Effect of preculturing conditions on growth of Lactobacillus rhamnosus on medium containing glucose and citrate

Studying microbial triglyceride production from corn stover saccharides unveils insights into the galactose metabolism of Ustilago maydis

The global demand for plant oil has reached unprecedented levels and is relevant in all industrial sectors. Driven by the growing awareness for environmental issues of traditional plant oils and the need for eco-friendly alternatives, microbial oil emerges as a promising product with significant potential. Harnessing the capabilities of oleaginous microorganisms is an innovative approach for achieving sustainable oil production. To increase economic feasibility, it is crucial to explore feedstocks such as agricultural waste streams as renewable resource for microbial bioprocesses. The fungal model Ustilago maydis is one promising organism in the field of microbial triglyceride production. It has the ability to metabolize a wide variety of carbon sources for cell growth and accumulates high amounts of triglycerides intracellularly. In this study we asked whether this large variety of usable carbon sources can also be utilized for triglyceride production, using corn stover saccharides as a showcase.Our experiments revealed metabolization of the major saccharide building blocks present in corn stover, demonstrating the remarkable potential of U. maydis. The microorganism exhibited the capacity to synthesize triglycerides using the saccharides glucose, fructose, sucrose, xylose, arabinose, and galactose as carbon source. Notably, while galactose has been formerly considered as toxic to U. maydis, we found that the fungus can metabolize this saccharide, albeit with an extended lag phase of around 100 hours. We identified two distinct methods to significantly reduce or even prevent this lag phase, challenging previous assumptions and expanding the understanding of U. maydis metabolism.Our findings suggest that the two tested methods can prevent long lag phases on feedstocks with high galactose content and that U. maydis can produce microbial triglycerides very efficiently on many different carbon sources. Looking forward, exploring the metabolic capabilities of U. maydis on additional polymeric components of corn stover and beyond holds promise for innovative applications, marking a significant step toward environmentally sustainable bioprocessing technologies.

Influence of lactic acid fermentation on the phenolic profile, antioxidant activities, and volatile compounds of black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) juice

Lactic acid fermentation is an effective method for improving the quality of black chokeberry. This study aimed to investigate the influence of lactic acid bacteria on the phenolic profile, antioxidant activities, and volatiles of black chokeberry juice. Initially, 107  cfu/mL of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus acidophilus, and Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus were inoculated into pasteurized black chokeberry juice and fermented for 48 h at 37°C. All these strains enhanced the total phenolic and total flavonoid contents, with La. acidophilus showing the highest total phenolic (1683.64 mg/L) and total flavonoid (659.27 mg/L) contents. Phenolic acids, flavonoids, and anthocyanins were identified using ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The prevalent phenolic acid, flavonoid, and anthocyanin in the lactic-acid-fermented black chokeberry juice were cinnamic acid, rutin, and cyanidin-3-O-rutinoside, respectively. Furthermore, following fermentation, the DPPH and ABTS scavenging capacity, as well as the reducing power capacity, increased from 59.98% to 92.70%, 83.06% to 94.95%, and 1.24 to 1.82, respectively. Pearson's correlation analysis revealed that the transformation of phenolic acids, flavonoids, and anthocyanins probably contributed to enhancing antioxidant activities and color conversation in black chokeberry juice. A total of 40 volatiles were detected in the fermented black chokeberry juice by gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry. The off-flavor odors, such as 1-penten-3-one and propanal in the black chokeberry juice, were weakened after fermentation. The content of 2-pentanone significantly increased in all fermented juice, imparting an ethereal flavor. Hence, lactic acid fermentation can effectively enhance black chokeberry products' flavor and prebiotic value, offering valuable insights into their production. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The application of lactic acid bacteria in black chokeberry juice not only enhances its flavor but also improves its health benefits. This study has expanded the range of black chokeberry products and offers a new perspective for the development of the black chokeberry industry.

Optimization of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) juice fermentation process and analysis of its metabolites during fermentation

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is a nutritious fruit and vegetable. Fermentation can be used to enhance their nutritional value. In this study, the tomato juice was co-fermented with multistrains, optimized by uniform experimental design and response surface methodology. Superoxide dismutase activity reached 496.67 U/g and lycopene content reached 77.12μg/g when P. pentosaceus (53.79%), L. casei (13.17%), L. plantarum (19.87%), L. fermentum (13.17%). To gain insight into the dynamics of metabolites during the tomato fermentation juice process multivariate statistical analysis was performed using the UHPLC-QE-MS/MS method. The main metabolites are peptides, amino acids carbohydrates, organic acids, and phospholipids. Carbohydrates were fully retained at the end of fermentation.The content of galactitol increased from the initial 5.389 to 6.607 while the content of cytarabine decreased by 29% and uridine by 44%. Meanwhile, phospholipids (PS, PE, PC, PG, PI) were all retained by more than 70%. Terpenoids (16-deacetylgairin, (+)-Royleanone, artemisinin) were increased to varying degrees, which gives them good nutritional value and biological activity. Organic acids (malic and citric) were reduced and lactic acid content was increased, changing its original flavor and making it more palatable to the general population. The research results have demonstrated the benefits of lactic acid bacteria fermentation on tomato juice, providing a theoretical basis and reference for the fermentation metabolism process of tomato juice.

Effects of Lactic Acid Bacteria Fermentation on Physicochemical Properties, Functional Compounds and Antioxidant Activity of Edible Grass

Fermented foods are known worldwide for their functional health properties. In order to promote the relative product development of edible grass, Lactobacillus plantarum (Lp) and Lactobacillus rhamnosus (Lr) were used to ferment edible grass in this study. Effects of fermentation using Lp and Lr in monoculture and binary mixture on physicochemical properties, the contents of functional compounds and the antioxidant activity of edible grass at different fermentation times were investigated by colorimetric method and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Results show that the pH value and total sugar content of the three fermented edible grasses at the 4th day were lower than those of unfermented water extract (defined as the control sample) and kept almost unchanged at the 7th day. The total polyphenol content and total flavonoid content of the three fermented edible grasses were lower than those of the control sample by the oxidation of phenolic compounds caused by polyphenol oxidases. The highest soluble protein content and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity were found in the binary mixture of Lp and Lr fermentation at the 7th day, which were respectively 11 and 1.78 times higher than those of control sample. The oxalic acid content of all fermented edible grasses shows a significant decrease with increasing fermentation time, especially for the binary mixture at the 7th day, reaching only 24% of the control sample. However, the contents of lactic acid and succinic acid of the three fermented edible grasses were higher than those of the control sample because of the metabolism of the microorganism. Functional compounds including soluble protein, SOD, lactic acid and succinic acid played the main positive roles in antioxidation, while oxalic acid had a negative correlation with antioxidation. Therefore, the antioxidant activity of edible grass was dramatically enhanced by Lactobacillus strain fermentation.

Effect of Vitamin C Source on Its Stability during Storage and the Properties of Milk Fermented by Lactobacillus rhamnosus

The enrichment of commonly consumed foods with bioactive components might be helpful in promoting health and reducing the risk of disease, so the enrichment of probiotic fermented milk with vitamin C can be considered appropriate. The effect of vitamin C addition depends on the source of origin (rosehip, acerola and ascorbic acid in powder form) on the growth and survival of Lactobacillus rhamnosus and the quality of fermented milk on the 1st and 21st day of storage was analyzed. The pH, total acidity, vitamin C, syneresis, color, texture profile and numbers of bacterial cells in fermented milk were determined. The organoleptic evaluation was also performed. The degradation of vitamin C in milk was shown to depend on its source. The lowest reduction of vitamin C was determined in milk with rosehip. The least stable was vitamin C naturally found in control milk. The addition of rosehip and acerola decreased syneresis and lightness of milk color, increasing the yellow and red color proportion. In contrast, milk with ascorbic acid was the lightest during the whole experimental period and was characterized by a very soft gel. The growth of Lactobacillus rhamnosus during fermentation was most positively affected by the addition of rosehip. However, the best survival of Lactobacillus rhamnosus was demonstrated in milk with acerola. On the 21st day of storage, the number of L. rhamnosus cells in the control milk and the milk with vitamin C was >8 log cfu g⁻¹, so these milks met the criterion of therapeutic minimum. According to the assessors, the taste and odor contributed by the addition of rosehip was the most intense of all the vitamin C sources used in the study.

High Hydrostatic Pressure and Co-Fermentation by Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Gluconacetobacter xylinus Improve Flavor of Yacon-Litchi-Longan Juice

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) and co-fermentation by Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Gluconacetobacter xylinus on the quality of yacon-litchi-longan (YLL) juice. The carbohydrates, organic acids, free amino acids (FAAs), and volatile compounds in YLL juice were analyzed. Thermal processing (TP) increased the content of total carbohydrates, organic acids and FAAs, and destroyed the aroma components, whereas HHP treatment had a negligible effect. Carbohydrate content was lower, and content of lactic acid, acetic acid, and exopolysaccharide (EPS) were higher in co-fermented juice than in unfermented juice. Furthermore, the content of bitter FAAs in fermented TP and HHP-treated YLL juices decreased by 88.7% and 86.9%, respectively. Co-fermentation also increased ketones and the sum of individual volatile constituents, and improved the overall flavor of juice. Taken together, HHP treatment prior to co-fermentation can be used to improve the quality of YLL juice, especially the flavor thereof.

Effect of reduced nutritional supply on the metabolic activity and survival of cariogenic bacteria in vitro

Sealed cariogenic bacteria are deprived from dietary carbohydrate, but could be provided with nutrients by pulpal fluids, with adaptive strain-specific activities being possible. We investigated survival and metabolic activity of the cariogenic bacteria Streptococcus sobrinus, Actinomyces naeslundii and Lactobacillus rhamnosus in different carbohydrate-limited media without carbon source (CLM), or containing glucose (CLM-G), albumin (CLM-A), or α1-acid glycoprotein (CLM-AGP) in vitro. Bacterial metabolite concentrations (lactate, pyruvate, oxaloacetate, citrate, acetate, formate, ethanol, acetoin) after 20 and 4 hours incubation, and bacterial numbers (CFU) after 24 hours incubation were analyzed using multivariate-analysis-of-variance (MANOVA). The medium (p = 0.02/MANOVA), strain and incubation-time (both p < 0.001) had significant impact on metabolite concentrations. Bacteria secreted mainly lactate (80.3 µg/10⁶ bacteria S. sobrinus) and acetate (54.5 µg/10⁶ bacteria A. naeslundii). Nearly all metabolites were produced in higher concentrations in S. sobrinus than in A. naeslundii or L. rhamnosus (p < 0.05/HSD). Metabolite concentration was significantly higher in CLM-G than in other media for most metabolites (p < 0.05). L. rhamnosus showed significantly lower survival than S. sobrinus and A. naeslundii (p < 0.05/HSD) regardless of the media, while S. sobrinus and A. naeslundii showed medium-specific survival. Survival of carbon starvation was strain- and medium-specific. Sustained organic acid production was found for all strains and media.

Use of Dairy and Plant-Derived Lactobacilli as Starters for Cherry Juice Fermentation

Background: Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) exhibit a great biodiversity that can be exploited for different purposes, such as to enhance flavours or metabolize phenolic compounds. In the present study, the use of dairy and plant-derived LAB strains to perform cherry juice fermentation is reported. Methods: The growth ability of Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus paracasei and Lactobacillus rhamnosus was studied in cherry juice. Profiling of sugars, organic acids and volatile compounds was performed by GC-MS (Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry), while the phenolic fraction was characterized using UHPLC (Ultra High Performance Liquid Chromatography) equipped with a linear ion trap-mass spectrometer. Results: Sucrose significantly decreased in all fermented samples as well as malic acid, converted to lactic acid by malolactic fermentation. The total amount of volatile compounds increased. Specifically, propyl acetate, an ester with fruit notes, reached the highest concentration in L. rhamnosus and L. paracasei (dairy strains) fermented juices. Phenolics were extensively metabolized: caffeic acid was converted into dihydrocaffeic acid, p-coumaric acid into 4-ethylphenol and phenyllactic acid was produced. Conclusion: Lactic acid fermentation confer fruit notes to the juice and enhance phenyllactic acids, especially employing dairy strains (L. rhamnosus and L. paracasei). The level of dihydrocaffeic acid, a compound with putative biological activity was also increased (in particular with L. plantarum).

Volatile profile of elderberry juice: Effect of lactic acid fermentation using L. plantarum, L. rhamnosus and L. casei strains

In this study we explored, for the first time, the lactic acid fermentation of elderberry juice (EJ). A total of 15 strains isolated from dairy and plant matrices, belonging to L. plantarum, L. rhamnosus and L. casei, were used for fermentations. The volatile profile of started and unstarted EJ was characterized by HS-SPME/GC-MS technique after 48h of fermentation and 12days of storage at 4°C. All L. plantarum and L. rhamnosus strains exhibited a good capacity of growth while not all L. casei strains showed the same ability. The aromatic profile of fermented juices was characterized by the presence of 82 volatile compounds pertaining to different classes: alcohols, terpenes and norisoprenoids, organic acids, ketones and esters. Elderberry juice fermented with L. plantarum strains showed an increase of total volatile compounds after 48h while the juices fermented with L. rhamnosus and L. casei exhibited a larger increase after the storage. The highest concentration of total volatile compounds were observed in EJ fermented with L. plantarum 285 isolated from dairy product. Ketones increased in all fermented juices both after fermentation and storage and the most concentrated were acetoin and diacetyl. The organic acids were also affected by lactic acid fermentation and the most abundant acids detected in fermented juices were acetic acid and isovaleric acid. Hexanol, 3-hexen-1-ol (Z) and 2-hexen-1-ol (E) were positively influenced during dairy lactic acid bacteria strains fermentation. The most represented esters were ethyl acetate, methyl isovalerate, isoamyl isovalerate and methyl salicylate, all correlated with fruit notes. Among terpenes and norisoprenoids, β-damascenone resulted the main representative with its typical note of elderberry. Furthermore, coupling obtained data with multivariate statistical analyses, as Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Classification Trees (CT), it was possible to relate the characteristic volatile profile of samples with the different species and strains applied in this study.

Characterization of the growth of Lactobacillus plantarum in milk in dependence on temperature

The effect of temperature on the growth dynamics of Lactobacillus plantarum in the model environment of UHT milk was investigated. Based on the experiments between temperatures ranged from 8 to 40 °C, growth dynamics of the studied isolate was positively determined by the cultivation temperature that led to increasing intensity of growth in the exponential phase (except for temperatures 38 and 40 °C). Final counts in stationary phase have reached concentrations about 107 CFU · ml−1 from initial 103 CFU · ml−1, except for marginal 8 and 40 °C. Experimentally, it was found, that optimal temperature was close to 37 °C, where the fastest specific growth rate in an exponential phase was recorded (μ = 0.7683 h−1, td = 54 min) and the stationary phase was reached after 24 h of incubation. During the growth and multiplication of Lb. plantarum, no significant decrease of pH values in comparison to initial ones in dependence on temperature were determined (0.00—0.24 units).

A natural odor attraction between lactic acid bacteria and the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans

Animal predators can track prey using their keen sense of smell. The bacteriovorous nematode Caenorhabditis elegans employs sensitive olfactory sensory neurons that express vertebrate-like odor receptors to locate bacteria. C. elegans displays odor-related behaviors such as attraction, aversion and adaptation, but the ecological significance of these behaviors is not known. Using a combination of food microbiology and genetics, we elucidate a possible predator-prey relationship between C. elegans and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in rotting citrus fruit. LAB produces the volatile odor diacetyl as an oxidized by-product of fermentation in the presence of citrate. We show that C. elegans is attracted to LAB when grown on citrate media or Citrus medica L, commonly known as yuzu, a citrus fruit native to East Asia, and this attraction is mediated by the diacetyl odor receptor, ODR-10. We isolated a wild LAB strain and a wild C. elegans-related nematode from rotten yuzu, and demonstrate that the wild nematode was attracted to the diacetyl produced by LAB. These results not only identify an ecological function for a C. elegans olfactory behavior, but contribute to the growing understanding of ecological relationships between the microbial and metazoan worlds.

Influence of the Probiotic Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM and Lactobacillus rhamnosus HN001 on Proteolysis Patterns of Edam Cheese

The objective of this study is to determine the viability of Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM and Lactobacillus rhamnosus HN001 in Edam cheese as well as the effect of probiotic bacteria on paracasein proteolysis and changes in the water activity during ripening. The use of probiotics L. rhamnosus HN001 and L. acidophilus NCFM in Edam cheese slightly changed its chemical composition, but the change was not significant. The pH values were significantly correlated with the changes in Lactobacillus count (R=-0.807) and the level of phosphotungstic acid-soluble nitrogen compounds in total nitrogen (PTA-SN/TN) (R=0.775). After 10 weeks of ripening, the highest level of trichloroacetic acid-soluble nitrogen compounds in total nitrogen (TCA-SN/TN) was observed in the cheese containing L. rhamnosus HN001 (11.87%) and slightly lower level in the cheese containing L. acidophilus NCFM (7.60%) and control cheese (6.24%). The highest level of PTA-SN/TN fraction was noted in cheese containing L. acidophilus NCFM (3.48%) but the lowest level was observed in control cheese (2.24%) after ten weeks of ripening. The changes in the levels of PTA-SN/TN (R=-0.813) and TCA-SN/TN (R=-0.717) fractions were significantly (p<0.05) correlated with the viability of probiotic counts. Water activity (aw ) strongly correlated with the PTA-SN/TN level (R=-0.824) and bacteria viability (R=-0.728). All of the analyzed cheeses were characterized by high counts of L. rhamnosus HN001 and L. acidophilus NCFM during ten weeks of ripening.

The influence of shear on the metabolite yield of Lactobacillus rhamnosus biofilms

A tubular recycle bioreactor was employed to ensure homogeneous shear conditions on the biofilm surface. Superficial liquid velocities of 0.19 ms(-1), 0.37 ms(-1), 0.55 ms(-1) and 3.65 ms(-1) were used. The highest velocity resulted in negligible cell attachment (chemostat) while the ratio of attached-to-total cell mass escalated as the superficial velocity decreased. The lactic acid yield on glucose increased from 0.75 g g(-1) to 0.90 g g(-1) with declining shear while the corresponding acetoin yield on glucose decreased from 0.074 g g(-1) to 0.017 g g(-1). Redox analysis of the catabolites revealed a net consumption of NADH in the anabolism, while the extent of NADH consumption decreased when shear was reduced. This was attributed to the formation of more extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) at low shear conditions. A simplified metabolic flux model was used to estimate the EPS content of the biomass as a function of the shear velocity. Rate data supported the notion of increased EPS at lower shear.