Beneficial Effects of Tomato Juice Fermented by Lactobacillus Plantarum and Lactobacillus Casei: Antioxidation, Antimicrobial Effect, and Volatile Profiles

Lactiplantibacillus plantarum strains KABP011, KABP012, and KABP013 modulate bile acids and cholesterol metabolism in humans

AIMS

Probiotics with high bile salt hydrolase (BSH) activity have shown to promote cardiovascular health. However, their mechanism(s) of action remain poorly understood. Here, we performed a pilot exploratory study to investigate effects of a 4-week intervention with escalating doses of a BSH-active formula containing Lactiplantibacillus plantarum strains KABP011, KABP012, and KABP013 on bile acid (BA), lipid profile, and lipoprotein function.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Healthy overweight individuals were included in this study. The probiotic intake was associated with a progressive decrease of conjugated BAs in serum, due to the reduction of tauro- and glyco-conjugated forms. Plasma levels of fibroblast growth factor-19 were significantly reduced and correlated with BA changes. The probiotic induced significant changes in serum lipids, with reduction in non-HDL cholesterol (non-HDLc) and LDL cholesterol (LDLc) levels. The largest decrease was evidenced in the subgroup with higher baseline LDLc levels (LDLc > 130 mg/dL). Fasting levels of circulating apolipoprotein(Apo) B100 and ApoB48 were significantly reduced. Importantly, the decrease in non-HDLc levels was associated with a significant reduction in small LDL particles. Functional testing indicated that LDL particles had a significantly lower susceptibility to oxidation, while HDL particles gained antioxidant capacity after the probiotic intake. The microbiota profile in faeces collected at the end of the study was enriched with members of class Desulfovibrio, a taurine-consuming bacteria, likely because of the increase in free taurine in the gut due to the BSH activity of the probiotic.

CONCLUSION

The intervention with L. plantarum strains induces beneficial effects on BA signature and lipoprotein profile. It reduces ApoB and small LDL levels and LDL susceptibility to oxidation and increases HDL antioxidant capacity. These metabolic profile changes suggest increased protection against atherosclerotic disease.

Inhibitory Effects of Fermented Sprouted Oat Extracts on Oxidative Stress and Melanin Overproduction

Hyperpigmentation occurs due to irregular secretion of melanin pigment in the skin. This can affect quality of life depending on its severity, so prevention and management are essential. Oats (Avena sativa L.), a grain consumed worldwide, are known to offer improved health benefits upon germination and fermentation. This study is aimed to investigate the protective effects of lactobacilli-fermented sprouted oat extracts on oxidative stress and melanin overproduction in vitro. The anti-melanogenic effect was investigated using melanin content and tyrosinase activity assays in B16F10 cells, as well as a mushroom tyrosinase-based enzyme inhibition assay. The results showed that L. casei-fermented oat extracts were the most effective for reducing melanin formation by reducing the mRNA expression of microphthalmia-associated transcription factor, tyrosinase, and tyrosinase-related protein 2. Furthermore, L. casei fermentation was effective in improving the total phenolic, flavonoid, and avenanthramide A contents of sprouted oat extracts. The results also demonstrated the antioxidant effects of L. casei-fermented sprouted oat extracts in promoting DPPH radical-scavenging activity, superoxide dismutase-like activity, and reduction in reactive oxygen species levels. Overall, the findings indicate that fermented sprouted oat extracts are promising candidates for antioxidant and anti-hyperpigmentation treatments.

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.

Modulation of the Gut Microbiota by Tomato Flours Obtained after Conventional and Ohmic Heating Extraction and Its Prebiotic Properties

Several studies have supported the positive functional health effects of both prebiotics and probiotics on gut microbiota. Among these, the selective growth of beneficial bacteria due to the use of prebiotics and bioactive compounds as an energy and carbon source is critical to promote the development of healthy microbiota within the human gut. The present work aimed to assess the fermentability of tomato flour obtained after ohmic (SFOH) and conventional (SFCONV) extraction of phenolic compounds and carotenoids as well as their potential impact upon specific microbiota groups. To accomplish this, the attained bagasse flour was submitted to an in vitro simulation of gastrointestinal digestion before its potential fermentability and impact upon gut microbiota (using an in vitro fecal fermentation model). Different impacts on the probiotic strains studied were observed for SFCONV promoting the B. animalis growth, while SFOH promoted the B. longum, probably based on the different carbohydrate profiles of the flours. Overall, the flours used were capable of functioning as a direct substrate to support potential prebiotic growth for Bifidus longum. The fecal fermentation model results showed the highest Bacteroidetes growth with SFOH and the highest values of Bacteroides with SFCONV. A correlation between microorganisms' growth and short-chain fatty acids was also found. This by-product seems to promote beneficial effects on microbiota flora and could be a potential prebiotic ingredient, although more extensive in vivo trials would be necessary to confirm this.

Valorisation of Wasted Immature Tomato to Innovative Fermented Functional Foods

In this study, the lactic fermentation of immature tomatoes as a tool for food ingredient production was evaluated as a circular economy-oriented alternative for valorising industrial tomatoes that are unsuitable for processing and which have wasted away in large quantities in the field. Two lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were assessed as starter cultures in an immature tomato pulp fermentation to produce functional food ingredients with probiotic potential. The first trial evaluated the probiotic character of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (LAB97, isolated from immature tomato microbiota) and Weissella paramesenteroides (C1090, from the INIAV collection) through in vitro gastrointestinal digestion simulation. The results showed that LAB97 and C1090 met the probiotic potential viability criterion by maintaining 6 log10 CFU/mL counts after in vitro simulation. The second trial assessed the LAB starters’ fermentative ability. Partially decontaminated (110 °C/2 min) immature tomato pulp was used to prepare the individually inoculated samples (Id: LAB97 and C1090). Non-inoculated samples, both with and without thermal treatment (Id: CTR-TT and CTR-NTT, respectively), were prepared as the controls. Fermentation was undertaken (25 °C, 100 rpm) for 14 days. Throughout storage (0, 24, 48, 72 h, 7, and 14 days), all the samples were tested for LAB and Y&M counts, titratable acidity (TA), solid soluble content (SSC), total phenolic content (TPC), antioxidant capacity (AOx), as well as for organic acids and phenolic profiles, and CIELab colour and sensory evaluation (14th day). The LAB growth reached ca. 9 log10 CFU/mL for all samples after 72 h. The LAB97 samples had an earlier and higher acidification rate than the remaining ones, and they were highly correlated to lactic acid increments. The inoculated samples showed a faster and higher decrease rate in their SSC levels when compared to the controls. A nearly two-fold increase (p < 0.05) during the fermentation, over time, was observed in all samples’ AOx and TPC (p < 0.05, r = 0.93; similar pattern). The LAB97 samples obtained the best sensory acceptance for flavour and overall appreciation scores when compared to the others. In conclusion, the L. plantarum LAB97 starter culture was selected as a novel probiotic candidate to obtain a potential probiotic ingredient from immature tomato fruits.

Flavour Volatiles of Fermented Vegetable and Fruit Substrates: A Review

Health, environmental and ethical concerns have resulted in a dramatic increase in demand for plant-based dairy analogues. While the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) responsible for the characteristic flavours of dairy-based products have been extensively studied, little is known about how to reproduce such flavours using only plant-based substrates. As a first step in their development, this review provides an overview of the VOCs associated with fermented (bacteria and/or fungi/yeast) vegetable and fruit substrates. Following PRISMA guidelines and using two English databases (Web of Science and Scopus), thirty-five suitable research papers were identified. The number of fermentation-derived VOCs detected ranged from 32 to 118 (across 30 papers), while 5 papers detected fewer (10 to 25). Bacteria, including lactic acid bacteria (LAB), fungi, and yeast were the micro-organisms used, with LAB being the most commonly reported. Ten studies used a single species, 21 studies used a single type (bacteria, fungi or yeast) of micro-organisms and four studies used mixed fermentation. The nature of the fermentation-derived VOCs detected (alcohols, aldehydes, esters, ketones, acids, terpenes and norisoprenoids, phenols, furans, sulphur compounds, alkenes, alkanes, and benzene derivatives) was dependent on the composition of the vegetable/fruit matrix, the micro-organisms involved, and the fermentation conditions.

Microbiota Succession and Chemical Composition Involved in Lactic Acid Bacteria-Fermented Pickles

Pickles are a type of traditional fermented vegetables in China. To ascertain the effect of different lactic acid bacteria on pickles, the chemical composition characteristics, flavor substances, and bacterial diversity of the pickles fermented by natural bacteria, Lactobacillus plantarum R5, Lactobacillus pentosus R8, and L. plantarum R5 plus L. pentosus R8 were investigated in this study. The results showed that Lactobacillus enhanced the decrease in pH, increase in total acid content, degradation of nitrite, and production of organic acid (lactic acid and malic acid) of fermented pickles. A total of 80 flavors were detected in the pickles fermented for 14 days, and esters in pickles fermented by Lactobacillus were more plentiful. Firmicutes emerged as the predominant microbial phyla. Amongst these, the commonly encountered microorganisms were Lactobacillus, unclassified Enterobacteriaceae, Pantoea, and Weissella. The multivariate statistical analysis further showed that Lactobacillus had a strong negative correlation with pH and a strong positive correlation with malic acid and lactic acid, and the microorganisms in pickles could acclimate to the changing fermentation environment. The insights gained from this study may be of assistance to us in obtaining new insights into the microbiota succession and chemical compounds involved in the pickles fermented by Lactobacillus.

Short-Term Intake of Theobroma grandiflorum Juice Fermented with Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus ATCC 9595 Amended the Outcome of Endotoxemia Induced by Lipopolysaccharide

Endotoxemia is a condition caused by increasing levels of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) characterized by an impaired systemic response that causes multiple organ dysfunction. Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus ATCC 9595 is a strain with probiotic potential which shows immunomodulatory properties. The incorporation of this bacterium in food rich in bioactive compounds, such as cupuaçu juice (Theobroma grandiflorum), could result in a product with interesting health properties. This work evaluated the effects of the oral administration of cupuaçu juice fermented with L. rhamnosus on the outcome of LPS-induced endotoxemia in mice. C57BL/6 mice (12/group) received oral doses (100 µL) of saline solution and unfermented or fermented cupuaçu juice (10⁸ CFU/mL). After 5 days, the endotoxemia was induced by an intraperitoneal injection of LPS (10 mg/kg). The endotoxemia severity was evaluated daily using a score based on grooming behavior, mobility, presence of piloerection, and weeping eyes. After 6 h and 120 h, the mice (6/group) were euthanized for analysis of cell counts (in peritoneal lavage and serum) and organ weight. L. rhamnosus grew in cupuaçu juice and produced organic acids without the need for supplementation. The bacteria counts were stable in the juice during storage at 4 °C for 28 days. The fermentation with L. rhamnosus ATCC 9595 changed the metabolites profile of cupuaçu juice due to the biotransformation and enhancement of some compounds. In general, the administration of L. rhamnosus-fermented juice allowed a significant improvement in several characteristics of endotoxemic status (weight loss, hypothermia, severity index, cell migration). In addition, treatment with fermented juice significantly reduced the weight of the spleen, liver, intestine, and kidneys compared to the saline-treated endotoxemic group. Taken together, our data show that short-term intake therapy of cupuaçu juice fermented with L. rhamnosus ATCC 9595 can reduce systemic inflammation in an experimental model of LPS-induced endotoxemia in mice.

Evaluating the effect of lactic acid bacteria fermentation on quality, aroma, and metabolites of chickpea milk

Legumes are an attractive choice for developing new products since their health benefits. Fermentation can effectively improve the quality of soymilk. This study evaluated the impact of Lactobacillus plantarum fermentation on the physicochemical parameters, vitamins, organic acids, aroma substances, and metabolites of chickpea milk. The lactic acid bacteria (LAB) fermentation improved the color, antioxidant properties, total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, lactic acid content, and vitamin B6 content of raw juice. In total, 77 aroma substances were identified in chickpea milk by headspace solid-phase microextraction with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS); 43 of the 77 aroma substances increased after the LAB fermentation with a significant decrease in beany flavor content (p < 0.05), improving the flavor of the soymilk product. Also, a total of 218 metabolites were determined in chickpea milk using non-targeted metabolomics techniques, including 51 differentially metabolites (28 up-regulated and 23 down-regulated; p < 0.05). These metabolites participated in multiple metabolic pathways during the LAB fermentation, ultimately improving the functional and antioxidant properties of fermented soymilk. Overall, LAB fermentation can improve the flavor, nutritional, and functional value of chickpea milk accelerating its consumer acceptance and development as an animal milk alternative.

Effect of Starters on Quality Characteristics of Hongsuantang, a Chinese Traditional Sour Soup

Hongsuantang (HST) is a traditional Chinese and famous sour soup. However, the quality of naturally fermented HST is not controllable. We investigated the effects of different lactic acid bacteria starters on HST acid production, color, antioxidant capacity, total phenols, total carotenoids, organic acids, volatile substances, and sensory properties to determine the most suitable strain for HST production. The results showed that among the seven lactic acid bacteria strains used to inoculate fermented HST, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum SQ-4 exhibited the most excellent fermentation characteristics. SQ-4 rapidly reduced the HST’s pH by 0.77. It significantly increased the HST’s color, organic acids, total phenols, carotenoids, lycopene, and free radical scavenging ability. Lactiplantibacillus plantarum SQ-4 was an excellent starter for preparing HST with good acid production capacity, moderate sourness and spiciness, and good sensory and other characteristics. Each starter produces its distinct flavor components. α-Pinene, myrcene, α-copaene, and guaiol were vital aroma compounds in HST fermentation by the starter. This study laid a foundation for selecting HST starters and potential industrial production.

Effects of post-fermentation on the flavor compounds formation in red sour soup

Red Sour Soup (RSS) is a traditional fermented food in China. After two rounds of fermentation, sour soup has a mellow flavor. However, the microbial composition and flavor formation processes in post-fermentation in RSS are unclear. This study investigates the bacteria composition of RSS during the post-fermentation stage (0–180 days) using high-throughput sequencing. The results show that lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are dominant during the post-fermentation process, and their abundance gradually increases with fermentation time. Additionally, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to detect volatile flavor compounds in the post-fermentation process. Seventy-seven volatile flavor compounds were identified, including 24 esters, 14 terpenes, 9 aromatic hydrocarbons, 9 alkanes, 6 heterocyclic compounds, 3 alcohols, 3 acids, 3 ketones, 2 phenols, 2 aldehydes, 1 amine, and 1 other. Esters and aromatic hydrocarbons are the main volatile compounds in RSS during the post-fermentation process. Orthogonal partial least squares screening and correlation analysis derived several significant correlations, including 48 pairs of positive correlations and 19 pairs of negative correlations. Among them, Acetobacter spp., Clostridium spp. and Sporolactobacillus spp. have 15, 14, 20 significant correlation pairs, respectively, and are considered the most important bacterial genera post-fermentation. Volatile substances become abundant with increasing fermentation time. LAB are excessive after more than 120 days but cause a drastic reduction in volatile ester levels. Thus, the post-fermentation time should be restricted to 120 days, which retains the highest concentrations of volatile esters in RSS. Overall, these findings provide a theoretical basis to determine an optimal post-fermentation time duration, and identify essential bacteria for manufacturing high-quality starter material to shorten the RSS post-fermentation processing time.

Optimization of the Quality of Chestnut Rose Jiaosu Compound Beverage Based on Probiotic Strains and Fermentation Technology

Chestnut rose is an endemic plant in Guizhou Province, China, also known as seedless prickly pear, rich in mineral elements, vitamin C, and flavonoids. With chestnut rose as the main raw material, with grapes, apples, and other fruits as auxiliary ingredients, through the technical process of deastringency, sterilization, fermentation, blending, and other technical processes to obtain the composite beverage, known as a chestnut rose jiaosu compound beverage, it is hereinafter referred to as CRJCB. The CRJCB fermented from chestnut rose juice is nutritious and has a variety of health effects, and the flavor is unique, with good color, aroma, and taste, which is a new type of beverage. However, at present, the fermentation related technology of CRJCB is not perfect, resulting in its low quality, which seriously restricts the industrialization development of CRJCB. In order to improve the quality of the jiaosu compound beverage, probiotics such as Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. Bulgaricus, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus royale (Lactobacillus reuteri), Lactobacillus acidophilus, and Streptococcus thermophilus, etc., were used. The chestnut rose as the main raw material was used for the fermentation, and grapes, apples, and sugar were used as auxiliary materials to carry out the research on the fermentation of single or mixed probiotics. The key fermentation processes affecting the quality of the jiaosu, such as juice preparation, deastringency of chestnut rose juice, fermentation temperature and time, sugar addition, and taste mixing of the jiaosu, were optimized. The optimized ratio, fermentation process parameters, and strains of probiotics of compound beverage with chestnut rose jiaosu, with high quality, were obtained. The experimental results showed that the SOD enzyme activity value was 167.7 U·ml−1, the vitamin C content was 1154.5 mg/100 mL, the soluble solids content was 5.80%, and the nitrite content was 89.8 mg/kg in the compound beverage with chestnut rose jiaosu, obtained by using the optimized ratio and fermentation process parameters proposed in this paper. The development and utilization of chestnut rose resources provide a new idea and is of great significance in promoting the development of the chestnut rose industry.

Mathematical Modeling and Optimization of Lactobacillus Species Single and Co-Culture Fermentation Processes in Wheat and Soy Dough Mixtures

To improve food production via fermentation with co-cultures of microorganisms (e.g., multiple lactic acid bacteria-LAB strains), one must fully understand their metabolism and interaction patterns in various conditions. For example, LAB can bring added quality to bread by releasing several bioactive compounds when adding soy flour to wheat flour, thus revealing the great potential for functional food development. In the present work, the fermentation of three soy and wheat flour mixtures is studied using single cultures and co-cultures of Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus casei. Bio-chemical processes often require a significant amount of time to obtain the optimal amount of final product; creating a mathematical model can gain important information and aids in the optimization of the process. Consequently, mathematical modeling is used to optimize the fermentation process by following these LAB’s growth kinetics and viability. The present work uses both multiple regression and artificial neural networks (ANN) to obtain the necessary mathematical model, useful in both prediction and process optimization. The main objective is to find a model with optimal performances, evaluated using an ANOVA test. To validate each obtained model, the simulation results are compared with the experimental data.

The Bacillary Postbiotics, Including 2-Undecanone, Suppress the Virulence of Pathogenic Microorganisms

Secreted molecules from probiotic Bacilli have often been considered potential pharmaceuticals to fight infections caused by bacterial or yeast pathogens. In the present study, we investigated the antagonistic potential of secreted probiotic filtrates (hereafter, postbiotics) derived from Lactobacillus plantarum cells against pathogenic microorganisms, such as Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Candida albicans. We found that the postbiotics mitigate the biofilms of the tested pathogens with no notable effect on their planktonic growth. In addition, the postbiotics suppressed some virulence traits, for instance, the dendrite swarming motility of E. coli and yeast-to-hyphal switch in C. albicans. Further assays with an active constituent produced by the L. plantarum cells–2-undecanone revealed two significant findings: (i) 2-undecanone inhibits C. albicans biofilms and hyphae in vitro and in a Caenorhabditis elegans model, and (ii) it interacts specifically with Gln 58 amino acid residue of hyphal wall protein-1 (Hwp-1) in molecular docking analysis. The results suggest the targeted mode of antagonistic action of 2-undecanone against C. albicans biofilm. In total, the findings of the study depict an appealing strategy to use postbiotics, including specific ketone molecules, produced by L. plantarum for developing novel antibiofilm and anti-hyphal pharmaceuticals.

Novel Bio-Functional Aloe vera Beverages Fermented by Probiotic Enterococcus faecium and Lactobacillus lactis

Aloe vera has been medicinally used for centuries. Its bioactive compounds have been shown to be very effective in the treatment of numerous diseases. In this work, a novel functional beverage was developed and characterized to combine the health benefits of probiotic bacteria with the Aloe vera plant itself. Two Aloe vera juices were obtained by fermentation either by a novel isolated Enterococcus faecium or a commercial Lactococcus lactis. The extraction of Aloe vera biocompounds for further fermentation was optimized. Extraction with water plus cellulase enhanced the carbohydrates and phenolic compounds in the obtained extracts. The biotransformation of the bioactive compounds from the extracts during fermentation was assessed. Both probiotic bacteria were able to grow on the Aloe vera extract. Lactic acid and short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) together with fourteen individual phenolic compounds were quantified in the produced Aloe vera juice, mainly epicatechin, aloin, ellagic acid, and hesperidin. The amount of total phenolic compounds was maintained through fermentation. The antioxidant activity was significantly increased in the produced juice by the ABTS method. The novel produced Aloe vera juice showed great potential as a functional beverage containing probiotics, prebiotics, SCFA, and phenolic compounds in its final composition.

Controlled fermentation of curly kale juice with the use of autochthonous starter cultures

The aim of this paper was to evaluate the influence of different indigenous lactic acid bacteria isolates - as a single culture or bacterial consortium - on the functional and physicochemical properties of fermented curly kale juice. All tested variants exhibited good growth parameters, manifested by efficient pH lowering, increases in acidity, and fructose and glucose metabolism, as well as a significant inhibition of pathogens. A slight increase in total phenolic content was observed, while antioxidant activity remained unchanged. L. sakei and MIX A were associated with an increase in riboflavin and pyridoxine content, while L. plantarum only contributed to an increase in vitamin B₆ content. Bioconversion of individual phenolic compounds, carotenoids, and glucosinolates strongly depended on the strain-specific metabolism. In the process, the levels of ferulic acid and other hydroxycinnamic acids were maintained, while the content of 9-cis lutein increased. Considering presented results and our previous research regarding probiotic features of LAB strains, among tested starter cultures - L. plantarum seemed to possess the best characteristics as a potential starter culture for controlled fermentation of curly kale juice.

Antimicrobial Activity of Fermented Vegetable Byproduct Extracts for Food Applications

To prevent foodborne diseases and extend shelf-life, antimicrobial agents may be used in food to inhibit the growth of undesired microorganisms. In addition to the prevention of foodborne diseases, another huge concern of our time is the recovery of agri-food byproducts. In compliance with these challenges, the aim of this work was to more deeply investigate the antimicrobial activity of extracts derived from fermented tomato, melon, and carrot byproducts, previously studied. All the fermented extracts had antimicrobial activity both in vitro and in foodstuff, showing even higher activity than commercial preservatives, tested for comparison against spoilage microorganisms and foodborne pathogens such as Salmonella spp., L. monocytogenes, and B. cereus. These promising results highlight an unstudied aspect for the production of innovative natural preservatives, exploitable to improve the safety and shelf-life of various categories of foodstuff.

Lactobacillus plantarum PMO 08 as a Probiotic Starter Culture for Plant-Based Fermented Beverages

Lactobacillus plantarum PMO 08 was evaluated as a starter culture for plant-based probiotic beverages. Its viability under various culture conditions and acidification ability in standardized tomato medium, fermentation parameters, and beverage properties were assessed. Lactobacillus plantarum PMO 08 could grow under various culture conditions; there was a high correlation between the incubation time to reach the optimal conditions and the inoculation concentration of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) (r² = 0.997). Acidity (0.958 ± 0.002%) and LAB count (9.78 ± 0.14 Log₁₀ CFU/mL) were significantly higher when fermented with L. plantarum than with the yogurt starter culture. A survival rate of 96% and 95% in artificial gastric juice and artificial intestinal juice, respectively, indicated that the probiotic requirements were met. The total polyphenol and glutamine content, and antioxidant activity increased after fermentation. The proline content significantly increased in L. plantarum PMO 08- fermented beverage. Thus, L. plantarum PMO 08 is an effective starter culture for non-dairy probiotic beverages whose functional quality may be improved by fermentation.

Fruits and fruit by-products as sources of bioactive compounds. Benefits and trends of lactic acid fermentation in the development of novel fruit-based functional beverages

Current awareness about the benefits of a balanced diet supports ongoing trends in humans towards a healthier diet. This review provides an overview of fruits and fruit-by products as sources of bioactive compounds and their extraction techniques, and the use of lactic acid fermentation of fruit juices to increase their functionality. Fruit matrices emerge as a technological alternative to be fermented by autochthonous or allochthonous lactic acid bacteria (LAB such as Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus, and other Lactobacillus species), and also as probiotic vehicles. During fermentation, microbial enzymes act on several fruit phytochemicals producing new derived compounds with impact on the aroma and the functionality of the fermented drinks. Moreover, fermentation significantly reduces the sugar content improving their nutritional value and extending the shelf-life of fruit-based beverages. The generation of new probiotic beverages as alternatives to consumers with intolerance to lactose or with vegan or vegetarian diets is promising for the worldwide functional food market. An updated overview on the current knowledge of the use of fruit matrices to be fermented by LAB and the interaction between strains and the fruit phytochemical compounds to generate new functional foods as well as their future perspectives in association with the application of nanotechnology techniques are presented in this review.

Development of Lactic Acid-Fermented Tomato Products

BACKGROUND

lactic acid fermentation was recently proposed to produce fruit and vegetable beverages with high nutritional value. In this study, a wide screening of strains and fermentation parameters was carried out to develop fermented tomato-based drinks containing viable cells and potentially bioactive metabolites.

METHODS

six different products (three extracts, two tomato juices and one tomato puree) were used as substrate for fermentation. After preliminary testing, eight fermentation conditions for each tested product were selected. The final products were stabilized with pasteurization or refrigeration and further characterized in terms of (i) antioxidant activity and (ii) total polyphenols.

RESULTS

selected strains were able to grow in almost all tomato-based products except for one extract. Antioxidant activity and total phenolic content depend on products and fermentation conditions used and, except for tomato puree, an overall increase was observed. The best nutritional profile was reached in fermented samples stored at refrigerated temperature without thermal stabilization.

CONCLUSION

an integrated data vision allowed to choose, for each substrate, the best combination of strains to produce novel fermented tomato-based products with different application perspectives.

Review on Non-Dairy Probiotics and Their Use in Non-Dairy Based Products

Consumer demands for foods promoting health while preventing diseases have led to development of functional foods that contain probiotic bacteria. Fermented dairy products are good substrates for probiotic delivery, but the large number of lactose intolerant people, their high fat and cholesterol content and also due to the growing vegetarianism the consumers are seeking for alternatives. Therefore, researches have been widely studied the feasibility of probiotic bacteria in non-dairy products such as fruits, vegetables, and cereals. This review describes the application of probiotic cultures in non-dairy food products.

Fermented Seeds ("Zgougou") from Aleppo Pine as a Novel Source of Potentially Probiotic Lactic Acid Bacteria

Microorganisms inhabiting fermented foods represent the main link between the consumption of this food and human health. Although some fermented food is a reservoir of potentially probiotic microorganisms, several foods are still unexplored. This study aimed at characterizing the probiotic potential of lactic acid bacteria isolated from zgougou, a fermented matrix consisting of a watery mixture of Aleppo pine's seeds. In vitro methods were used to characterize the safety, survival ability in typical conditions of the gastrointestinal tract, and adherence capacity to surfaces, antimicrobial, and antioxidant activities. Strains belonged to the Lactobacillus plantarum group and Enterococcus faecalis showed no DNase, hemolytic, and gelatinase activities. In addition, their susceptibility to most of the tested antibiotics, satisfied some of the safety prerequisites for their potential use as probiotics. All the strains tolerated low pH, gastrointestinal enzymes, and bile salts. They displayed a good antibacterial activity and antibiofilm formation against 10 reference bacterial pathogens, especially when used as a cell-free supernatant. Furthermore, the lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains inhibited the growth of Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus carbonarius. Finally, they had good antioxidant activity, although depending on the strain. Overall, the results of this work highlight that zgougou represents an important reservoir of potentially probiotic LAB. Obviously, future studies should be addressed to confirm the health benefits of the LAB strains.

Identification of Active Compound Extracts from Noni Fruit (Morinda citrifolia L.) and Its Potential as Antioxidants

Antioxidants are compounds that can inhibit oxidation reactions by binding to free radicals and highly reactive molecules. One form of reactive oxygen compounds is free radicals, these compounds are formed in the body and are triggered by various factors. Noni fruits have been used by the community as a medicine for high blood pressure, beriberi, urinating, inflammation of bile, inflammation of the intestine, dysentery, constipation, spleen pain, liver pain, diabetes and lumbago. Nevertheless, research on the identification of the active compounds of noni fruit which act as antioxidants yet. This study aims to extract and fractionation of Noni fruit, determine the antioxidant activity of Noni fruit extract, and identify the types of bioactive compounds that act as antioxidants. Noni fruit was extracted used maceration technique with 96% ethanol and then fractionated using n-hexane, chloroform and ethyl acetate solvents. Antioxidant activity from the results of noni fruit fractionation was measured by the DPPH (1.1 diphenyl-2-picrylhydrachyl) method and identification of bioactive compounds was carried out by GCMS. The results showed the greatest antioxidant activity was found in chloroform fraction with a percentage of inhibition of 78.19%. For the first time this study revealed the types of bioactive compounds from noni fruit ethyl acetate fraction which act as antioxidants are n-hexadecanoic acid, squalene, pyridin-3-carboxamide, oxime, n- (2-trifluoro methyl phenyl), and beta-sitosterol