On probiotic yeasts in food development: Saccharomyces boulardii, a trend

Water kefir in co-fermentation with Saccharomyces boulardii for the development of a new probiotic mead

Mead is an alcoholic beverage obtained by fermenting a dilute solution of honey with yeasts. The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate a probiotic mead from the co-fermentation of water kefir and Sacharomyces boulardii. According to the results, the combination of 10 g/L of water kefir grains and 0.75 g/L of S. boulardii, with a fermentation time of 9 days, produced a probiotic mead with a viable cell count of more than 8 Log10 CFU/mL of S. boulardii and also for lactic acid bacteria, respectively. S. boulardii and lactic acid bacteria showed counts of over 6 Log10 CFU/mL after gastrointestinal simulation in vitro, with a survival rate of over 70%. Probiotic mead has good luminosity (L*), a tendency to yellow color and the presence of total phenolic compounds and antioxidants. In conclusion, the co-fermentation of water kefir and S. boulardii has potential for the development of probiotic mead.

Growing conditions of Saccharomyces boulardii for the development of potentially probiotic mead: Fermentation kinetics, viable cell counts and bioactive compounds

Mead is an alcoholic beverage produced by the fermentation of a diluted honey solution by the action of yeast. Recently, research has shown the potential of S. boulardii for brewing beer and in the development of probiotic alcoholic beverages and, to date, no research has examined for mead production. The aim of this study was to evaluate the growth conditions of S. boulardii for the development of potentially probiotic mead. The findings show that initial wort soluble solids conditions of 30 °Brix and initial concentration of 0.030 g/L of S. boulardii obtain potentially probiotic mead with viable yeast cells of 6.53 Log10 CFU/mL, alcohol content of 5.05%, and has the presence of total phenolics (17.72 mg GAE/100 mL) and natural antioxidants (62.79 and 1.37 µmol TE/100 mL for ABTS and FRAP methods, respectively). In conclusion, S. boulardii has a potential for the development of probiotic mead.

Evaluation of sensory acceptance, purchase intention and color parameters of potentially probiotic mead with Saccharomyces boulardii

Mead is a fermented alcoholic beverage produced by yeast action on a diluted solution of honey. In this study, for the first time, sensory acceptance, purchase intention and color parameters of potentially probiotic mead with Saccharomyces boulardii were evaluated. The mead with S. boulardii presented yeast counts higher than 106 CFU/mL, being considered potentially probiotic, and tended to be yellow in color. About 160 tasters participated in the sensory evaluation, and 69.38% knew mead, but only 35.62% had tried the beverage. In terms of acceptance, the mead were within the acceptable range (above 5), and F2 (with initial soluble solids of 30° Brix and S. boulardii concentration of 0.030 g/L) was the most accepted, with an overall average of 7.63 ± 1.42 on the nine-point hedonic scale. In addition, F2 presented the highest purchase intention. In conclusion, the mead showed a tendency towards the color yellow and good sensory acceptance.

Bibliometric analysis of water kefir and milk kefir in probiotic foods from 2013 to 2022: A critical review of recent applications and prospects

Although milk kefir and water kefir have different physical, chemical and microbiological characteristics, several microbial species that make up kefir stand out with probiotic functions. Furthermore, because it is suitable for a variety of substrates, kefir and the species of probiotic microorganisms that make it up are seen as a promising alternative in the development of probiotic and health-promoting foods. The aim of this study was to carry out a bibliometric analysis of water kefir and milk kefir in probiotic foods and to critically analyze recent applications and prospects. Using the Scopus database, 202 documents published between 2013 and 2022 were identified and submitted to bibliometric analysis using the VOSviewer software. Regarding recent applications, 107 documents published between 2021 and June 2023 were identified. It was observed that, in the literature consulted, no study used bibliometric analysis to evaluate the use of water kefir and milk kefir in probiotic foods. Due to the presence of probiotic species, kefir has been listed as an alternative for the production of new probiotic food matrices that are beneficial to health. Recent applications show kefir's potential in the development of probiotic products based on fruit and fruit juice, whey beverages, fermented milks and derivatives, and alcoholic beverages such as beers.

Physicochemical and Functional Properties of Yeast-Fermented Cabbage

Microbial fermentation is often used to improve the functionality of plant-based food materials. Herein, we investigated changes in the physicochemical and functional properties of cabbage during yeast fermentation to develop new products using fermented cabbage. Among the 8 types of food-grade yeast, both Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Saccharomyces boulardii fermented 10% cabbage powder solution (w/w) the most effectively, leaving no soluble sugars after 12 h of fermentation. In addition, the yeast fermentation of cabbage resulted in functionally positive outcomes in terms of sulforaphane content, antioxidant properties, and anti-inflammatory activity. Specifically, the yeast-fermented cabbages contained about 500% more sulforaphane. The soluble fraction (5 μg/ml) of yeast-fermented cabbage had no cytotoxicity in murine RAW 264.7 cells, and the radical-scavenging capacity was equivalent to 1 μg/ml of ascorbic acid. Moreover, cabbage fermented with S. boulardii significantly suppressed both lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-induced nitric oxide production and LPS-induced reactive oxygen species production in RAW 264.7 cells, suggesting a potential anti-inflammatory effect. These results support the idea that yeast fermentation is promising for developing functionally improved cabbage products.

Investigating the Efficacy of Saccharomyces boulardii in Metabolic Syndrome Treatment: A Narrative Review of What Is Known So Far

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is characterized by complex metabolic changes involving a cluster of co-occurring conditions, such as abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, high fasting plasma glucose, high serum triglycerides, and high LDL cholesterol levels or low HDL cholesterol levels. The incidence and risk factors of MetS occurrence increase every year. It is estimated that MetS affects approximately 30% of the population of some countries. Therefore, novel strategies are being studied to reduce the negative impact of having an unbalanced diet and a lack of physical activity. One of these strategies is the administration of probiotic microorganisms, such as the yeast Saccharomyces boulardii, which has been associated with several beneficial health effects (including modulation of the intestinal microbiota and improvement of the inflammatory, antioxidant, antibacterial, antitumor, and anti-inflammatory profiles). Thus, the objective of this study was to review the risk factors of MetS occurrence and the beneficial effects of S. boulardii ingestion in the treatment of MetS. Here, we critically evaluate the treatment necessary to promote these benefits. Using the pre-established inclusion criteria, eight studies were reviewed, including five animal and three human studies. The results reported the regulation of the lipid profile, modulation of the intestinal microbiota and gene expression, and a decrease in mass gain as positive results when S. boulardii was administered. Although more experiments are needed to validate these results, especially using human models, there is a trend toward improvement in MetS and a reduction in its risk factors with the administration of S. boulardii.

Journey of the Probiotic Bacteria: Survival of the Fittest

This review aims to bring a more general view of the technological and biological challenges regarding production and use of probiotic bacteria in promoting human health. After a brief description of the current concepts, the challenges for the production at an industrial level are presented from the physiology of the central metabolism to the ability to face the main forms of stress in the industrial process. Once produced, these cells are processed to be commercialized in suspension or dried forms or added to food matrices. At this stage, the maintenance of cell viability and vitality is of paramount for the quality of the product. Powder products requires the development of strategies that ensure the integrity of components and cellular functions that allow complete recovery of cells at the time of consumption. Finally, once consumed, probiotic cells must face a very powerful set of physicochemical mechanisms within the body, which include enzymes, antibacterial molecules and sudden changes in pH. Understanding the action of these agents and the induction of cellular tolerance mechanisms is fundamental for the selection of increasingly efficient strains in order to survive from production to colonization of the intestinal tract and to promote the desired health benefits.

The Yeast Fermentation Effect on Content of Bioactive, Nutritional and Anti-Nutritional Factors in Rapeseed Meal

The aim of this study was to evaluate the changes in the content of bioactive, nutritional and anti-nutritional factors in rapeseed meal that was fermented with Saccharomyces cerevisiae or Saccharomyces boulardii yeasts at two different periods of time, for improvement of nutritional characteristics in piglets’ feeding. The fermentation has reduced the content of two anti-nutritional factors, intact glucosinolates and 3-butyl isothiocyanate, by 51.60–66.04% and 55.21–63.39%, respectively, by fermentation with either Saccharomyces cerevisiae or Saccharomyces boulardii for 24 h. The fermentation by these yeasts also lowered the content of total polyphenolic compounds by 21.58–23.55% and antioxidant activity (DPPH) by 17.03–21.07%. Furthermore, the content of carbohydrates and organic acids has dramatically decreased between 89.20 and 98.35% and between 31.48 and 77.18%, respectively. However, the content of some individual phenolic acids (gallic, p-coumaric, sinapic) and crude protein content (10–13%) has been increased. Thus, the results showed that fermentation with Saccharomyces cerevisiae or Saccharomyces boulardii has reduced the content of antinutritive factors and increased the protein content of the rapeseed meal, without major adverse effects on its overall nutritive value.