Purified exopolysaccharides from Weissella confusa 11GU-1 and Propionibacterium freudenreichii JS15 act synergistically on bread structure to prevent staling

Biopolymer from Water Kefir as a Potential Clean-Label Ingredient for Health Applications: Evaluation of New Properties

The present work aimed to characterize the exopolysaccharide obtained from water kefir grains (EPSwk), a symbiotic association of probiotic microorganisms. New findings of the technological, mechanical, and biological properties of the sample were studied. The EPSwk polymer presented an Mw of 6.35 × 105 Da. The biopolymer also showed microcrystalline structure and characteristic thermal stability with maximum thermal degradation at 250 °C. The analysis of the monosaccharides of the EPSwk by gas chromatography demonstrated that the material is composed of glucose units (98 mol%). Additionally, EPSwk exhibited excellent emulsifying properties, film-forming ability, a low photodegradation rate (3.8%), and good mucoadhesive properties (adhesion Fmax of 1.065 N). EPSwk presented cytocompatibility and antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The results of this study expand the potential application of the exopolysaccharide from water kefir as a potential clean-label raw material for pharmaceutical, biomedical, and cosmetic applications.

Ingredients from Climate Resilient Crops to Enhance the Nutritional Quality of Gluten-Free Bread

One percent of the global population requires a gluten-free diet. With concurrent global warming and population growth, it is increasingly necessary to optimize the use of ingredients from resilient crops, such as tapioca. Tapioca flour is used in low proportions in bread due to its lack of gluten. Sourdough fermentation can enhance the nutritional value of bread but also causes a sour taste. Propionibacterium freudenreichii subsp. globosum can reduce food acidity while synthesizing several nutrients, such as vitamin B12. Aquafaba is a known hydrocolloid and prebiotic. Therefore, the objective of this study was to test the sourdough fermentation of a composite bread based on tapioca and brown rice flour, cultured with Lactobacillus lactis and Propionibacterium freudenreichii subsp. globosum enriched in aquafaba. The bread quality was measured instrumentally (hardness, volume, moisture content) and with a semi-trained sensory panel (focus group). The co-fermentation of the Lactobacillus lactis and Propionibacterium freudenreichii subsp. Globosum produced palatable bread, improving the appearance, taste, and texture in comparison to the yeast-leavened recipe. This co-fermentation also enabled shorter production times, reducing it from 1 h to 30 min. The addition of the aquafaba further improved the bread appearance, texture, and volume, although a bitter tasting crust was reported. The co-fermentation of the tapioca–brown rice composite flour with Lactobacillus lactis and Propionibacterium freudenreichii subsp. globosum produced acceptable bread, which could provide a climate-resilient solution to food sustainability. The aquafaba addition further enhanced such improvements and the baking performance, offering sustainability in terms of nutrition, sensory quality, and price.

Exopolysaccharides synthesized by lactic acid bacteria: biosynthesis pathway, structure-function relationship, structural modification and applicability

Probiotics and their fermentation products are increasingly been focused on due to their health-boosting effects. Exopolysaccharides (EPS) synthetized by lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are widely applied as texture modifiers in dairy, meat and bakery products owning to their improved properties. Moreover, LAB-derived EPS have been confirmed to possess diverse physiological bioactivities including antioxidant, anti-biofilm, antiviral, immune-regulatory or antitumor. However, the low production and high acquisition cost hinder their development. Even though LAB-derived EPS have been extensively studied for their production-improving, there are only few reports on the systematic elucidation and summary of the relationship among biosynthesis pathway, strain selection, production parameter, structure-function relationship. Therefore, a detailed summary on biosynthesis pathway, production parameter and structure-function relationship of LAB-derived EPS is provided in this review, the structural modifications together with the current and potential applications are also discussed in this paper.

Exopolysaccharides Produced by Lactic Acid Bacteria: From Biosynthesis to Health-Promoting Properties

The production of exopolysaccharides (EPS) by lactic acid bacteria (LAB) has attracted particular interest in the food industry. EPS can be considered as natural biothickeners as they are produced in situ by LAB and improve the rheological properties of fermented foods. Moreover, much research has been conducted on the beneficial effects of EPS produced by LAB on modulating the gut microbiome and promoting health. The EPS, which varies widely in composition and structure, may have diverse health effects, such as glycemic control, calcium and magnesium absorption, cholesterol-lowering, anticarcinogenic, immunomodulatory, and antioxidant effects. In this article, the latest advances on structure, biosynthesis, and physicochemical properties of LAB-derived EPS are described in detail. This is followed by a summary of up-to-date methods used to detect, characterize and elucidate the structure of EPS produced by LAB. In addition, current strategies on the use of LAB-produced EPS in food products have been discussed, focusing on beneficial applications in dairy products, gluten-free bakery products, and low-fat meat products, as they positively influence the consistency, stability, and quality of the final product. Highlighting is also placed on reports of health-promoting effects, with particular emphasis on prebiotic, immunomodulatory, antioxidant, cholesterol-lowering, anti-biofilm, antimicrobial, anticancer, and drug-delivery activities.