Foam‐Mat Freeze‐Drying of Bifidobacterium longum RO175: Viability and Refrigerated Storage Stability

Foaming as a pretreatment was used prior to freeze‐drying of Bifidobacterium longum RO175 to investigate the potential acceleration of the drying rate and increase in microorganism viability after the process. A study on storage of foamed and nonfoamed freeze‐dried products at 4 °C completed this study. B. longum RO175 in foamed medium could be freeze‐dried in 1/7 to 1/4 of the time required for nonfoamed suspensions. In addition, foamed suspensions presented higher viability immediately after freeze‐drying (13.6% compared to 12.81 % or 11.46%, depending on the cryoprotective media). Refrigerated storage led to a reduction in B. longum RO175 viability for all tested protective agents (foamed and nonfoamed). No correlation between glass transition temperature and stability of probiotic powders was observed during storage. In addition, lower viability after 56 d of storage was observed for foamed materials, probably due to foam porous structure and higher hygroscopicity, and oxygen presence and moisture pickup during storage.     

适于益生菌发酵的青稞酶解液制备工艺优化

采用程序升温法对青稞进行酶解,以还原糖含量为响应值,采用响应面法对青稞酶解液制备工艺进行了优化。结果表明:按料水比1:15(g/mL)溶解青稞粉,经糊化后冷却至45℃,加入8.9U/g·青稞的α-淀粉酶和原料质量2.0%,3.5%的糖化酶、菠萝蛋白酶,保温20 min后升温到60℃酶解,直至碘试液体呈无色,过滤得到青稞酶解液,其还原糖、氨基酸态氮含量分别为5.68%、0.47g/L,可作为制备益生菌发酵青稞饮料的良好基质。     

Sheep Milk: Physicochemical Characteristics and Relevance for Functional Food Development

Sheep milk has a high nutritional value and high concentrations of proteins, fats, minerals, and vitamins, as compared to the milks of other domestic species. The physicochemical and nutritional characteristics of sheep milk can be advantageous for the manufacture of products containing prebiotic ingredients and/or probiotic bacteria, which are major categories in the functional food market. Following this technological trend, this review will address the characteristics and advantages of sheep milk as a potentially functional food, as well as the development of sheep milk dairy products containing prebiotics and/or probiotics.     

Beneficial effects of probiotic cholesterol-lowering strain of Enterococcus faecium WEFA23 from infants on diet-induced metabolic syndrome in rats

The aim of this study was to select probiotic Enterococcus strains that have the potential to improve metabolic syndrome (MS). Ten Enterococcus strains isolated from healthy infants were evaluated for their probiotic properties in vitro, and Enterococcus faecium WEFA23 was selected due to its cholesterol removal ability (1.89 ± 0.07 mg/10¹⁰ cfu), highest glycodeoxycholic acid-hydrolase activity (1.86 ± 0.01 U/mg), and strong adhesion capacity to Caco-2 cells (17.90 ± 0.19%). The safety of E. faecium WEFA23 was verified by acute oral administration in mice, and it was found to have no adverse effects on general health status, bacterial translocation, and gut mucosal histology. Moreover, the bene?cial effects of E. faecium WEFA23 on high-fat diet-induced MS in rats were investigated, and we found WEFA23 signi?cantly decreased body weight, serum lipid levels (total cholesterol, triacylglycerols, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol), blood glucose level, and insulin resistance in rats fed with a high-fat diet. This indicated that administration of E. faecium WEFA23 improved almost all key markers of MS, including obesity, hyperlipidemia, hyperglycemia, and insulin resistance. Our results supported E. faecium WEFA23 as a candidate for cholesterol-lowering dairy products and improvement of MS. Our research provided novel insights on Enterococcus as a strategy to combat MS.     

Health-promoting benefits of low-fat akawi cheese made by exopolysaccharide-producing probiotic Lactobacillus plantarum isolated from camel milk

Lactic acid bacteria isolated from camel milk exhibit remarkable probiotic and exopolysaccharide (EPS)-producing characteristics. The health-promoting benefits of exopolysaccharide-producing probiotic Lactobacillus plantarum isolated from camel milk used for making low-fat akawi cheese were investigated. Three low-fat akawi cheeses were made using traditional culture (non-EPS-producing, EPS^?), commercial EPS-producing (MEPS⁺), and camel milk EPS-producing (CEPS⁺) cultures. α-Amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities, antioxidant activities, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition, and antiproliferative activity were determined. Cheese made with CEPS⁺ culture exhibited comparable α-amylase inhibition to that of cheeses made with MEPS⁺. Scavenging rates of cheese made with EPS⁺ cultures were higher than those of cheese made with EPS^? cultures. The percentage of α-glucosidase inhibition ranged from >45% at 0 d to ～55% at 21 d of storage. After 7 d of storage, the scavenging rate in CEPS⁺ cheese increased >60% by ABTS assay [2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzo-thiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)] and >20% by DPPH assay (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl). Throughout storage, cheese made with EPS⁺ cultures showed higher ACE-inhibition activity compared with EPS^? cultures. Cheese made with CEPS⁺ showed ACE inhibition >70% after 7 d of storage. Antiproliferation activity of CEPS⁺ cheese increased from 38 to 48% during 7 d of storage and was maintained above 45% with prolonged storage. Low-fat akawi cheese produced with these cultures exhibited similar or greater health-promoting benefits compared with cheese made using commercial starter cultures. Therefore, incorporation of these cultures in food is promising for commercial uses.     

具有α-葡萄糖苷酶抑制作用益生菌的筛选及特性分析

以实验室77 株益生菌为研究对象,从其菌体细胞代谢物（cell-free excretory supernatants,CFS）和细胞内容物（cell-free extracts,CFE）两方面分析菌株对α-葡萄糖苷酶的抑制活性;同时还从耐酸性、细胞黏附性等方面对具有α-葡萄糖苷酶抑制活性的菌株进行了益生特性评价;最后利用主成分分析进行综合性评价,以期筛选出具有α-葡萄糖苷酶抑制作用的益生菌。结果表明,77?株益生菌的CFE对α-葡萄糖苷酶没有抑制作用;而CFS对α-葡萄糖苷酶具有一定的抑制作用,抑制率为2.53%～15.76%。选取抑制率明显高于其他益生菌（编号为ST-2、1.1881、GS-3和BLP12）菌株进行益生特性的研究。其中ST-2表现出很高的耐酸性和细胞黏附性;GS-3在模拟消化液中有很强的耐受性等,各菌株特性不一。主成分分析表明菌株BLP12的综合性能最好：其对α-葡萄糖苷酶的抑制率可达15.10%;于pH?2.0孵育3?h后,存活率能达到71.04%;于2.0%的胆盐条件下孵育24?h,存活率为0.70%;依次经模拟唾液、胃液、肠液消化后,存活率仍能达到88.27%,但对HT-29细胞的黏附率较低,仅为1.93%,总体上菌株BLP12对体外模拟胃肠环境的适应性很强。该菌株经过16S基因序列鉴定为植物乳杆菌,可作为降糖益生菌株应用于降糖食品的开发。     

Non-dairy Based Probiotics: A Healthy Treat for Intestine

Dairy-based fermented products and yoghurts have been utilized as potential probiotic products since ancient times. However, recent upsurge in interest of consumers towards dairy alternatives has opened up new vistas for non-dairy probiotic research and development. Various matrices and substrates such as cereals, fruit juices, or mixture thereof are being utilized for delivering these beneficial microorganisms. Each matrix offers some advantages over the other. Vast knowledge available on a number of conventional fermented foods can also be utilized for future research in this area. The present review provides an insight on the recent research/developments in the field of non-dairy probiotic foods with particular reference to the foods consumed conventionally, in addition to their commercial availability and a way forward.