Biodiversity and techno-functional properties of lactic acid bacteria in fermented hull-less barley sourdough

Lactic acid bacteria as an eco-friendly approach in plant production: Current state and prospects

Since the late nineteenth century, the agricultural sector has experienced a tremendous increase in chemical use in response to the growing population. Consequently, the intensive and indiscriminate use of these substances caused serious damage on several levels, including threatening human health, disrupting soil microbiota, affecting wildlife ecosystems, and causing groundwater pollution. As a solution, the application of microbial-based products presents an interesting and ecological restoration tool. The use of Plant Growth-Promoting Microbes (PGPM) affected positive production, by increasing its efficiency, reducing production costs, environmental pollution, and chemical use. Among these microbial communities, lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are considered an interesting candidate to be formulated and applied as effective microbes. Indeed, these bacteria are approved by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as Qualified Presumption of Safety statute and Generally Recognized as Safe for various applications. To do so, this review comes as a road map for future research, which addresses the different steps included in LAB formulation as biocontrol, bioremediation, or plant growth promoting agents from the isolation process to their field application passing by the different identification methods and their various uses. The plant application methods as well as challenges limiting their use in agriculture are also discussed.

Food phenolics and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum

Phenolic compounds are important constituents of plant food products. These compounds play a key role in food characteristics such as flavor, astringency and color. Lactic acid bacteria are naturally found in raw vegetables, being Lactiplantibacillus plantarum the most commonly used commercial starter for the fermentation of plant foods. Hence, the metabolism of phenolic compounds of L. plantarum has been a subject of study in recent decades. Such studies confirm that L. plantarum, in addition to presenting catalytic capacity to transform aromatic alcohols and phenolic glycosides, exhibits two main differentiated metabolic routes that allow the biotransformation of dietary hydroxybenzoic and hydroxycinnamic acid-derived compounds. These metabolic pathways lead to the production of new compounds with new biological and organoleptic properties. The described metabolic pathways involve the action of specialized esterases, decarboxylases and reductases that have been identified through genetic analysis and biochemically characterized. The purpose of this review is to provide a comprehensive and up-to-date summary of the current knowledge of the metabolism of food phenolics in L. plantarum.

Unlocking the potential of low FODMAPs sourdough technology for management of irritable bowel syndrome

Consumption of high FODMAP (Fermentable Oligo-, Di-, and Monosaccharides and Polyols) diet is the leading cause of alteration in the human gut microbiome, thereby, causing irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Therefore, sourdough technology can be exploited for reduction of FODMAPs in various foods to alleviate the symptoms of IBS. Several microorganisms viz. Pichia fermentans, Lactobacillus fetmentum, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Torulaspora delbrueckii, Kluyveromyces marxianus etc. have been identified for the production of low FODMAP type II sourdough fermented products. However, more research on regulation of end-product and volatilome profile is required for maximal exploitation of FODMAP-reducing microorganisms. Therefore, the present review is focused on utilisation of lactic acid bacteria and yeasts, alone and in synergy, for the production of low FODMAP sourdough foods. Moreover, the microbial bioprocessing of cereal and non-cereal based low FODMAP fermented sourdough products along with their nutritional and therapeutic benefits have been elaborated. The challenges and future prospects for the production of sourdough fermented low FODMAP foods, thereby, bringing out positive alterations in gut microbiome, have also been discussed.

Biodiversity and biotechnological properties of lactic acid bacteria isolated from traditional Moroccan sourdoughs

The present study aimed at characterizing lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains isolated from traditional sourdoughs collected in different regions of Morocco. Isolated strains were firstly identified using Gram staining and catalase reaction test. Presumptive LAB strains were then checked for various phenotypical properties including growth at 45 °C, resistance to NaCl, enzyme production, acidification capacity, diacetyl and exopolysaccharide (EPS) production, and antifungal activity. Finally, selected LAB strains were identified using 16S rDNA sequencing. Results showed that 32.1% of the isolates were thermophilic (45 °C) and 83.9% were resistant to NaCl (6.5%). Moreover, 51.7 and 37.5% were able to produce diacetyl and EPS, respectively. Regarding enzyme production, 55.3 and 7.1% of the isolates showed lipolytic and proteolytic activities, respectively. Low pH values (3.37-3.76) were obtained after 24 h of incubation of LAB strains in de Man, Rogosa and Sharpe (MRS) broth. Antifungal activity test against Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger and Penicillium spp. showed an inhibition rate up to 50%. Bacterial DNA sequencing showed that LAB isolates belong to seven species, chiefly Levilactobacillus brevis, Lentilactobacillus parabuchneri, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, Pediococcus pentosaceus, Enterococcus hirae, Bifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum, and Companilactobacillus paralimentarius. These findings, for the first time in Moroccan sourdoughs, indicate that the isolated LAB strains have good multifunctional properties and could be suitable as good starters for sourdough bread production under controlled conditions.

Composition of Polysaccharides in Hull-Less Barley Sourdough Bread and Their Impact on Physical Properties of Bread

The complex of polysaccharides of the grain transforms during processing and modifies the physical and chemical characteristics of bread. The aim of the research was to characterize the changes of glucans, mannans and fructans in hull-less barley and wholegrain wheat breads fermented with spontaneous hull-less barley sourdough, germinated hull-less barley sourdough and yeast, as well as to analyze the impact of polysaccharides on the physical parameters of bread. By using the barley sourdoughs for wholegrain wheat bread dough fermentation, the specific volume and porosity was reduced; the hardness was not significantly increased, but the content of β-glucans was doubled. Principal component analysis indicates a higher content of β-glucans and a lower content of starch, total glucans, fructans and mannans for hull-less barley breads, but wholegrain wheat breads fermented with sourdoughs have a higher amount of starch, total glucans, fructans and mannans, and a lower content of β-glucans. The composition of polysaccharides was affected by the type of flour and fermentation method used.

Effect of Fermentation Duration on the Quality Changes of Godulbaegi Kimchi

Fermentative and antioxidative characteristics of Godulbaegi kimchi (LGK), a traditional, fermented Korean food, were conducted. For the study, LGK kimchi was made of Godulbaegi kimchi with pepper powder, salted shrimp, refined salt, green onions, and so on, and fermented at 5C for 6 months. The pH was decreased, and total acidity was increased during fermentation. Furthermore, lactic acid bacteria and yeast were increased, while the total viable count was decreased. The LGK showed the highest DPPH-scavenging activity, phenol content, and nitrite-scavenging activity with methanol extract among methanol, ethanol, and water. In addition, we screened strains among LGK kimchi with high antimicrobial activity and isolated them. We tested antimicrobial activity for 20 lactic acid bacteria, and we separated and identified nine strains of lactic acid bacteria with high antimicrobial activity. Given these results, LGK is expected to be an effective food in considerable antioxidative activity with an antimicrobial effect. These results are expected to serve as basic data for the study of Godulbaegi kimchi.

Determination of Technological Parameters and Characterization of Microbiota of the Spontaneous Sourdough Fermentation of Hull-Less Barley

The development of microorganisms of sourdough and biodiversity of microbiota can be influenced by changing the parameters of the technological process such as the ratio of flour and added water, the fermentation temperature and time. The Box-Behnken design methodology was used to determine the optimal parameters for the three-phase spontaneous backslopping fermentation process of hull-less barley sourdough, as well as to characterize the microbiological diversity. The optimized parameters of backslopping fermentation are flour and water ratio 1:1.13, temperature 30 °C, time 24 h in the 1st backslopping; the inoculate, flour and water ratio 1:1:1.3, temperature 31 °C, time 14 h in the 2nd backslopping, and the inoculate, flour and water ratio 1:1:1.5, and temperature 28.5 °C, time 12 h in the 3rd step of backslopping. In the controlled spontaneous fermentation environment in three backslopping steps, the microbiological research of hull-less barley sourdough has confirmed the dominance of species Pediococcus pentosaceus in the 3rd backslopping step of spontaneous fermentation. The developed spontaneous hull-less barley sourdough is consistent with the number of lactic bacteria and yeasts in line with that seen by the active sourdough.

Sourdough production: fermentation strategies, microbial ecology, and use of non-flour ingredients

Sourdough production is an ancient method to ferment flour from cereals for the manufacturing of baked goods. This review deals with the state-of-the-art of current fermentation strategies for sourdough production and the microbial ecology of mature sourdoughs, with a particular focus on the use of non-flour ingredients. Flour fermentation processes for sourdough production are typically carried out by heterogeneous communities of lactic acid bacteria and yeasts. Acetic acid bacteria may also occur, although their presence and role in sourdough production can be criticized. Based on the inoculum used, sourdough productions can be distinguished in fermentation processes using backslopping procedures, originating from a spontaneously fermented flour-water mixture (Type 1), starter culture-initiated fermentation processes (Type 2), and starter culture-initiated fermentation processes that are followed by backslopping (Type 3). In traditional recipes for the initiation and/or propagation of Type 1 sourdough productions, non-flour ingredients are often added to the flour-water mixture. These ingredients may be the source of an additional microbial inoculum and/or serve as (co-)substrates for fermentation. An example of the former is the addition of yoghurt; an example of the latter is the use of fruit juices. The survival of microorganisms transferred from the ingredients to the fermenting flour-water mixture depends on the competitiveness toward particular strains of the microbial species present under the harsh conditions of the sourdough ecosystem. Their survival and growth is also determined by the presence of the appropriate substrates, whether or not carried over by the ingredients added.

Statistical Approach to Potentially Enhance the Postbiotication of Gluten-Free Sourdough

Fermented products are permanently under the attention of scientists and consumers, both due to nutritional importance and health promoting effects. The fermented functional foods contribute to a more balanced diet and increase the immune responses (among many other health effects) with positive implications for quality of life. In this sense, improving the sourdough’s fermentation to boost the biotic (postbiotic and paraprobiotic) properties of the sourdough-based products has positive impacts on the nutritional and functional properties of the final baked products. These enhanced sourdoughs can be obtained in controlled fermentation conditions and used as sourdough bread improvers or novel bioingredients. In this context, our work aimed to optimize, using statistical tools, a gluten-free sourdough based on chickpea, quinoa, and buckwheat fermentation with selected lactic acid bacteria (LAB) to enhance its postbiotic properties. The most important biotechnological parameters were selected by Plackett–Burman Design (PBD) and then Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was applied to evaluate the interactions between the selected factors to maximize the gluten-free sourdough’s properties. As a result, the optimized fermented sourdough had antimicrobial activity with inhibition ratios between 71 and 100% against the Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus, Penicillium spp. molds and against the Bacillus spp endospore-forming Gram-positive rods. The optimized variant showed a total titratable acidity (TTA) of 40.2 mL NaOH 0.1N. Finally, the high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis highlighted a heterofermentative profile for the organic acids from the optimized sourdough. Among flavonoids and polyphenols, the level of caffeic and vanillic acids increased after lactic acid fermentation. The comparison between the optimized sourdough and the control evidenced significant differences in the metabolite profiles, thus highlighting its potential postbiotication effect.

Functional and Healthy Features of Conventional and Non-Conventional Sourdoughs

Sourdough is a composite ecosystem largely characterized by yeasts and lactic acid bacteria which are the main players in the fermentation process. The specific strains involved are influenced by several factors including the chemical and enzyme composition of the flour and the sourdough production technology. For many decades the scientific community has explored the microbiological, biochemical, technological and nutritional potential of sourdoughs. Traditionally, sourdoughs have been used to improve the organoleptic properties, texture, digestibility, palatability, and safety of bread and other kinds of baked products. Recently, novel sourdough-based biotechnological applications have been proposed to meet the demand of consumers for healthier and more natural food and offer new inputs for the food industry. Many researchers have focused on the beneficial effects of specific enzymatic activities or compounds, such as exopolysaccharides, with both technological and functional roles. Additionally, many studies have explored the ability of sourdough lactic acid bacteria to produce antifungal compounds for use as bio-preservatives. This review provides an overview of the fundamental features of sourdoughs and their exploitation to develop high value-added products with beneficial microorganisms and/or their metabolites, which can positively impact human health.

Technological and Safety Attributes of Lactic Acid Bacteria and Yeasts Isolated from Spontaneously Fermented Greek Wheat Sourdoughs

The aim of the present study was to assess the technological and safety potential of 207 lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and 195 yeast strains isolated from spontaneously fermented Greek wheat sourdoughs. More accurately, the amylolytic, proteolytic, lipolytic, phytase and amino acid decarboxylase activities, along with the production of exopolysaccharides and antimicrobial compounds by the LAB and yeast isolates, were assessed. A well diffusion assay revealed seven proteolytic LAB and eight yeast strains; hydrolysis of tributyrin was evident only in 11 LAB strains. A further Sodium Dodecyl Sulphate-Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) indicated partial hydrolysis of gluten. Lipolysis kinetics over 21 days was applied, exhibiting that lipolytic activity ranged from 6.25 to 65.50 AU/mL. Thirteen LAB inhibited Penicillium olsonii and Aspergillus niger growth and 12 yeast strains inhibited Pe. chrysogenum growth. Twenty-one Lactiplantibacillus plantarum strains exhibited inhibitory activity against Listeria monocytogenes, as well as several sourdough-associated isolates. The structural gene encoding plantaricin 423 was detected in 19 Lcb. plantarum strains, while the structural genes encoding plantaricins NC8, PlnE/F, PlnJ/K, and S were detected in two Lcb. plantarum strains. None of the microbial strains tested exhibited exopolysaccharide (EPS) production, amino acid decarboxylase, amylolytic or phytase activity. The technological and safety potential of the Lcb. plantarum and Wickerhamomyces anomalus strains was highlighted, since some of them exhibited proteolytic, lipolytic, antibacterial and antimould activities.

Diversity and dynamics of sourdough lactic acid bacteriota created by a slow food fermentation system

Sourdough is a naturally fermented dough that is used worldwide to produce a variety of baked foods. Various lactic acid bacteria (LAB), which can determine the quality of sourdough baked foods by producing metabolites, have been found in the sourdough ecosystem. However, spontaneous fermentation of sourdough leads to unpredictable growth of various micro-organisms, which result in unstable product quality. From an ecological perspective, many researchers have recently studied sourdough LAB diversity, particularly the elucidation of LAB community interactions and the dynamic mechanisms during the fermentation process, in response to requests for the control and design of a desired sourdough microbial community. This article reviews recent advances in the study of sourdough LAB diversity and its dynamics in association with unique characteristics of the fermentation system; it also discusses future perspectives for better understanding of the complex sourdough microbial ecosystem, which can be attained efficiently by both in vitro and in situ experimental approaches.