The future of functional food: Emerging technologies application on prebiotics, probiotics and postbiotics

New clues for postbiotics to improve host health: a review from the perspective of function and mechanisms

Strain activity and stability severely limit the beneficial effects of probiotics in modulating host health. Postbiotics have emerged as a promising alternative as they can provide similar or even enhanced efficacy to probiotics, even under inactivated conditions. This review introduces the ingredients, preparation, and identification techniques of postbiotics, focusing on the comparison of the advantages and limitations between probiotics and postbiotics based on their mechanisms and applications. Inactivation treatment is the most significant difference between postbiotics and probiotics. We highlight the use of emerging technologies to inactivate probiotics, optimize process conditions to maintain the activity of postbiotics, or scale up their production. Postbiotics have high stability which can overcome unfavorable factors, such as easy inactivation and difficult colonization of probiotics after entering the intestine, and are rapidly activated, allowing continuous and rapid optimization of the intestinal microecological environment. They provide unique mechanisms, and multiple targets act on the gut-organ axis, co-providing new clues for the study of the biological functions of postbiotics. We summarize the mechanisms of action of inactivated lactic acid bacteria, highlighting that the NF-κB and MAPK pathways can be used as immune targeting pathways for postbiotic modulation of host health. Generally, we believe that as the classification, composition, and efficacy mechanism of postbiotics become clearer they will be more widely used in food, medicine, and other fields, greatly enriching the dimensions of food innovation. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

In vitro screening of the impact of dietary prebiotic components, probiotic strains, and their symbiotic combinations on colonic microbiota in children with cystic fibrosis

Children with Cystic Fibrosis (CF) are more likely to have intestinal dysbiosis due to recurrent antibiotic therapy and the conventional hypercaloric diet administered to them. This study aimed at evaluating the effect of isolated prebiotic components and probiotic strains, and their combinations as potential synbiotics, on the intestinal microbiota of CF children. A static in vitro colonic fermentation model was used by colonizing vials with faecal inoculum, a culture medium, and the substrates to be tested. Post treatment, aliquots were taken to determine ammonium, lactate, and short-chain fatty acids production and to profile the microbiota composition by 16s rRNA sequencing. At genus level, Escherichia-Shigella decreased (15.8%) with the treatment pectin + L. rhamnosus, followed by the beta-glucan + L. salivarius (15.5%). Inversely, the most increase in Bacteroides (44%) was obtained by the treatment with Pectin + L. reuteri. Lactate and acetic acid production was significantly increased with prebiotics and their combinations with L. rhamnosus and L. salivarius. In conclusion, the use of beta-glucan and pectin in combination with probiotic strains from the Lactobacillaceae family suggest potential to modulate dysbiosis and metabolic activity on CF colonic microbiota, encouraging further studies in animal studies or clinical settings to confirm the findings in vivo.

Development of probiotic yogurt products incorporated with Lactobacillus kefiranofaciens OSU-BSGOA1 in mono- and co-culture with Kluyveromyces marxianus

The bacterium Lactobacillus kefiranofaciens OSU-BDGOA1 and yeast Kluyveromyces marxianus bdgo-ym6 were previously isolated from kefir grains and have shown probiotic traits in mono- and coculture. This research evaluates the effect of introducing probiotic kefir microorganisms in monoculture and in coculture alongside yogurt starter cultures on the physicochemical and rheological properties, volatile flavor compounds, survival of the microorganisms during simulated digestion, and sensory attributes of the final fermented products. The incorporation of Lactobacillus kefiranofaciens OSU-BDGOA1 in monoculture showed promising outcomes, resulting in a final product showing more solid-like characteristics and potentially improving the texture of the product. There was also a significant increase in the concentration of desirable volatile flavor compounds in the yogurt with the monoculture, particularly 2,3-butanedione, displaying a positive correlation with buttery flavor in the sensory analysis. The inclusion of L. kefiranofaciens in monoculture also promoted better sensory attributes and was significantly better than the yogurt with the coculture with the yeast showing promising results for the incorporation of this probiotic bacterium into functional fermented dairy products.

Tropical postbiotics alleviate the disorders in the gut microbiota and kidney damage induced by ochratoxin A exposure

Ochratoxin A (OTA), commonly found in various foods, significantly impacts the health of humans and animals, especially their kidneys. Our study explores OTA's effects on the gut microbiota and kidney damage while examining how postbiotics offer protection. Using metagenomic sequencing, we observed that OTA increased the potential gut pathogens such as Alistipes, elevating detrimental metabolites and inflammation. Also, OTA inhibited the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway, reducing kidney ROS elimination and leading to cellular ferroptosis and subsequent kidney damage. Postbiotics mitigate OTA's effects by downregulating the abundance of the assimilatory sulfate reduction IV pathway and virulence factors associated with iron uptake and relieving the inhibition of OTA on Nrf2/HO-1, restoring ROS-clearing capabilities and thereby alleviating chronic OTA-induced kidney damage. Understanding the OTA-gut-kidney link provides new approaches for preventing kidney damage, with postbiotics showing promise as a preventive treatment.

Enhancing the antioxidant capacity and quality attributes of fermented goat milk through the synergistic action of Limosilactobacillus fermentum WXZ 2-1 with a starter culture

This study evaluated 75 strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from traditional dairy products in western China for their probiotic properties. Among them, Limosilactobacillus fermentum WXZ 2-1, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum TXZ 2-35, Companilactobacillus crustorum QHS 9, and Companilactobacillus crustorum QHS 10 demonstrated potential probiotic characteristics. The antioxidant capacity of these 4 strains was assessed, revealing that L. fermentum WXZ 2-1 exhibited the highest antioxidant capacity. Furthermore, when cocultured with Streptococcus salivarius ssp. thermophilus and Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus, L. fermentum WXZ 2-1 demonstrated a synergistic effect in growth medium and goat milk. To explore its effect on goat milk fermentation, different amounts of L. fermentum WXZ 2-1 were added to goat milk, and its physicochemical properties, antioxidant activity, flavor substances, and metabolomics were analyzed. The study found that the incorporation of L. fermentum WXZ 2-1 in goat milk fermentation significantly improved the texture characteristics, antioxidant capacity, and flavor of fermented goat milk. These findings highlight the potential of L. fermentum WXZ 2-1 as a valuable probiotic strain for enhancing the functionality and desirability of fermented goat milk, contributing to the development of novel functional foods with improved health benefits and enhanced quality attributes.

Molecular identification and safety assessment of the potential probiotic strain Bacillus paralicheniformis HMPM220325 isolated from artisanal fruit dairy products

Bacillus probiotics exhibit considerable economic potential owing to their heightened resilience to external stressors and relatively lower costs related to production and preservation. Although Bacillus paralicheniformis has been acknowledged as a plant-promoting bacterium for a long time, understanding its potential as a probiotic is still in its nascent stages. In this study, the safety and probiotic characteristics of a strain of HMPM220325, isolated from artisanal fruit dairy products, were examined through whole-genome sequencing and phenotypic analysis. The whole genome of HMPM220325 was analyzed for antimicrobial resistance genes, pathogenicity factors, and genes associated with probiotic traits including stress resistance, spore formation, gut adhesion, competitive exclusion of pathogens, bacteriocin expression, and carbohydrate metabolism related to prebiotic utilization. Also, wet lab experiments were conducted for the characterization of probiotics. The identification of the organism as B. paralicheniformis was verified. Its safety was assessed through in silico analysis, the haemolytic activity test, and the acute oral toxicity test. B. paralicheniformis HMPM220325 demonstrated its ability to survive in the pH range of 4-10 and bile salt concentrations of 0-0.9% (w/v), tolerate temperatures between 20 and 60 °C, and exhibit a robust antioxidant capacity. Moreover, B. paralicheniformis HMPM220325 demonstrated a moderate level of hydrophobicity, had the ability to form biofilms, achieved a self-aggregation rate of 51.77 ± 1.01% within 6 hours, and successfully colonized the mouse intestine for a duration of up to 17 days. Additionally, the genome of B. paralicheniformis HMPM220325 contains three gene clusters associated with the biosynthesis of bacteriocins and exhibits co-aggregation with Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium. The findings of the genomic analysis align with those obtained from the experimental investigation, thereby substantiating the potential of B. paralicheniformis HMPM220325 as a probiotic suitable for incorporation in dairy functional foods and feed applications.

Postbiotics: Functional Food Materials and Therapeutic Agents for Cancer, Diabetes, and Inflammatory Diseases

Postbiotics are (i) "soluble factors secreted by live bacteria, or released after bacterial lysis, such as enzymes, peptides, teichoic acids, peptidoglycan-derived muropeptides, polysaccharides, cell-surface proteins and organic acids"; (ii) "non-viable metabolites produced by microorganisms that exert biological effects on the hosts"; and (iii) "compounds produced by microorganisms, released from food components or microbial constituents, including non-viable cells that, when administered in adequate amounts, promote health and wellbeing". A probiotic- and prebiotic-rich diet ensures an adequate supply of these vital nutrients. During the anaerobic fermentation of organic nutrients, such as prebiotics, postbiotics act as a benevolent bioactive molecule matrix. Postbiotics can be used as functional components in the food industry by offering a number of advantages, such as being added to foods that are harmful to probiotic survival. Postbiotic supplements have grown in popularity in the food, cosmetic, and healthcare industries because of their numerous health advantages. Their classification depends on various factors, including the type of microorganism, structural composition, and physiological functions. This review offers a succinct introduction to postbiotics while discussing their salient features and classification, production, purification, characterization, biological functions, and applications in the food industry. Furthermore, their therapeutic mechanisms as antibacterial, antiviral, antioxidant, anticancer, anti-diabetic, and anti-inflammatory agents are elucidated.

Active peptides with hypoglycemic effect obtained from hemp (Cannabis sativa L) protein through identification, molecular docking, and virtual screening

Hemp (Cannabis sativa L) seeds are rich in proteins of high nutritional value, which makes the study of beneficial properties of hemp seed proteins and peptides, such as hypotensive and hypoglycemic effects, increasingly attractive. The present results confirm the good processability and stability of the hemp protein hydrolysate obtained by enzymatic hydrolysis of non-dehulled hemp seed meal (NDHM). Six peptides with potential hypoglycemic activity were obtained by ethanol-graded precipitation, Nano LC-Q-Orbitrap-MS/MS mass spectrometry, and computerized virtual screening. Further, validation experiments for in vitro synthesis showed that TGLGR, SPVI, FY, and FR exhibited good α-glucosidase inhibitory activity, respectively. Animal experiments showed that the hemp protein peptides modulated blood glucose and blood lipids in hyperglycemic rats. These results indicate that hemp protein peptides can reduce blood glucose levels in hyperglycemic rats, suggesting that hemp proteins may be a promising natural source for the prevention and treatment of hyperglycemia.

Bioactive-Loaded Hydrogels Based on Bacterial Nanocellulose, Chitosan, and Poloxamer for Rebalancing Vaginal Microbiota

Biocompatible drug-delivery systems for soft tissue applications are of high interest for the medical and pharmaceutical fields. The subject of this research is the development of hydrogels loaded with bioactive compounds (inulin, thyme essential oil, hydro-glycero-alcoholic extract of Vitis vinifera, Opuntia ficus-indica powder, lactic acid, citric acid) in order to support the vaginal microbiota homeostasis. The nanofibrillar phyto-hydrogel systems developed using the biocompatible polymers chitosan (CS), never-dried bacterial nanocellulose (NDBNC), and Poloxamer 407 (PX) incorporated the water-soluble bioactive components in the NDBNC hydrophilic fraction and the hydrophobic components in the hydrophobic core of the PX fraction. Two NDBNC-PX hydrogels and one NDBNC-PX-CS hydrogel were structurally and physical-chemically characterized using Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and rheology. The hydrogels were also evaluated in terms of thermo-responsive properties, mucoadhesion, biocompatibility, and prebiotic and antimicrobial effects. The mucin binding efficiency of hydrogel base systems was determined by the periodic acid/Schiff base (PAS) assay. Biocompatibility of hydrogel systems was determined by the MTT test using mouse fibroblasts. The prebiotic activity was determined using the probiotic strains Limosilactobacillus reuteri and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum subsp. plantarum. Antimicrobial activity was also assessed using relevant microbial strains, respectively, E. coli and C. albicans. TEM evidenced PX micelles of around 20 nm on NDBNC nanofibrils. The FTIR and XRD analyses revealed that the binary hydrogels are dominated by PX signals, and that the ternary hydrogel is dominated by CS, with additional particular fingerprints for the biocompounds and the hydrogel interaction with mucin. Rheology evidenced the gel transition temperatures of 18-22 °C for the binary hydrogels with thixotropic behavior and, respectively, no gel transition, with rheopectic behavior for the ternary hydrogel. The adhesion energies of the binary and ternary hydrogels were evaluated to be around 1.2 J/m2 and 9.1 J/m2, respectively. The hydrogels exhibited a high degree of biocompatibility, with the potential to support cell proliferation and also to promote the growth of lactobacilli. The hydrogel systems also presented significant antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity.

Strategies for applying probiotics in the antibiotic management of Clostridioides difficile infection

The vital role of probiotics in the food field has been widely recognized, and at the same time, probiotics are gradually exhibiting surprising effects in the field of nutraceuticals, especially in regulating gut inflammation and the nutritional environment. As a dietary supplement in clinical nutrition, the coadministration of probiotics with antibiotics model has been applied to prevent intestinal infections caused by Clostridioides difficile. However, the mechanism behind this "bacteria-drug combination" model remains unclear. In particular, the selection of specific probiotic strains, the order of probiotics or antibiotics, and the time interval of coadministration are key issues that need to be further explored and clarified. Here, we focus on the issues mentioned above and give reasonable opinions, mainly including: (1) probiotics are safer and more effective when they intervene after antibiotics have been used; (2) the choice of the time interval between coadministration should be based on the metabolism of antibiotics in the host, differences in probiotic strains, the baseline ecological environment of the host's intestine, and the host immune level; in addition, the selection of the coadministration regime should also take into account factors such as the antibiotic sensitivity of probiotics and dosage of probiotics; and (3) by encapsulating probiotics, combining probiotics with prebiotics, and developing next-generation probiotics (NGPs) and postbiotic formulations, we can provide a more reasonable reference for this type of "bacteria-drug combination" model, and also provide targeted guidance for the application of probiotic dietary supplements in the antibiotic management of C. difficile infection.

Research Progress of α-Glucosidase Inhibitors Produced by Microorganisms and Their Applications

Based on the easy cultivation of microorganisms and their short cycle time, research on α-glucosidase inhibitors (α-GIs) of microbial origin is receiving extensive attention. Raw materials used in food production, such as cereals, dairy products, fruits, and vegetables, contain various bioactive components, like flavonoids, polyphenols, and alkaloids. Fermentation with specific bacterial strains enhances the nutritional value of these raw materials and enables the creation of hypoglycemic products rich in diverse active ingredients. Additionally, conventional food processing often results in significant byproduct generation, causing resource wastage and environmental issues. However, using bacterial strains to ferment these byproducts into α-GIs presents an innovative solution. This review describes the microbial-derived α-GIs that have been identified. Moreover, the production of α-GIs using industrial food raw materials and processing byproducts as a medium in fermentation is summarized. It is worth analyzing the selection of strains and raw materials, the separation and identification of key compounds, and fermentation broth research methods. Notably, the innovative ideas in this field are described as well. This review will provide theoretical guidance for the development of microbial-derived hypoglycemic foods.

The potential of postbiotics as a novel approach in food packaging and biopreservation: a systematic review of the latest developments

Metabolic by-products are part of the so-called postbiotics of probiotics and other beneficial microorganisms, particularly lactic acid bacteria, which have gained popularity as a feasible alternative to improving food quality and safety. Postbiotics in dry and liquid forms can be easily integrated into food formulations and packaging materials, exhibiting antimicrobial and antioxidant effects owing to the presence of multiple antimicrobials, such as organic acids, bacteriocins, exopolysaccharides and bioactive peptides. Postbiotics can thus control the growth of pathogens and spoilage microorganisms, thereby extending the shelf life of food products. Because of their ability to be easily manufactured without requiring extensive processing, postbiotics are regarded as a safer and more sustainable alternative to synthetic preservatives, which can have negative environmental consequences. Additionally, food manufacturers can readily adopt postbiotics in food formulations without significant modifications. This systematic review provides an in-depth analysis of studies on the use of postbiotics in the biopreservation and packaging of a wide range of food products. The review evaluates and discusses the types of microorganisms, postbiotics preparation and modification techniques, methods of usage in dairy products, meat, poultry, seafood, fruits, vegetables, bread, and egg, and their effects on food quality and safety.

The effects of ultrasound on probiotic functionality: an updated review

The effects of ultrasound (US) on probiotics, as health-promoting microbes, have attracted the attention of researchers in fermentation and healthy food production. This paper aims to review recent advances in the application of the US for enhancing probiotic cells' activity, elaborate on the mechanisms involved, explain how probiotic-related industries can benefit from this emerging food processing technology, and discuss the perspective of this innovative approach. Data showed that US could enhance fermentation, which is increasingly used to enrich agri-food products with probiotics. Among the probiotics, recent studies focused on Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus brevis, Lactococcus lactis, Lactobacillus casei, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Bifidobacteria. These bacteria proliferated in the log phase when treated with US at relatively low-intensities. Also, this non-thermal technology increased extracellular enzymes, mainly β-galactosidase, and effectively extracted antioxidants and bioactive compounds such as phenolics, flavonoids, and anthocyanins. Accordingly, better functional and physicochemical properties of prebiotic-based foods (e.g., fermented dairy products) can be expected after ultrasonication at appropriate conditions. Besides, the US improved fermentation efficiency by reducing the production time, making probiotics more viable with lower lactose content, more oligosaccharide, and reduced unpleasant taste. Also, US can enhance the rheological characteristics of probiotic-based food by altering the acidity. Optimizing US settings is suggested to preserve probiotics viability to achieve high-quality food production and contribute to food nutrition improvement and sustainable food manufacturing.

Perspective: Nutrition’s Next Chapter – Bioactive Gaps & the Microbiome-Mitochondria Axis

Food has the power to heal. Our bodies transform and are transformed by the elements in food and the adage that we are what we eat is figuratively and literally true. Twentieth century nutrition science focused on decoding the processes and building blocks of this transformation -- the proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. Twenty-first century nutrition science is aimed at better understanding the increasingly appreciated bioactives within the food matrix that help regulate this transformation - fibers, phytonutrients, bioactive fats, and ferments. Our microbiome and the mitochondria play a key function in orchestrating the role of bioactives in health and are inspiring next-generation nutritional approaches for addressing over- and undernutrition.

Status quo of the public's knowledge of probiotics based on video-sharing platforms

BACKGROUND

Probiotics have been deemed multipotent and unprecedentedly applied in the health field recently. However, there are challenges in promoting credible and reliable resources while avoiding misinformation regarding probiotics for the public.

METHODS

This study analysed 400 eligible probiotic-related videos selected from YouTube, and the three most popular video-sharing platforms (Bilibili, Weibo and TikTok) in China. Video retrieval was performed on September 5^th, 2022. GQS and tailored DISCERN tool assess each video's quality, usage, and reliability. A comparative analysis of videos from different sources was carried out.

RESULTS

The identity distribution of probiotic video-producers was predominantly experts (n = 202, 50.50%), followed by amateurs (n = 161, 40.25%) and health-related institutions (n = 37, 9.25%). The videos' content category mainly discussed the function of probiotics (n = 120, 30%), the way to choose suitable products (n = 81, 20.25%), and the methods for taking probiotics (n = 71, 17.75%).The overall quality of videos was moderate (3/5 point) assessed by GQS, while the usage (1/6 point) and reliability (2/5 point) detailing probiotics assessed by tailored DISCERN tool were poor. The attitude of probiotic video-producers was primarily positive (n = 323, 80.75%), followed by neutral (n = 52, 13.00%) and negative (n = 25, 6.25%) (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The current study showed that videos on social media platforms publicise important information including the concepts, usage, and precautions of probiotics to the public. But the overall quality of uploaded videos about probiotics was unsatisfactory. More efforts are needed to improve the higher-quality content of probiotic-related online videos and better propagate probiotic knowledge to the public in the future.

Prediction of antioxidant peptides using a quantitative structure-activity relationship predictor (AnOxPP) based on bidirectional long short-term memory neural network and interpretable amino acid descriptors

Antioxidant peptides can protect against free radical-mediated diseases, especially food-derived antioxidant peptides are considered as potential competitors among synthetic antioxidants due to their safety, high activity and abundant sources. However, wet experimental methods can not meet the need for effectively screening and clearly elucidating the structure-activity relationship of antioxidant peptides. Therefore, it is particularly important to build a reliable prediction platform for antioxidant peptides. In this work, we developed a platform, AnOxPP, for prediction of antioxidant peptides using the bidirectional long short-term memory (BiLSTM) neural network. The sequence characteristics of peptides were converted into feature codes based on amino acid descriptors (AADs). Our results showed that the feature conversion ability of the combined-AADs optimized by the forward feature selection method was more accurate than that of the single-AADs. Especially, the model trained by the optimal descriptor SDPZ27 significantly outperformed the existing predictor on two independent test sets (Accuracy = 0.967 and 0.819, respectively). The SDPZ27-based AnOxPP learned four key structure-activity features of antioxidant peptides, with the following importance as steric properties > hydrophobic properties > electronic properties > hydrogen bond contributions. AnOxPP is a valuable tool for screening and design of peptide drugs, and the web-server is accessible at http://www.cqudfbp.net/AnOxPP/index.jsp.

Characterization of Hypolipidemic Phenol Analogues from Fermented Tea by Eurotium cristatum

Fuzhuan brick tea (FBT), a type of black tea, is a traditional beverage in China, especially popular among frontier ethnic groups. FBT is well-known for its health benefits, such as hypoglycemic, anti-hypertensive, anti-inflammatory, diuretic, and detoxification effects. Nevertheless, the underlying mechanisms on the molecular level are still elusive and the key compounds responsible for the health benefits are unidentified. Previous studies have mainly focused on functional studies of the water extract. However, FBT is typically cooked with butter or milk. Therefore, we hypothesized that some lipophilic components in FBT, which can be absorbed through the co-consumption of butter or milk, may play an important role in the health benefits. The present study aimed to investigate whether the liposoluble extract of FBT alleviates symptoms related to metabolic diseases and to identify the active compounds involved. By comparing the high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) profiles of water, milk and hexane extract, some low polarity peaks were observed in the milk and hexane extracts. Furthermore, the hexane extract treatment alleviated body weight gain, serum total cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and inhibited the accumulation of hepatic fat granules in a high-fat diet (HFD)-induced C57BL/6N mouse model. In order to identify the key functional lipophilic compounds in FBT, the hexane extract of FBT was subjected to chemical characterization. Four phenol analogs were characterized, namely, isodihydroauroglaucin (1), dihydroauroglaucin (2), tetrahydroauroglaucin (3), and flavoglaucin (4). Compounds 1 and 4 reduced the levels of total cholesterol and triglyceride in vivo. Both compounds also inhibited the high-fat diet-induced body weight gain and accumulation of fat granules in the liver of C57BL/6N mice. Isodihydroauroglaucin and flavoglaucin have therefore been identified as bioactive ingredients that contribute to the health benefits of FBT.

Isolation, identification, and characterization of corn-derived antioxidant peptides from corn fermented milk by Limosilactobacillus fermentum

Dairy-derived peptides and corn-derived peptides have been identified as essential ingredients for health promotion in the food industry. The hydrolysis based on lactic acid bacteria (LAB) protease system is one of the most popular methods to prepare bioactive peptides. The objectives of this paper are to develop antioxidant fermented milk and to obtain natural antioxidant peptides. In our study, LAB with antioxidant capacity were screened in vitro, and the corn fermented milk with antioxidant capacity was achieved by the traditional fermentation method. Fermented milk was purified by ultrafiltration and molecular sieve, and identified by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Our findings demonstrate that Limosilactobacillus fermentum L15 had a scavenging capacity of more than 80% of DPPH radicals, Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) of 0.348 ± 0.005 mmol/L. Meanwhile, the peptide content of corn fermented milk prepared with L. fermentum L15 was 0.914 ± 0.009 mg/mL and TAEC of 0.781 ± 0.020 mmol/L. Particularly important, IGGIGTVPVGR and LTTVTPGSR isolated and extracted from fermented milk were found to have antioxidant capacity for the first time. The synthetic peptides IGGIGTVPVGR and LTTVTPGSR demonstrated a scavenging capacity of 70.07 ± 2.71% and 70.07 ± 2.77% for DPPH radicals and an antioxidant capacity of 0.62 ± 0.01 mmol/L and 0.64 ± 0.02 mmol/L Trolox equivalent, respectively. This research provides ideas and basis for the development and utilization of functional dairy products.

Bacillus-derived probiotics: metabolites and mechanisms involved in bacteria-host interactions

Bacillus probiotics have a sporulation capacity that makes them more suitable for processing and storage and for surviving passage through the gastrointestinal tract. The probiotic functions and regulatory mechanisms of different Bacillus have been exploited in many reports, but little is known about how various Bacillus probiotics perform different functions. This knowledge gap results in a lack of specificity in the selection and application of Bacillus. The probiotic properties are strain-specific and cell-type-specific, and are related to the germination potential and to the diversity of metabolites produced following intestinal germination, as this causes the variation in probiotic function and mechanisms. In this review, we discuss the Bacillus metabolites produced during germination and sporulation in the GI tract, as well as possible processes affecting intestinal homeostasis. We conclude that the oxygen-capturing capability and the production of antimicrobials, exoenzymes, competence and sporulation factors (CSF), exopolysaccharides, lactic acid, and cell components are specifically associated with the functional mechanisms of probiotic Bacillus. The aim of this review is to guide the screening of potential Bacillus strains for probiotics and their application in nutrition research. The information provided will also promote further research on Bacillus-derived functional metabolites in human nutrition.

The fourth industrial revolution in the food industry-part II: Emerging food trends

The food industry has recently been under unprecedented pressure due to major global challenges, such as climate change, exponential increase in world population and urbanization, and the worldwide spread of new diseases and pandemics, such as the COVID-19. The fourth industrial revolution (Industry 4.0) has been gaining momentum since 2015 and has revolutionized the way in which food is produced, transported, stored, perceived, and consumed worldwide, leading to the emergence of new food trends. After reviewing Industry 4.0 technologies (e.g. artificial intelligence, smart sensors, robotics, blockchain, and the Internet of Things) in Part I of this work (Hassoun, Aït-Kaddour, et al. 2022. The fourth industrial revolution in the food industry-Part I: Industry 4.0 technologies. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 1-17.), this complimentary review will focus on emerging food trends (such as fortified and functional foods, additive manufacturing technologies, cultured meat, precision fermentation, and personalized food) and their connection with Industry 4.0 innovations. Implementation of new food trends has been associated with recent advances in Industry 4.0 technologies, enabling a range of new possibilities. The results show several positive food trends that reflect increased awareness of food chain actors of the food-related health and environmental impacts of food systems. Emergence of other food trends and higher consumer interest and engagement in the transition toward sustainable food development and innovative green strategies are expected in the future.