Current Market Trends and Future Directions

Hydrolyzation of snail (Achatina fulica) meat with rice water as novel probiotic supplements for animal feed

Background and Aim: Snail meat and digestive tract hydrolyzate fermented with a consortium of preserved rice water microorganisms could serve as new sources of probiotics. Microorganisms from the examined feed supplement were isolated, identified, and characterized for resistance at low pH and with bile salts. The study aimed to determine the potential hydrolysate of the snail meat and digestive tract as a novel probiotic supplement for animal feed at various pH values and Oxgall. Materials and Methods: The submerged fermentation method was conducted for 21 days to examine the novel probiotic that originated from snail microorganisms in the hydrolyzed liquid fermented by finely ground snail meat and the digestive tract. The microorganisms in the hydrolyzate were isolated by a spread plate method, while the potential of the probiotic hydrolyzate was tested for resistance to pH values of 2, 2.5, 3, and 4, as well as resistance to bile salts at Oxgall concentrations of 0.2%, 0.3%, 0.5%, 1%, and 2%. Results: The hydrolyzate profile of snail meat and digestive tract contained five isolates of lactic acid bacteria that could serve as potential probiotics. Conclusion: The application of fermentation technology using a consortium of preserved rice water microorganisms can convert snail meat and the digestive tract into novel probiotic products that could be utilized in feed supplements.

Survivability of Probiotic Bacteria in Model Systems of Non-Fermented and Fermented Coconut and Hemp Milks

This study aimed at determining the survivability of probiotic bacteria cultures in model non-dairy beverages subjected or not to the fermentation and storage processes, representing milk substitutes. The experimental material included milks produced from desiccated coconut and non-dehulled seeds of hemp (Cannabis sativa L.). The plant milks were subjected to chemical and microbiological evaluation immediately after preparation as well as on day 7, 14, and 21 of their cold storage. Study results proved that the produced and modified plant non-dairy beverages could be the matrix for probiotic bacteria. The fermentation process contributed to increased survivability of Lactobacillus casei subsp. rhamnosus in both coconut and hemp milk. During 21-day storage of inoculated milk substitutes, the best survivability of Lactobacillus casei was determined in the fermented coconut milk. On day 21 of cold storage, the number of viable Lactobacillus casei cells in the fermented coconut and hemp milks ensured meeting the therapeutic criterion. Due to their nutritional composition and cell count of bacteria having a beneficial effect on the human body, the analyzed groceries—offering an alternative to milk—represent a category of novel food products and their manufacture will contribute to the sustainable development of food production and to food security assurance.

Database and Bioinformatics Studies of Probiotics

Probiotics have been widely explored for health benefits, animal cares, and agricultural applications. Recent advances in microbiome, microbiota, and microbial dark matter research have fueled greater interests in and paved ways for the study of the mechanisms of probiotics and the discovery of new probiotics from uncharacterized microbial sources. A probiotics database named PROBIO was developed to facilitate these efforts and the need for the information on the known probiotics, which provides the comprehensive information about the probiotic functions of 448 marketed, 167 clinical trial/field trial, and 382 research probiotics for use or being studied for use in humans, animals, and plants. The potential applications of the probiotics data are illustrated by several literature-reported investigations, which have used the relevant information for probing the function and mechanism of the probiotics and for discovering new probiotics. PROBIO can be accessed free of charge at http://bidd2.nus.edu.sg/probio/homepage.htm .

Survival of Probiotics in Hypromellose Capsules with Rice or Potato Maltodextrin Excipient

There is currently no authorized or established therapeutic level/dose of probiotics for proposed health benefits; however, a daily probiotic consumption of 10⁸ to 10¹⁰ CFU has been recommended. This study determined the survival of 5 individual probiotic strains, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus paracasei, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus acidophilus, and Bifidobacterium lactis, along with a mixture of the 5 strains in hypromellose capsules with rice or potato maltodextrin at 4, 25, and 37 °C for 12 mo. Samples were collected monthly and plated on deMan-Rogosa Sharpe agar with 0.05% l-cysteine hydrochloride. Results showed that samples stored at 4 °C had an average count of 10⁸ to 10¹¹ CFU/g of probiotic cells during the 12 mo period, whereas at 25 °C, L. rhamnosus and L. paracasei had an average counts below 10⁸ CFU/g during the storage period. L. rhamnosus was the most vulnerable strain used in this study, having the least viable counts at all 3 storage temperatures. Probiotics stored in rice maltodextrin, on average, had higher probiotic counts compared to those stored in potato maltodextrin. Study suggests that to provide consumers with 10⁸ to 10¹⁰ CFU/d of probiotic cells, robust bacterial strains, suitable carriers, and a storage temperature of 4 °C are required.