Probiotic Potential of Lactic Acid Bacteria from Yellow Bamboo Shoot Fermentation using 2.5% and 5% Brine at Room Temperature

Othman M., Ariff A.B., Rios-Solis L., Halim M.

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are industrially important microorganisms recognized for their fermentative ability mostly in their probiotic benefits as well as lactic acid production for various applications. Nevertheless, lactic acid fermentation often suffers end-product inhibition which decreases the cell growth rate. The inhibition of lactic acid is due to the solubility of the undissociated lactic acid within the cytoplasmic membrane and insolubility of dissociated lactate, which causes acidification of cytoplasm and failure of proton motive forces. This phenomenon influences the transmembrane pH gradient and decreases the amount of energy available for cell growth. In general, the restriction imposed by lactic acid on its fermentation can be avoided by extractive fermentation techniques, which can also be exploited for product recovery.

MAGALA M., KOHAJDOVÁ Z., KAROVIČOVÁ J., GREIFOVÁ M., HOJEROVÁ J.

Nuraida L.

Traditional Indonesian fermented foods can be used as potential sources of probiotics as they commonly contain lactic acid bacteria (LAB), including species of Lactobacillus, Pediococcus, Enterococcus, Weisella and Leuconostoc. The occurrence of LAB in Indonesian fermented foods is not only limited to lactic fermented foods but is also present in foods with molds as the main starter culture. This review aims to describe the significance of Indonesian fermented foods as potential sources of probiotics and the potential of LAB from fermented foods to promote beneficial health effects. A number of in vitro studies have been carried out to assess the probiotic potential of LAB from fermented foods. Many LAB strains have met the basic requirements for them to be considered as probiotics and possess some functional properties contributing to positive health impacts. Hypocholesterolemic effects, stimulation of the immune system, and prevention of diarrhea by some probiotic strains have been shown in animal studies. However, human studies on the efficacy of probiotic strains are still limited. Two strains isolated from dadih, a fermented buffalo milk, are examples of promising probiotic strains that have gone through human studies. The potential probiotic properties of LAB in Indonesian fermented foods still need to be fully investigated to assess their impact on human health. The studies should also consider factors that may influence the functional properties of probiotics, both in foods and in humans.

Klayraung S.

. A.S., . C.A., . I.H., . A.S.

Karovičová J., Kohajdová Z.

Saarela M., Mogensen G., Fondén R., Mättö J., Mattila-Sandholm T.

During the past two decades probiotic (health promoting) micro-organisms have been increasingly included in various types of food products, especially in fermented milks. Several aspects, including safety, functional and technological characteristics, have to be taken into consideration in the selection process of probiotic micro-organisms. Safety aspects include specifications such as origin (healthy human GI-tract), non-pathogenicity and antibiotic resistance characteristics. Functional aspects include viability and persistence in the GI-tract, immunomodulation, antagonistic and antimutagenic properties. Before probiotic strains, chosen on the basis of their good safety and functional characteristics, can benefit the consumer, they must first be able to be manufactured under industrial conditions. Furthermore, they have to survive and retain their functionality during storage, and also in the foods into which they are incorporated without producing off-flavours. Factors related to the technological and sensory aspects of probiotic food production are of utmost importance since only by satisfying the demands of the consumer can the food industry succeed in promoting the consumption of functional probiotic products in the future.

Zhang X., Wang A., Yao H., Zhou W., Wang M., Liang B., Wang F., Tong L.

Many delicious foods sniff smelly but taste palatable around the world. Canned herring is the most renowned representative of the world, while China boasts numerous frowzy but delectable fermented foods, including stinky tofu, river snails rice noodles, and stinky mandarin fish. River snails rice noodles, also named Luosifen, are a local specialty food in Liuzhou (Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China). This specialty snack has been sold to 28 countries and regions with the rapid development of pre-packaged river snails rice noodles, and it became the first "Internet celebrity" product in the field of convenience food in China. Pickled bamboo shoots, as the "soul" of Luosifen, present a unique fermented vinegary malodor with a crisp and refreshing taste. Consumers deeply love the distinctive flavor. Therefore, the variety of microorganisms and the composition of flavor compounds in pickled bamboo shoots are reviewed, and their relationships are summarized. The problems and challenges in large-scale industrial production of pickled bamboo shoots are discussed. The composition of microorganisms in pickled bamboo shoots is diverse, the dominant phyla are Firmicutes and Proteobacteria, the superior genera are Lactobacillus, Serratia, and so on, and the prominent species are Lactobacillus fermentum, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, and others. The main flavor compounds are aromatics, organic acids, alcohols, aldehydes, and esters. Among them, p-cresol is the primary substance responsible for the distinctive taste of pickled bamboo shoots. A notable positive association was noted between p-cresol and Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1. This information has a certain degree of impact on microbial control, flavor enhancement, and quality improvement in industrial production of pickled bamboo shoots, but further research is still needed.

Suwannaphan S.

<abstract> <p>The probiotic potential of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from Thai traditional fermented food was investigated. Forty-two samples were collected from four markets in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province. Out of 50 isolated LAB, 6 (a3, f4, f8, K1, K4 and K9) obtained from pla-ra and bamboo shoot pickle samples showed high tolerance to gastrointestinal tract conditions. These isolates were selected to identify and characterize their probiotic properties. Isolate a3 was identified as <italic>Weissella thailandensis</italic>, isolates f4 and f8 were identified as belonging to <italic>Enterococcus thailandicus</italic> and isolates K1, K4 and K9 were determined as <italic>Limosilactobacillus fermentum</italic>. All six LAB exhibited high autoaggregation ability (93.40–95.01%), while <italic>W. thailandensis</italic> isolate a3 showed potential for coaggregation in almost all the pathogenic bacteria tested. Cell-free supernatant (CFS) obtained from all isolates did not inhibit <italic>Staphylococcus aureus</italic>. CFS derived from <italic>L. fermentum</italic> isolate K4 showed the most efficient antimicrobial activity, in particular against Gram-negative bacteria, while <italic>L. fermentum</italic> isolate K4 presented high surface hydrophobicity in the presence of xylene and n-hexane. All LAB isolates were found to be resistant to clindamycin and nalidixic acid, whereas <italic>E. thailandicus</italic> isolate f8 exhibited resistance to most of the antibiotics tested. <italic>L. fermentum</italic> isolate K4 showed promise as a suitable probiotic candidate for future applications in the food industry due to tolerance to gastrointestinal tract conditions with high surface hydrophobicity and inhibited most of the pathogens tested.</p> </abstract>