Whey Cheeses Containing Probiotic and Bioprotective Cultures Produced with Ultrafiltrated Cow's Whey

Bovine whey cheese (WC) is a product from southern European countries that presents some challenges: its production process involves high energy inputs; the yield is low; and WC has a short shelf life. The application of ultrafiltration (UF) to bovine whey before manufacture of WC and the employment of protective cultures can reduce these disadvantages. The objective of this research was the production of whey cheeses using ultrafiltrated bovine cheese whey with added probiotics or probiotics plus protective cultures. Three types of WC were produced: control CW without any addition (C); CW with the addition of the probiotic Lactobacillus acidophilus (LA5); and CW with the addition of Lactobacillus acidophilus plus a protective culture containing Lacticaseibacillus paracasei and Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus (LA5FQ4). The WCs were stored under refrigerated conditions for 28 days. The products with added cultures presented lower pH values and higher titratable acidities when compared to the control. Sample LA5 presented the lowest pH and the highest titratable acidity, while LA5FQ4 presented intermediate values. Slight differences were observed between products regarding color parameters, chiefly resulting from storage time. The samples with added cultures were firmer when compared to the control, with LA5 cheeses showing the highest values at the end of the storage. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) counts were on the order of log 8-9 CFU/g for the products with added cultures. Lower levels of yeasts and molds were detected on the sample with the protective culture (LA5FQ4), so that by the end of storage they presented counts one log cycle lower than C and LA5. Hence, the beneficial impact of the protective culture on the shelf life of the product is evident. Regarding sensory evaluation, LA5FQ4 cheeses obtained the highest scores for all parameters evaluated. It can be concluded that the use of UF associated with the addition of protective cultures can be very useful to reduce the energy consumption of the manufacturing process, to prolong the shelf life of WC and to improve its sensory properties.

Design and Characterization of a Cheese Spread Incorporating Osmundea pinnatifida Extract

Marine algae have been emerging as natural sources of bioactive compounds, such as soluble dietary fibers and peptides, presenting special interest as ingredients for functional foods. This study developed a cheese spread incorporating red seaweed Osmundea pinnatifida extract and subsequently characterized it in terms of nutritional, pH, and microbiological parameters and bioactivities including prebiotic, antidiabetic, antihypertensive, and antioxidant activities. This food was produced through incorporation of O. pinnatifida extract (3%), obtained via enzymatic extraction Viscozyme L in a matrix containing whey cheese (75%) and Greek-type yoghurt (22%). The product was then subjected to thermal processing and subsequently stored for 21 days at 4 °C. During storage, this food showed a high pH stability (variations lower than 0.2 units), the absence of microbial contamination and all tested bioactivities at the sampling timepoints 0 and 21 days. Indeed, it exerted prebiotic effects under Lactobacillus acidophilus LA-5^® and Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB-12^®, increasing their viability to around 4 and 0.5 log CFU/g, respectively. In addition, it displayed antidiabetic (α-glucosidase inhibition: 5-9%), antihypertensive (ACE inhibition: 50-57%), and antioxidant (ABTS: 13-15%; DPPH: 3-5%; hydroxyl radical: 60-76%) activities. In summary, the cheese spread produced may be considered an innovative food with high potential to contribute toward healthier status and well-being of populations.

Use of ultrafiltrated cow's whey for the production of whey cheese with Kefir or probiotics

BACKGROUND

In Southern European countries, whey cheeses are normally produced with ovine or caprine whey. Cow's cheese whey can also be used, although the whey cheese yield is low (2-3%, w/v) which discourages its use. In the present study, bovine cheese whey was concentrated by ultrafiltration for the production of four types of whey cheeses (Requeijão): conventional, without any addition (WC); with 10% (w/w) addition of cream (WCC); with cream fermented with Kefir culture (WCCK); and with cream fermented with Bifidobacterium sp. culture (WCCBB12).

RESULTS

Whey cheeses with cream presented lower protein content (330-360 g kg^-1 , dry basis) and higher levels of total solids (220-250 g kg^-1 ) and fat (300-330 g kg^-1 , dry basis) than WC. C16:0 and C18:1 were the most abundant fatty acids present, with 31% and 38%, respectively. The small differences found concerning instrumental determination of colour and texture were not perceived by panelists. However, the presence of Kefir and probiotics decreased the elastic modulus (G') of the samples, as well as their viscosity. Fermentation with Kefir presented the highest counts of lactic acid bacteria (7 logUFC g^-1 ). However, after 14 days of refrigerated storage, the counts of yeasts and moulds reached 6 logUFC g^-1 in all products, indicating the need for appropriate packaging solutions.

CONCLUSION

Ultrafiltration of bovine whey allows for the efficient production of bovine whey cheeses. The addition of cream fermented with Kefir or BB12 appears to be an efficient methodology to incorporate Kefir or probiotic bacteria in Requeijão, improving its nutritional and sensory characteristics, alongside the potential for the extension of its shelf-life. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

Potential Evaluation and Health Fostering Intrinsic Traits of Novel Probiotic Strain Enterococcus durans F3 Isolated from the Gut of Fresh Water Fish Catla catla

Over the last few years, marine environment was found to be a source of surplus natural products and microorganisms with new bioactive secondary metabolites of interest which can divulge nutritional and biological impact on the host. This study aims to assess the possible, inherent and functional probiotic properties of a novel probiotic strain Enterococcus durans F3 (E. durans F3) isolated from the gut of fresh water fish Catla catla. Parameters for evaluating and describing the probiotics described in FAD/WHO guidelines were followed. E. durans F3 demonstrated affirmative results including simulated bile, acid and gastric juice tolerance with exhibited significant bactericidal effect against pathogens Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella Typhi, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. This can be due to the enterocin produced by E. durans F3 strain, which was resolute by sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) gel with amplification of the anticipated fragment of a structural gene; enterocin A, followed by antibiotic susceptibility assessment. Effective antioxidant potentiality against α-diphenyl-α-picrylhydrazyl free radicals including lipase, bile salt hydrolase activity with auto-aggregation and cell surface hydrophobicity was similarly observed. Results are proving the potentiality of E. durans F3, which can also be used as probiotic starter culture in dairy industries for manufacturing new products that imparts health benefits to the host. Finding the potent and novel probiotic strains will also satisfy the current developing market demand for probiotics.

Application of A Novel Potential Probiotic Lactobacillus paracasei Strain Isolated from Kefir Grains in the Production of Feta-Type Cheese

In the present study 38 lactic acid bacteria strains were isolated from kefir grains and were monitored regarding probiotic properties in a series of established in vitro tests, including resistance to low pH, resistance to pepsin and pancreatin, and tolerance to bile salts, as well as susceptibility against common antibiotics. Among them, the strain SP3 displayed potential probiotic properties. Multiplex PCR analysis indicated that the novel strain belongs to the paracasei species. Likewise, the novel strain (Lactobacillus paracasei SP3) was applied as a starter culture for Feta-type cheese production. Feta-type cheese production resulted in significantly higher acidity; lower pH; reduced counts of coliforms, yeasts and fungi; and improved quality characteristics compared with cheese samples produced with no starter culture. Finally, it is highlighted that the application of the novel strain led to Feta-type cheese production with improved overall quality and sensory characteristics.

Functional and health promoting inherent attributes of Enterococcus hirae F2 as a novel probiotic isolated from the digestive tract of the freshwater fish Catla catla

Background

Probiotic microorganisms are gaining global importance because of their use in the preparation of a nutraceutical or in the treatment of infections. As per the health industry demand, there is an urgent need for exploring new indigenous probiotic strains with its specific origin due to variation in gut microflora, different food habits and specific host-microbial interactions. The main objective of the present study was to isolate and identify a novel probiotic Enterococcus strain from the gut of Catla catla fish and evaluate its potentiality as a potent probiotic.

Methods

The whole study was designed with the isolation of novel lactic acid bacterial strain from the gut of Catla catla fish with their biochemical and molecular identifications. The potentiality of the isolated strain as a potent probiotic was carried out according to the parameters described in FAD/WHO guidelines for the evaluation of probiotics in food.

Results

The isolated strain was confirmed as Enterococcus hirae F2 on the basis of various biochemical and 16s rRNA gene sequencing methods. Enterococcus hirae F2 was able to survive under highly acidic and bile salt concentration with the ability for the production of lipase and Bsh enzyme. It was also able to survive under simulated gastrointestinal conditions with the inhibition ability of various pathogens. The antioxidant potentiality with the cell surface hydrophobicity and cell aggregation ability confirms its potentiality as a potent probiotic. All the results detail the potency of Enterococcus hirae F2 as a novel probiotic for a safer use.

Discussion

The isolation of Enterococcus hirae with probiotic potential from the gut of fish is a new approach and done for the first time. However, the whole study concluded that the isolated strain might be used as a novel probiotic in the food industry for the production of new probiotic products which imparts health benefits to the host.

Metabolic profiling of potential probiotic or synbiotic cheeses by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy

To assess ripening of potential probiotic cheeses (containing either Lactobacillus casei -01 or Bifidobacterium lactis B94) or synbiotic cheeses with fructooligosaccharides (FOS) or a 50:50 mix of FOS/inulin, metabolic profiles have been obtained via classical biochemical analyses and by NMR spectroscopy. The addition of prebiotics to the cheeses resulted in lower proteolysis indices, especially in those synbiotic cheeses inoculated with B. lactis B94. Among synbiotic cheeses the combination of FOS and inulin resulted in an increase in lipolytic activity. The metabolic profiles of the cheeses analyzed by NMR spectroscopy, combined with multivariate statistics, allowed profiles to be distinguished by maturation time, added probiotic bacteria, or, in the case of B. lactis B94 cheese, added prebiotic. The NMR results are in agreement with the biochemical analyses and demonstrate the potential of NMR for the study of metabolic processes in probiotic/synbiotic food matrices.