Non-Dairy Fermented Beverages as Potential Carriers to Ensure Probiotics, Prebiotics, and Bioactive Compounds Arrival to the Gut and Their Health Benefits

Legumes as basic ingredients in the production of dairy-free cheese alternatives: a review

Research into dairy-free alternative products, whether plant-based or cell-based, is growing fast and the food industry is facing a new challenge of creating innovative, nutritious, accessible, and natural dairy-free cheese alternatives. The market demand for these products is continuing to increase owing to more people choosing to reduce or eliminate meat and dairy products from their diet for health, environmental sustainability, and/or ethical reasons. This review investigates the current status of dairy product alternatives. Legume proteins have good technological properties and are cheap, which gives them a strong commercial potential to be used in plant-based cheese-like products. However, few legume proteins have been explored in the formulation, development, and manufacture of a fully dairy-free cheese because of their undesirable properties: heat stable anti-nutritional factors and a beany flavor. These can be alleviated by novel or traditional and economical techniques. The improvement and diversification of the formulation of legume-based cheese alternatives is strongly suggested as a low-cost step towards more sustainable food chains. © 2021 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Food systems at a watershed: Unlocking the benefits of technology and ecosystem symbioses

The current food systems require change to improve sustainability resilience. Humans need food and food requires natural resources which have been consistently reduced, destroyed, or eliminated during human development, and excessive during the last 50-70 years. Though essential, there has been less of a focus on the inter-relations and inter-dependences of our food supply with and on the world's eco-system and organisms. Integrating evidence for the importance of plants, the microbiota in plants, animals and humans and their reciprocal effects of their interactions on food systems is essential for creating more inclusive strategies for future food systems. This review examines the role of plants, microorganisms, plant-microbial, animal-microbial, and human-microbial interactions, their co-evolution on the food supply and human and eco-systems well-being. It also recognizes the contribution of indigenous knowledge for lasting protection of the land, managing resources and biodiversity and the usefulness of food processing for producing safe, tasty, and nutritious food sustainably. We demonstrate that new targets and priorities for harnessing science and technology for improving food and nutritional security and avoiding environmental degradation and biodiversity loss are urgently needed. For improved long-term sustainability, the benefits of technology and ecosystem interactions must be unlocked.

Legumes and Legume-Based Beverages Fermented with Lactic Acid Bacteria as a Potential Carrier of Probiotics and Prebiotics

Fermentation is widely used in the processing of dairy, meat, and plant products. Due to the growing popularity of plant diets and the health benefits of consuming fermented products, there has been growing interest in the fermentation of plant products and the selection of microorganisms suitable for this process. The review provides a brief overview of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and their use in fermentation of legumes and legume-based beverages. Its scope also extends to prebiotic ingredients present in legumes and legume-based beverages that can support the growth of LAB. Legumes are a suitable matrix for the production of plant-based beverages, which are the most popular products among dairy alternatives. Legumes and legume-based beverages have been successfully fermented with LAB. Legumes are a natural source of ingredients with prebiotic properties, including oligosaccharides, resistant starch, polyphenols, and isoflavones. These compounds provide a broad range of important physiological benefits, including anti-inflammatory and immune regulation, as well as anti-cancer properties and metabolic regulation. The properties of legumes make it possible to use them to create synbiotic food, which is a source of probiotics and prebiotics.

Nutritional Content and Health Profile of Non-Dairy Plant-Based Yogurt Alternatives

Yogurt is considered a healthy, nutritious food in many cultures. With a significant number of people experiencing dairy intolerance, and support for a more sustainable diet, consumer demand for dairy alternatives has surged. The aim of this study was to conduct a cross-sectional survey of plant-based yogurt alternatives to assess their nutritional content and health profile. A total of 249 non-dairy yogurt alternatives were analyzed from the nutrition label listed on the commercial package. The various yogurt alternatives contained extracts of coconut (n = 79), almonds (n = 62), other nuts or seeds (n = 20), oats (n = 20), legumes (n = 16), and mixed blends (n = 52). At least one-third of the yogurt alternatives had 5 g or more of protein/serving. Only 45% of the yogurt alternatives had calcium levels fortified to at least 10% of daily value (DV), while only about one in five had adequate vitamin D and B12 fortification at the 10% DV level. One-half of the yogurt alternatives had high sugar levels, while 93% were low in sodium. Except for the coconut-based products, the yogurts were not high in fat or saturated fat. The yogurt alternatives were not fortified as frequently or to the same levels as the corresponding non-dairy, plant-based beverages.

Strategies to Improve the Potential Functionality of Fruit-Based Fermented Beverages

It is only recently that fermentation has been facing a dynamic revival in the food industry. Fermented fruit-based beverages are among the most ancient products consumed worldwide, while in recent years special research attention has been granted to assess their functionality. This review highlights the functional potential of alcoholic and non-alcoholic fermented fruit beverages in terms of chemical and nutritional profiles that impact on human health, considering the natural occurrence and enrichment of fermented fruit-based beverages in phenolic compounds, vitamins and minerals, and pro/prebiotics. The health benefits of fruit-based beverages that resulted from lactic, acetic, alcoholic, or symbiotic fermentation and specific daily recommended doses of each claimed bioactive compound were also highlighted. The latest trends on pre-fermentative methods used to optimize the extraction of bioactive compounds (maceration, decoction, and extraction assisted by supercritical fluids, microwave, ultrasound, pulsed electric fields, high pressure homogenization, or enzymes) are critically assessed. As such, optimized fermentation processes and post-fermentative operations, reviewed in an industrial scale-up, can prolong the shelf life and the quality of fermented fruit beverages.

Effect of Fermented Soymilk-Honey from Different Probiotics on Osteocalcin Level in Menopausal Women

Osteoporosis has been discovered to be a risk factor for menopausal women. Although synbiotics (probiotics and prebiotics) are found in fermented soymilk-honey made using local probiotics, their effect on osteocalcin levels is still unknown. Therefore, this study's objective was to determine the influence of fermented soymilk-honey from different probiotics on osteocalcin levels. A 90-day pre-post quasi-experimental study with a control design was conducted on 54 postmenopausal women divided into three intervention groups namely, the soymilk (SM) group, the soymilk-honey fermented with Lactobacillus casei subsp. casei R-68 (SMH Lc) group, and the soymilk-honey fermented with Lactobacillus plantarum 1 R 1.3.2 (SMH Lp) group. Participants consumed 100 mL of soymilk (SM) or fermented soymilk with honey (SMH Lc or SMH Lp) for 90 days. At the beginning and end of the study, the blood serum osteocalcin level was measured and subjects' health status was assessed, such as cholesterol total, random blood glucose, and uric acid levels. Our results presented that in the SMH Lp group, 90 days supplementation of soy-honey milk fermented with Lactobacillus plantarum 1 R 1.3.2 significantly reduced the level of blood serum osteocalcin. Based on these results it is justified to perform more detailed studies on the effect of fermented soy-honey milk on bone health.

Lactiplantibacillus plantarum CCMA 0743 and Lacticaseibacillus paracasei subsp. paracasei LBC-81 metabolism during the single and mixed fermentation of tropical fruit juices

Fruit juices have shown promising results as new probiotic carriers. This study aimed to evaluate acerola, jelly palm, and passion fruit juices as substrates for fermentation using Lactiplantibacillus plantarum CCMA 0743 and Lacticaseibacillus paracasei LBC-81 in single and mixed cultures. First, the juices were evaluated as substrate and selected based on bacterial growth performance during fermentation. Afterward, the impact of fermentation on sugars, organic acids, and bioactive compounds was also appraised. Phytochemical modification of three different juices fermented by lactic acid bacteria at 37 °C/24 h was evaluated. After 18 h of fermentation, passion fruit juice showed higher cell viable counts of single and mixed L. plantarum CCMA 0743 culture, above 9.00 Log CFU/mL, and pH between 4.07 and 4.10. Sugars consumption and organic acid production were influenced by juice composition and culture used. The mixed culture reduced the total sugars in the passion fruit juice by approximately 53.0% (8.51 g/L). Lactic acid was the main product of the sugars fermentation, with higher concentrations detected in passion fruit juice (8.39-11.23 g/L). Bioactive compounds were analyzed on the selected substrate. The fermentative process reduced antioxidant activity and carotenoid content. However, single L. plantarum CCMA 0743 culture increased the yellow flavonoid content of passion fruit juice by approximately 3.0 µg/mL. L. plantarum CCMA 0743 showed high and suitable cell, viable counts, to claimed probiotic products, increasing bioactive compounds in passion fruit juice. Therefore, this strain and passion fruit substrate showed attractive potential to produce alternative and functional fermented fruit beverages.

Teff-Based Probiotic Functional Beverage Fermented with Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Lactobacillus plantarum

Consumers are demanding healthier foods, and the increasing drawbacks associated with dairy-based products have driven efforts to find plant-based probiotic alternatives. Consequently, this study aimed to evaluate the suitability of a teff-based substrate for delivering the potential probiotics, Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) and Lactobacillus plantarum A6 (LA6) with a view to developing probiotic functional beverages. Single-strain and mixed-strain fermentations were performed without any pH control. In single-strain fermentation, LA6 grew to 8.157–8.349 log cfu/mL. Titratable acidity (TA) and pH were measured between 0.513–1.360 g/L and 4.25–3.91, respectively. The explored optimum variables were fermentation time (15 h) and inoculum (6 log cfu/mL). As a result of fermentation, maltose and glucose decreased, but lactic and acetic acids increased. In mixed-strain fermentation, LGG and LA6 were able to grow to 8.247 and 8.416 log cfu/mL, respectively. The pH, TA, lactic, and acetic acids varied between 6.31–3.92, 0.329–1.501 g/L, 0–1672 mg/L, and 20–231.5 mg/L, respectively. In both fermentations, microbial growth reached the stationary phase close to a pH of 4.21–4.82 while sugars were not consumed completely. Less than 5% ethanol was detected, which indicated a non-alcoholic beverage. A combination of the two evaluated lactobacilli strains reduced fermentation time. In conclusion, a substrate made of whole grain teff flour without any supplement could be used as a substrate to produce functional probiotic beverages.

The Application of Spray-Dried and Reconstituted Flaxseed Oil Cake Extract as Encapsulating Material and Carrier for Probiotic Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG

Agro-industrial by-products are promising source of biopolymers, including proteins and polysaccharides. This study was designed to evaluate the flaxseed oil cake extract (FOCE) as natural encapsulating material and carrier for probiotic Lacticaseibacillus rhamnous GG (LGG). The powders were obtained using three spray drying inlet temperatures (110 °C, 140 °C, 170 °C), and reconstituted. The influence of temperature on water activity, morphology, chemical composition, flowability and cohesiveness of the powders was estimated. For all variants, the survival of bacteria during spray drying, and simulated passage through the gastrointestinal tract was evaluated. The preservation of LGG probiotic features such as cholesterol reduction, hydrophobicity and adhesion to mucin were examined. Results revealed that all physicochemical and functional characteristics of the powders were affected by the inlet temperature. This study demonstrated that FOCE is an appropriate matrix for spray drying (due to flaxseed proteins and polysaccharides) providing high survivability of bacteria (89.41-96.32%), that passed meaningfully through the simulated gastrointestinal tract (4.39-5.97 log reduction), largely maintaining their probiotic properties, being a promising environmentally-friendly carrier for probiotic LGG.

Water-Soluble Melanoidin Pigment as a New Antioxidant Component of Fermented Willowherb Leaves (Epilobium angustifolium)

Willowherb (Epilobium angustifolium L., family Onagraceae) is a well-known food and medicinal plant used after fermentation as a source of beverages with high antioxidant potential. Despite this long history of use, only a few papers have described the chemical profile and bioactivity of fermented willowherb tea in general. To understand the basic metabolic differences of non-fermented and fermented E. angustifolium leaves, we used general chemical analysis, high-performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array detection and electrospray ionization triple quadrupole mass spectrometric detection assay, and an isolation technique. As a result, the content of 14 chemical groups of compounds was compared in the two plant materials; 59 compounds were detected, including 36 new metabolites; and a new water-soluble phenolic polymer of melanoidin nature was isolated and characterized. The fundamental chemical shifts in fermented E. angustifolium leaves relate mainly to the decrease of ellagitannin content, while there is an increase of melanoidin percentage and saving of the antioxidant potential, despite the significant changes detected. The strong antioxidative properties of the new melanoidin were revealed in a series of in vitro bioassays, and a simulated gastrointestinal and colonic digestion model demonstrated the stability of melanoidin and its antioxidant activity. Finally, we concluded that the new melanoidin is a basic antioxidant of the fermented leaves of E. angustifolium, and it can be recommended for additional study as a promising food and medicinal antioxidant agent.

New Insight into Bacterial Interaction with the Matrix of Plant-Based Fermented Foods

Microorganisms have been harnessed to process raw plants into fermented foods. The adaptation to a variety of plant environments has resulted in a nearly inseparable association between the bacterial species and the plant with a characteristic chemical profile. Lactic acid bacteria, which are known for their ability to adapt to nutrient-rich niches, have altered their genomes to dominate specific habitats through gene loss or gain. Molecular biology approaches provide a deep insight into the evolutionary process in many bacteria and their adaptation to colonize the plant matrix. Knowledge of the adaptive characteristics of microorganisms facilitates an efficient use thereof in fermentation to achieve desired final product properties. With their ability to acidify the environment and degrade plant compounds enzymatically, bacteria can modify the textural and organoleptic properties of the product and increase the bioavailability of plant matrix components. This article describes selected microorganisms and their competitive survival and adaptation in fermented fruit and vegetable environments. Beneficial changes in the plant matrix caused by microbial activity and their beneficial potential for human health are discussed as well.

Selection of lactic acid bacteria with promising probiotic aptitudes from fruit and ability to survive in different food matrices

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are among the most prevalent microorganisms forming the autochthonous microbiota of fruit. This study aimed to select LAB isolates with probiotic aptitudes from apple, banana, grape, and orange through evaluation of in vitro safety, technological, and functional-related properties. The ability of most promising selected isolates to survive in commercial apple and orange juice, meat stew, vegetable puree, and UHT milk during 28 days of refrigeration storage was evaluated. Ninety-three isolates identified preliminarily as LAB were recovered from fruit and 66 of these isolates passed safety tests. Most of these isolates were pre-identified as belonging to Lactobacillus or Enterococcus genus based on MALDI-ToF MS profiling. These 66 isolates were categorized into three homogeneous groups based on a preliminary cluster analysis run with data from experiments to measure technological characteristics. Nine LAB isolates were selected as the most promising for probiotic use based on a principal component analysis run with data from experiments to measure probiotic-related properties. Four of these isolates were sensitive to different antibiotics and identified (16S-rRNA gene sequencing) as Lactobacillus brevis (recently reclassified as L. brevis) or Lactobacillus spp. These 4 selected isolates had high viable counts and high percentages of physiologically active cells in apple and orange juice, beef stew, vegetable puree, and UHT milk during refrigeration storage. The results showed that apple, banana, orange, and grape are potential sources of LAB with aptitudes to be exploited for a possible probiotic use and distinguished abilities to survive in different food matrices.

Development of Probiotic Almond Beverage Using Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GR-1 Fortified with Short-Chain and Long-Chain Inulin Fibre

Plant-based beverages are growing in popularity due to the rise of vegetarianism and other health trends. A probiotic almond beverage that combines the properties of almonds, inulin, and Lacticaseibacillusrhamnosus GR-1 may meet the demand for a non-dairy health-promoting food. The purpose of this study was to investigate the viability of L. rhamnosus GR-1 and pH in five fermented almond beverage samples, supplemented with either 2% or 5% (w/v) short-chain or long-chain inulin over 9 h of fermentation and 30 days of refrigerated storage. All almond beverage samples achieved a mean viable count of at least 107 CFU/mL during 9h of fermentation and 30 days of refrigerated storage. The probiotic almond beverage supplemented with 2% (w/v) short-chain inulin had a significantly higher mean microbial count (p = 0.048) and lower pH (p < 0.001) throughout fermentation, while the control and the long-chain inulin treatments had the lowest viable counts and acidity, respectively. This study shows that the addition of short-chain and long-chain inulin had no adverse effects on the viability of L. rhamnosus GR-1. Therefore, the probiotic almond beverage has the potential to be a valid alternative to dairy-based probiotic products.

Green and white teas as health-promoting foods

Tea is one of the most consumed beverages around the world and as such, it is constantly the object of novel research. This review focuses on the research performed during the last five years to provide an updated view of the current position of tea regarding human health. According to most authors, tea health benefits can be traced back to its bioactive components, mostly phenolic compounds. Among them, catechins are the most abundant. Tea has an important antioxidant capacity and anti-inflammatory properties, which make this beverage (or its extracts) a potential aid in the fight against several chronic diseases. On the other hand, some studies report the possibility of toxic effects and it is advisable to reduce tea consumption, such as in the last trimester of pregnancy. Additionally, new technologies are increasing researchers' possibilities to study the effect of tea on human gut microbiota and even against SARS CoV-2. This beverage favours some beneficial gut microbes, which could have important repercussions due to the influence of gut microbiota on human health.

Barley-based probiotic food mixture: health effects and future prospects

Consumers around the globe are increasingly aware of the relation between nutrition and health. In this sense, food products that can improve gastrointestinal health such as probiotics, prebiotics and synbiotics are the most important segment within functional foods. Cereals are the potential substrates for probiotic products as they contain nutrients easily assimilated by probiotics and serve as the transporters of Lactobacilli through the severe conditions of gastrointestinal tract. Barley is one of the important substrates for the probiotic formulation because of its high phenolic compounds, β-glucans and tocols. The purpose of this review is to examine recent information regarding barley-based probiotic foods with a specific focus on the potential benefits of barley as a substrate for probiotic microorganisms in the development of dairy and nondairy based food products, and to study the effects of food matrices containing barley β-glucans on the growth and features of Lactobacillus strains after fermentation.

Functional Food for the Stimulation of the Immune System Against Malaria

Drug resistance has become a threat to global health, and new interventions are needed to control major infectious diseases. The composition of gut microbiota has been linked to human health and has been associated with severity of malaria. Fermented foods contribute to the community of healthy gut bacteria. Despite the studies connecting gut microbiota to the prevention of malaria transmission and severity, research on developing functional foods for the purpose of manipulating the gut microbiota for malaria control is limited. This review summarizes recent knowledge on the role of the gut microbiota in malaria prevention and treatment. This information should encourage the search for lactic acid bacteria expressing α-Gal and those that exhibit the desired immune stimulating properties for the development of functional food and probiotics for malaria control.

The combined effect of fermentation of lactic acid bacteria and in vitro digestion on metabolomic and oligosaccharide profile of oat beverage

Oat (Avena sativa L.) is widely appreciated for its beneficial properties for human health, which have led to the introduction of more food products on the market, including oat beverages. The fibre components found in the oat are recognized for their beneficial effects, despite other bioactive compounds with healthy properties being present. This work aimed to evaluate the metabolites profile of a commercial oat beverage, either fermented with lactic bacteria or not, following in vitro gastro-intestinal digestion. UHPLC-QTOF untargeted metabolomics allowed investigation of the bioaccessibility of health-related metabolites from the oat beverage at the intestinal level. The results identified flavonoids, phenolic acids (avenanthramides), amino acids and steroids as the major classes of compounds. In particular, after in vitro digestion, amino acids, peptides, and phenolic acids showed the highest increases. The co-fermentation of oat milk by Lactobacillus spp. and Bifidobacterium spp. strains decreased the levels of both lignans and phytic acid, while increased the levels of some polyphenols like avenanthramides. Furthermore, fermentation by microorganisms increased the bioaccessibility of specific amino acids, vitamins, and polyphenols (flavonoids and phenolic acids). Interestingly, despite lacking a significant part of beta-glucans, the HPAEC-PAD profiling of our oat beverage evidenced that the fermentation process did not alter the oligosaccharides profile, thus preserving its prebiotic potential. The phytochemical profile of oat milk was shown to have a functional potential. Nonetheless, the fermentation by bacterial strains changed the profile of metabolites during in vitro digestion, thus offering an interesting option in the future development of cereal-based beverages.

Production and Characterization of a Novel Gluten-Free Fermented Beverage Based on Sprouted Oat Flour

This study investigates the use of sprouted oat flour as a substrate to develop a novel gluten-free beverage by fermentation with a probiotic (Lactobacillus plantarum WCFS1) starter culture. Physicochemical, microbiological, nutritional and sensory properties of sprouted oat fermented beverage (SOFB) were characterized. After fermentation for 4 h, SOFB exhibited an acidity of 0.42 g lactic acid/100 mL, contents of lactic and acetic acids of 1.6 and 0.09 g/L, respectively, and high viable counts of probiotic starter culture (8.9 Log CFU/mL). Furthermore, SOFB was a good source of protein (1.7 g/100 mL), β-glucan (79 mg/100 mL), thiamine (676 μg/100 mL), riboflavin (28.1 μg/100 mL) and phenolic compounds (61.4 mg GAE/100 mL), and had a high antioxidant potential (164.3 mg TE/100 mL). Spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms were not detected in SOFB. The sensory attributes evaluated received scores higher than 6 in a 9-point hedonic scale, indicating that SOFB was well accepted by panelists. Storage of SOFB at 4 °C for 20 days maintained L. plantarum viability and a good microbial quality and did not substantially affect β-glucan content. SOFB fulfils current consumer demands regarding natural and wholesome plant-based foods.

Probiotic properties of lactic acid bacteria isolated from traditionally prepared dry starters of the Eastern Himalayas

The Himalayan people prepare dry and oval to round-shaped starter cultures to ferment cereals into mild-alcoholic beverages, which contain lactic acid bacteria (LAB) as one of the essential microbiota. There is no report on probiotic characters of LAB isolated from dry starters. Hence, we screened the probiotic and some functional properties of 37 LAB strains isolated from dry starters of the Eastern Himalayas viz. marcha, phab, paa, pee and phut. About 38% of the LAB strains showed high survival rate (> 50%) at pH 3 and 0.3% bile salts. Enterococcus durans BPB21 and SMB7 showed the highest hydrophobicity percentage of 98%. E. durans DMB4 and SMB7 showed maximum cholesterol assimilation activity. About 65% of the LAB strains showed the ability to produce β galactosidase. Majority of the strains showed phytase activity, whereas none of the strain showed amylase activity. About 86% of LAB strains showed an optimum tolerance of 10% ethanol concentration. Genetic screening of some probiotic and functional marker genes have also been analysed. The occurrence of clp L gene, agu A gene (survival of gastrointestinal tract conditions), apf, mub1 and map A gene (adhesion genes) was higher compared to other genes. The occurrence of bsh gene (bile salt tolerance) was detected in Pediococcus pentosaceus SMB13-1 and Enterococcus faecium BPB11. Gene ped B for pediocin with amplicon size of 375 bp was detected in E. durans DMB13 and Pediococcus acidilactici AKB3. Detection of nutritional marker gene rib A and fol P in some strains showed the potential ability to synthesize riboflavin and folic acid. LAB with probiotic and functional properties may be explored for food industry in future.

Alginate- and Gelatin-Coated Apple Pieces as Carriers for Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis DSM 10140

Fruit and vegetables are considered good natural supports for microorganisms; however, probiotics could cause negative changes on some organoleptic and sensory traits. Thus, the main topic of this paper was the design of coated apple chips as carriers for probiotics with a high level of sensory traits. The research was divided into two steps. First, four functional strains (Limosilactobacillus reuteri DSM 20016, Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis DSM 10140, and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum c16 and c19) were immobilized on apple pieces through dipping of fruit chips in probiotic suspensions for different contact times (from 15 to 30 min) and stored at 4°C for 12 days. Periodically, the viable count was assessed. As a result of this step, a contact time of 15 min was chosen because it assured an optimal deposition of microorganisms. In the second step, apple pieces inoculated with B. animalis subsp. lactis DSM 10140 were coated with alginate and gelatin and stored at 4 and 8°C for 10 days; pH, microbiological counts, color (browning index), and sensory scores were evaluated. Bifidobacterium animalis DSM 10140 exerted a negative effect on apple chips and cause a significant browning; however, the use of coating counteracted this phenomenon. In fact, coated chips showed higher sensory scores and lower browning index. In addition, gelatin showed better performances in terms of probiotic viability, because at 8°C, a significant viability loss of B. animalis DSM 10140 (1.2 log cfu/g) was found on alginate-coated chips. Gelatin-coated apple pieces with B. animalis subsp. lactis DSM 10140 could be an attractive functional food for a wide audience, although further investigations are required on in vivo effects of this product after consumption.

Lactobacillus plantarum PMO 08 as a Probiotic Starter Culture for Plant-Based Fermented Beverages

Lactobacillus plantarum PMO 08 was evaluated as a starter culture for plant-based probiotic beverages. Its viability under various culture conditions and acidification ability in standardized tomato medium, fermentation parameters, and beverage properties were assessed. Lactobacillus plantarum PMO 08 could grow under various culture conditions; there was a high correlation between the incubation time to reach the optimal conditions and the inoculation concentration of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) (r² = 0.997). Acidity (0.958 ± 0.002%) and LAB count (9.78 ± 0.14 Log₁₀ CFU/mL) were significantly higher when fermented with L. plantarum than with the yogurt starter culture. A survival rate of 96% and 95% in artificial gastric juice and artificial intestinal juice, respectively, indicated that the probiotic requirements were met. The total polyphenol and glutamine content, and antioxidant activity increased after fermentation. The proline content significantly increased in L. plantarum PMO 08- fermented beverage. Thus, L. plantarum PMO 08 is an effective starter culture for non-dairy probiotic beverages whose functional quality may be improved by fermentation.

Dietary Plant-Origin Bio-Active Compounds, Intestinal Functionality, and Microbiome

In recent years, plant-origin bio-active compounds in foods (staple crops, fruit, vegetables, and others) have been gaining interest, and processes to consider them for public health recommendations are being presented and discussed in the literature. However, at times, it may be challenging to demonstrate causality, and there often is not a single compound–single effect relationship. Furthermore, it was suggested that health benefits may be due to metabolites produced by the host or gut microbiome rather than the food constituent per se. Over the years, compounds that were investigated were shown to increase gut microbial diversity, improve endothelial function, improve cognitive function, reduce bone loss, and many others. More recently, an additional and significant body of evidence further demonstrated the nutritional role and potential effects that plant-origin bio-active compounds might have on intestinal functionality (specifically the duodenal brush border membrane, morphology, and the abundance of health-promoting bacterial populations). Hence, the special issue “Dietary Plant-Origin Bio-Active Compounds, Intestinal Functionality, and Microbiome” comprises 11 peer-reviewed papers on the most recent evidence regarding the potential dietary intake and effects of plant-origin bio-active compounds on intestinal functionality, primarily in the context of brush border functional proteins (enzymes and transporters), mineral (and other nutrients) dietary bioavailability, and the intestinal microbiome. Original contributions and literature reviews further demonstrated the potential dietary relevance that plant bio-active compounds hold in human health and development. This editorial provides a brief and concise overview that addresses and summarizes the content of the Dietary Plant-Origin Bio-Active Compounds, Intestinal Functionality, and Microbiome special issue.

Can phytotherapy with polyphenols serve as a powerful approach for the prevention and therapy tool of novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)?

Much more serious than the previous severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus (CoV) outbreaks, the novel SARS-CoV-2 infection has spread speedily, affecting 213 countries and causing ∼17,300,000 cases and ∼672,000 (∼+1,500/day) deaths globally (as of July 31, 2020). The potentially fatal coronavirus disease (COVID-19), caused by air droplets and airborne as the main transmission modes, clearly induces a spectrum of respiratory clinical manifestations, but it also affects the immune, gastrointestinal, hematological, nervous, and renal systems. The dramatic scale of disorders and complications arises from the inadequacy of current treatments and absence of a vaccine and specific anti-COVID-19 drugs to suppress viral replication, inflammation, and additional pathogenic conditions. This highlights the importance of understanding the SARS-CoV-2 mechanisms of actions and the urgent need of prospecting for new or alternative treatment options. The main objective of the present review is to discuss the challenging issue relative to the clinical utility of plants-derived polyphenols in fighting viral infections. Not only is the strong capacity of polyphenols highlighted in magnifying health benefits, but the underlying mechanisms are also stressed. Finally, emphasis is placed on the potential ability of polyphenols to combat SARS-CoV-2 infection via the regulation of its molecular targets of human cellular binding and replication, as well as through the resulting host inflammation, oxidative stress, and signaling pathways.

Biotransformation of Flaxseed Oil Cake into Bioactive Camembert-Analogue Using Lactic Acid Bacteria, Penicillium camemberti and Geotrichum candidum

This study aimed at investigating the antioxidant activity, oxidative stability, physicochemical and microbial changes of innovative vegan Camembert-analogue based on flaxseed oil cake (FOC) which was produced using lactic acid bacteria (LAB), mold Penicillium camemberti (PC) and yeast Geotrichum candidum (GC). Two variants were prepared, namely with LAB + PC and LAB + PC + GC. After fermentation for 24 h at room temperature, the samples were stored for 14 days at 12 °C and maturated for 14 days at 6 °C. Changes in microbial population, polyphenolics, flavonoids, radical scavenging capacity were evaluated. Additionally, textural changes, pH, acidity, levels of proteins, free amino acids, reducing sugars, oil content and its oxidative stability were determined. Results showed that LAB as well as fungi were capable of growing well in the FOC without any supplementation and the products were characterized by a high antioxidant potential (high polyphenolics and flavonoids contents as well as 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), superoxide (O₂⁻) and hydroxyl (^·OH) radicals scavenging activity). This study has demonstrated that bioactivity as well as the physicochemical properties depend on the starter culture used. Due to functional and biochemical characteristics conferred to the obtained Camembert-analogues, the use of P. camemberti and G. candidum showed a potential for industrial application. There is a potential for these products to be used where non-dairy alternatives are desired.

Ultrasound-Attenuated Microorganisms Inoculated in Vegetable Beverages: Effect of Strains, Temperature, Ultrasound and Storage Conditions on the Performances of the Treatment

Four microorganisms (Lactobacillus acidophilus LA5, Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis DSM 10140 and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum c16 and c19) were attenuated through ultrasound (US) treatments (40% of power for 2, 4 and 6 min; and 60% for 2 min; pulses were set at 2 s) inoculated in rice–oats–almond–soy-based beverages and stored at 4 °C for eight days. All strains were able to survive throughout the storage independently by the food matrix. Concerning the effect on acidification, the results were analyzed through multifactorial analysis of variance (MANOVA) and the key-findings of this were: (i) The treatment with 40% of power for 6 min was the most efficient at delaying acidification; (ii) Lb. acidophilus LA5 showed the best capacity to delay acidification; (iii) in the soy-based beverage a lower acidification was found. In a second step, L. plantarum c16 and c19 were attenuated, inoculated in rice beverage, stored under a thermal abuse (for 4 and 24 h) and then at 4, 15 and 20 °C. The results showed that only when US were combined with refrigeration temperatures were they efficient at delaying acidification. Thus, a perspective for attenuation could be the optimization of the treatment to design an effective way to counteract acidification also under a thermal abuse.