postbiotics in MRS broth culture medium. The antibacterial potency of the postbiotic was evaluated using the agar well-diffusion method, and MIC and MBC tests were conducted for different treatments. The results of the study showed that the postbiotic prepared in food environments such as milk and cheese whey can have antibacterial and antifungal properties similar to the postbiotic prepared in the MRS culture medium. However, it is possible to enrich food matrices such as milk and cheese whey and make further adjustments in terms of pH settings. Additionally, the thermal process was able to create a nanoscale postbiotic, which is a significant achievement for the application of postbiotics in the food and pharmaceutical industries. The future outlook of postbiotics clearly indicates that the emergence of this generation of probiotics can have an attractive and functional position in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Therefore, future research focusing on this subject will contribute to the development of this generation of postbiotics.

Postbiotics-enriched flaxseed mucilage coating: A solution to improving postharvest quality and shelf life of strawberry

This research aimed to assess the effects of flaxseed mucilage (Mu) coatings supplemented with postbiotics (P) obtained from Lactobacillus acidophilus LA-5 on various physical, biochemical, and microbial characteristics of strawberry fruits. Strawberry fruits were immersed for 2 min in Mu2.5 (2.5 % mucilage in distilled water), Mu5 (5 % mucilage in distilled water), P-Mu2.5 (2.5 % mucilage in undiluted postbiotics) and P-Mu5 (5 % mucilage in undiluted postbiotics) solutions and were stored at 4 °C and 85 RH for 12 days. All coatings were effective in reducing fungal count compared to the uncoated control fruits. Mu5 coating exhibited the highest efficacy, reducing fungal count by 2.85 log10 CFU/g, followed by Mu2.5 (1.47 log10 CFU/g reduction) and P-Mu2.5 groups (0.90 log10 CFU/g reduction). The fruits coated with edible coatings showed significant delays in the change of weight loss, pH, and total soluble solids as compared to the uncoated fruits. The coating containing postbiotics i.e., P-Mu5 also showed a significant increase in the total phenolic contents, total flavonoid content, antioxidant capacity, and total anthocyanin content at the end of storage relative to the uncoated fruits. Thus, Mu and P-Mu coatings may be a useful approach to maintaining the postharvest quality of strawberry fruits during cold storage.

Beyond probiotics: Exploring the potential of postbiotics and parabiotics in veterinary medicine

Postbiotics and parabiotics (PP) are emerging fields of study in animal nutrition, preventive veterinary medicine, and animal production. Postbiotics are bioactive compounds produced by beneficial microorganisms during the fermentation of a substrate, while parabiotics are inactivated beneficial microbial cells, either intact or broken. Unlike probiotics, which are live microorganisms, PP are produced from a fermentation process without live cells and show significant advantages in promoting animal health owing to their distinctive stability, safety, and functional diversity. PP have numerous beneficial effects on animal health, such as enhancing growth performance, improving the immune system and microbiota of the gastrointestinal tract, aiding ulcer healing, and preventing pathogenic microorganisms from colonizing in the skin. Moreover, PP have been identified as a potential alternative to traditional antibiotics in veterinary medicine due to their ability to improve animal health without the risk of antimicrobial resistance. This review comprehensively explores the current research and applications of PP in veterinary medicine. We aimed to thoroughly examine the mechanisms of action, benefits, and potential applications of PP in various species, emphasizing their use specifically in livestock and poultry. Additionally, we discuss the various routes of administration to animals, including feed, drinking water, and topical use. This review also presents in-depth information on the methodology behind the preparation of PP, outlining the criteria employed to select appropriate microorganisms, and highlighting the challenges commonly associated with PP utilization in veterinary medicine.

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.

Development and properties of functional yoghurt enriched with postbiotic produced by yoghurt cultures using cheese whey and skim milk

This study aimed to examine the effects of supplementation of postbiotics derived from Streptococcus thermophilus (ST) and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus (LB) in cheese whey (CW) and skim milk (SM) on antioxidant activity, viability of yoghurt starters, and quality parameters of low-fat yoghurt during 22 days of storage. The LB-CW (L delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus postbiotic-containing cheese whey) sample exhibited the highest antioxidant activity, with 18.71% inhibition (p > 0.05). This sample also showed the highest water holding capacity (77.93%; p < 0.05) and a trend toward receiving the most favorable sensory attributes (p > 0.05) compared to the other samples. The LB-CW and LB-SM yoghurt samples exhibited significantly higher body and texture scores compared to the ST-SM-fortified yoghurt (p < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference in the overall acceptability of the LB-SM and ST-SM yoghurt samples across both starters (p > 0.05). Such findings highlight the potential of postbiotics as functional ingredients to enhance the nutritional and sensory aspects of yoghurt, further contributing to its appeal as a health-promoting product.

The potential of postbiotics as a novel approach in food packaging and biopreservation: a systematic review of the latest developments

Metabolic by-products are part of the so-called postbiotics of probiotics and other beneficial microorganisms, particularly lactic acid bacteria, which have gained popularity as a feasible alternative to improving food quality and safety. Postbiotics in dry and liquid forms can be easily integrated into food formulations and packaging materials, exhibiting antimicrobial and antioxidant effects owing to the presence of multiple antimicrobials, such as organic acids, bacteriocins, exopolysaccharides and bioactive peptides. Postbiotics can thus control the growth of pathogens and spoilage microorganisms, thereby extending the shelf life of food products. Because of their ability to be easily manufactured without requiring extensive processing, postbiotics are regarded as a safer and more sustainable alternative to synthetic preservatives, which can have negative environmental consequences. Additionally, food manufacturers can readily adopt postbiotics in food formulations without significant modifications. This systematic review provides an in-depth analysis of studies on the use of postbiotics in the biopreservation and packaging of a wide range of food products. The review evaluates and discusses the types of microorganisms, postbiotics preparation and modification techniques, methods of usage in dairy products, meat, poultry, seafood, fruits, vegetables, bread, and egg, and their effects on food quality and safety.

An edible coating utilizing Malva sylvestris seed polysaccharide mucilage and postbiotic from Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. boulardii for the preservation of lamb meat

Currently, microbial bioactive substances (postbiotics) are considered a promising tool for achieving customer demand for natural preservatives. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of an edible coating developed by Malva sylvestris seed polysaccharide mucilage (MSM) and postbiotics from Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. boulardii ATCC MYA-796 (PSB) for the preservation of lamb meat. PSB were synthesized, and a gas chromatograph connected to a mass spectrometer and a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer were used to determine their chemical components and main functional groups, respectively. The Folin-Ciocalteu and aluminium chloride techniques were utilized to assess the total flavonoid and phenolic levels of PSB. Following that, PSB has been incorporated into the coating mixture, which contains MSM, and its potential radical scavenging and antibacterial activities on lamb meat samples were determined after 10 days of 4 °C storage. PSB contains 2-Methyldecane, 2-Methylpiperidine, phenol, 2,4-bis (1,1-dimethyl ethyl), 5,10-Diethoxy-2,3,7,8- tetrahydro-1H,6H-dipyrrolo[1,2-a:1',2'-d] pyrazine, and Ergotaman-3',6',18-trione, 12'-hydroxy-2'-methyl-5'-(phenylmethyl)-, (5'alpha) as well as various organic acids with significant radical scavenging activity (84.60 ± 0.62 %) and antibacterial action toward Salmonella typhi, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, and Listeria innocua as foodborne pathogens. The edible PSB-MSM coating effectively reduced microbial growth and increased meat shelf life (> 10 days). When PSB solutions were added to the edible coating, the moisture content, pH value, and hardness of the samples were also more successfully maintained (P < 0.05). The PSB-MSM coating inhibited lipid oxidation in meat samples considerably and diminished the formation of primary as well as secondary oxidation intermediates (P < 0.05). Additionally, when MSM + 10 % PSB edible coating was utilized, the sensory properties of the samples were maintained more well during preservation. As a significance, the use of edible coatings based on PSB and MSM is efficient in decreasing microbiological and chemical degradation in lamb meat during preservation.

Essential oil-loaded starch/cellulose aerogel: Preparation, characterization and application in cheese packaging

Novel antimicrobial emitting aerogels based on starch/cellulose/Thymus daenensis Celak essential oil (SC-TDEO) were developed and optimized for antimicrobial packaging of Koopeh cheese. An aerogel formulation containing cellulose (1 %; extracted from sunflower stalks) and starch (5 %) in a 1:1 ratio was selected for in vitro antimicrobial assay and subsequent cheese application. The minimum inhibitory dose (MID) of TDEO in the vapor phase against Escherichia coli O157:H7 was determined by loading various concentrations of TDEO onto the aerogel, and an MID of 256 μL/L_headspace was recorded. Aerogels containing TDEO at 25 × MID and 50 × MID were then developed and used for cheese packaging. During a 21-day storage period, cheeses treated with SC-TDEO_{50 MID} aerogel exhibited a significant 3-log reduction in psychrophile counts and a 1-log reduction in yeast-mold counts. Moreover, significant changes in the population of E. coli O157:H7 were observed in cheese samples. After 7 and 14 days of storage with SC-TDEO_{25 MID} and SC-TDEO_{50 MID} aerogels, the initial bacterial count became undetectable, respectively. Sensory evaluations indicated that the samples treated with SC-TDEO_{25 MID} and SC-TDEO₅₀ aerogels received higher scores compared to the control group. These findings demonstrate the potential of the fabricated aerogel to develop antimicrobial packaging suitable for cheese applications.