Development, Analysis, and Sensory Evaluation of Improved Bread Fortified with a Plant-Based Fermented Food Product.

In response to the demand for healthier foods in the current market, this study aimed to develop a new bread product using a fermented food product (FFP), a plant-based product composed of soya flour, alfalfa meal, barley sprouts, and viable microorganisms that showed beneficial effects in previous studies. White bread products prepared with three different substitution levels (5, 10, and 15%) of FFP were evaluated for physical characteristics (loaf peak height, length, width), color indices (lightness, redness/greenness, yellowness/blueness), quality properties (loaf mass, volume, specific volume), protein content, crumb digital image analysis, and sensory characteristics. The results revealed that FFP significantly affected all studied parameters, and in most cases, there was a dose-response effect. FFP supplementation affected the nutritional profile and increased the protein content (p < 0.001). The sensory test indicated that consumer acceptance of the studied sensory attributes differed significantly between groups, and bread with high levels of FFP (10 and 15% FFP) was generally more poorly rated than the control (0%) and 5% FFP for most of the variables studied. Despite this, all groups received acceptable scores (overall liking score ≥ 5) from consumers. The sensory analysis concluded that there is a possible niche in the market for these improved versions of bread products.

Pediococcus acidilactici pA1c® Improves the Beneficial Effects of Metformin Treatment in Type 2 Diabetes by Controlling Glycaemia and Modulating Intestinal Microbiota.

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a complex metabolic disease, which involves maintained hyperglycemia, mainly due to the development of an insulin resistance process. Metformin administration is the most prescribed treatment for diabetic patients. In a previously published study, we demonstrated that Pediococcus acidilactici pA1c® (pA1c) protects from insulin resistance and body weight gain in HFD-induced diabetic mice. The present work aimed to evaluate the possible beneficial impact of a 16-week administration of pA1c, metformin, or the combination of pA1c and metformin in a T2D HFD-induced mice model. We found that the simultaneous administration of both products attenuated hyperglycemia, increased high-intensity insulin-positive areas in the pancreas and HOMA-ß, decreased HOMA-IR and also provided more beneficial effects than metformin treatment (regarding HOMA-IR, serum C-peptide level, liver steatosis or hepatic Fasn expression), and pA1c treatment (regarding body weight or hepatic G6pase expression). The three treatments had a significant impact on fecal microbiota and led to differential composition of commensal bacterial populations. In conclusion, our findings suggest that P. acidilactici pA1c® administration improved metformin beneficial effects as a T2D treatment, and it would be a valuable therapeutic strategy to treat T2D.

Impact of probiotics and prebiotics in the modulation of the major events of the aging process: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: The increase in life expectancy has led to profound changes in disease prevention and health maintenance. Because of the impact of dysbiosis on the host's health, it is worth considering microbiome-targeted therapies to attenuate or delay age-related perturbations. AIM: The aim of the present review was to systematically evaluate the impact of probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics on the major events that affect individuals aged 65 or older. METHODS: We performed a literature search in MEDLINE and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. Randomized Clinical Trials (RCTs) performed on old people and published between 2009 and 2019 were included. RESULTS: Nine RCTs and 1 secondary analysis (n = 475, 55.8% female) were eligible for inclusion and retrieved in this systematic review. Overall, most interventions resulted in improvements in certain parameters when compared to control (glucose homeostasis, cognitive function, frailty phenotype, gut microbiota profile, immune parameters), while others remained unvariable. CONCLUSIONS: The use of probiotics and prebiotics raises a great opportunity to modulate the process of aging and looks promising for health prevention in old adults. However, more RCTs in subjects older than 65 years are needed to elucidate the suitability of these supplementations and establish the underlying potential mechanisms.

Antidiabetic Effects of Pediococcus acidilactici pA1c on HFD-Induced Mice.

Prediabetes (PreD), which is associated with impaired glucose tolerance and fasting blood glucose, is a potential risk factor for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D). Growing evidence suggests the role of the gastrointestinal microbiota in both PreD and T2D, which opens the possibility for a novel nutritional approach, based on probiotics, for improving glucose regulation and delaying disease progression of PreD to T2D. In this light, the present study aimed to assess the antidiabetic properties of Pediococcus acidilactici (pA1c) in a murine model of high-fat diet (HFD)-induced T2D. For that purpose, C57BL/6 mice were given HFD enriched with either probiotic (1 × 1010 CFU/day) or placebo for 12 weeks. We determined body weight, fasting blood glucose, glucose tolerance, HOMA-IR and HOMA-ß index, C-peptide, GLP-1, leptin, and lipid profile. We also measured hepatic gene expression (G6P, PEPCK, GCK, IL-1ß, and IL-6) and examined pancreatic and intestinal histology (% of GLP-1+ cells, % of goblet cells and villus length). We found that pA1c supplementation significantly attenuated body weight gain, mitigated glucose dysregulation by reducing fasting blood glucose levels, glucose tolerance test, leptin levels, and insulin resistance, increased C-peptide and GLP-1 levels, enhanced pancreatic function, and improved intestinal histology. These findings indicate that pA1c improved HFD-induced T2D derived insulin resistance and intestinal histology, as well as protected from body weight increase. Together, our study proposes that pA1c may be a promising new dietary management strategy to improve metabolic disorders in PreD and T2D.

Human Microbiota Network: Unveiling Potential Crosstalk between the Different Microbiota Ecosystems and Their Role in Health and Disease.

The human body is host to a large number of microorganisms which conform the human microbiota, that is known to play an important role in health and disease. Although most of the microorganisms that coexist with us are located in the gut, microbial cells present in other locations (like skin, respiratory tract, genitourinary tract, and the vaginal zone in women) also play a significant role regulating host health. The fact that there are different kinds of microbiota in different body areas does not mean they are independent. It is plausible that connection exist, and different studies have shown that the microbiota present in different zones of the human body has the capability of communicating through secondary metabolites. In this sense, dysbiosis in one body compartment may negatively affect distal areas and contribute to the development of diseases. Accordingly, it could be hypothesized that the whole set of microbial cells that inhabit the human body form a system, and the dialogue between the different host microbiotas may be a contributing factor for the susceptibility to developing diseased states. For this reason, the present review aims to integrate the available literature on the relationship between the different human microbiotas and understand how changes in the microbiota in one body region can influence other microbiota communities in a bidirectional process. The findings suggest that the different microbiotas may act in a coordinated way to decisively influence human well-being. This new integrative paradigm opens new insights in the microbiota field of research and its relationship with human health that should be taken into account in future studies.

Role of Postbiotics in Diabetes Mellitus: Current Knowledge and Future Perspectives.

In the last decade, the gastrointestinal microbiota has been recognised as being essential for health. Indeed, several publications have documented the suitability of probiotics, prebiotics, and symbiotics in the management of different diseases such as diabetes mellitus (DM). Advances in laboratory techniques have allowed the identification and characterisation of new biologically active molecules, referred to as "postbiotics". Postbiotics are defined as functional bioactive compounds obtained from food-grade microorganisms that confer health benefits when administered in adequate amounts. They include cell structures, secreted molecules or metabolic by-products, and inanimate microorganisms. This heterogeneous group of molecules presents a broad range of mechanisms and may exhibit some advantages over traditional "biotics" such as probiotics and prebiotics. Owing to the growing incidence of DM worldwide and the implications of the microbiota in the disease progression, postbiotics appear to be good candidates as novel therapeutic targets. In the present review, we summarise the current knowledge about postbiotic compounds and their potential application in diabetes management. Additionally, we envision future perspectives on this topic. In summary, the results indicate that postbiotics hold promise as a potential novel therapeutic strategy for DM.

Influence of Storage Temperature and Packaging on Bacteria and Yeast Viability in a Plant-Based Fermented Food.

Optimization of food storage has become a central issue for food science and biotechnology, especially in the field of functional foods. The aim of this work was to investigate the influence of different storage strategies in a fermented food product (FFP) and further determine whether the regular storage (room temperature (RT) and standard packaging (SP)) could be refined. Eight experimental conditions (four different temperatures × two packaging) were simulated and changes in FFP's microbial ecology (total bacteria, lactic acid bacteria (LAB), and yeasts) and physicochemical characteristics (pH and moisture content (MC)) were determined following 1, 3, 6, and 12 months. All conditions tested showed a decline in microbial content due to the effect of the temperature, 37 °C being the most detrimental condition, while -20 and 4 °C seemed to be better than RT in some parameters. Vacuum packaging (VP) only had a major effect on MC and we found that VP preserved greater MC values than SP at 3, 6, and 12 months. The correlation analysis revealed that total bacteria, LAB, and yeasts were positively associated, and also both pH and MC showed a correlation. According to our results and with the purpose to maintain the load of viable microorganisms, we observed that the best storage conditions should contemplate SP and freezing or cooling temperature during a period no longer than 3 months.

A Fermented Food Product Containing Lactic Acid Bacteria Protects ZDF Rats from the Development of Type 2 Diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a complex metabolic disease, which involves a maintained hyperglycemia due to the development of an insulin resistance process. Among multiple risk factors, host intestinal microbiota has received increasing attention in T2D etiology and progression. In the present study, we have explored the effect of long-term supplementation with a non-dairy fermented food product (FFP) in Zucker Diabetic and Fatty (ZDF) rats T2D model. The supplementation with FFP induced an improvement in glucose homeostasis according to the results obtained from fasting blood glucose levels, glucose tolerance test, and pancreatic function. Importantly, a significantly reduced intestinal glucose absorption was found in the FFP-treated rats. Supplemented animals also showed a greater survival suggesting a better health status as a result of the FFP intake. Some dissimilarities have been observed in the gut microbiota population between control and FFP-treated rats, and interestingly a tendency for better cardiometabolic markers values was appreciated in this group. However, no significant differences were observed in body weight, body composition, or food intake between groups. These findings suggest that FFP induced gut microbiota modifications in ZDF rats that improved glucose metabolism and protected from T2D development.

New Insights into Immunotherapy Strategies for Treating Autoimmune Diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D) is an autoimmune illness that affects millions of patients worldwide. The main characteristic of this disease is the destruction of pancreatic insulin-producing beta cells that occurs due to the aberrant activation of different immune effector cells. Currently, T1D is treated by lifelong administration of novel versions of insulin that have been developed recently; however, new approaches that could address the underlying mechanisms responsible for beta cell destruction have been extensively investigated. The strategies based on immunotherapies have recently been incorporated into a panel of existing treatments for T1D, in order to block T-cell responses against beta cell antigens that are very common during the onset and development of T1D. However, a complete preservation of beta cell mass as well as insulin independency is still elusive. As a result, there is no existing T1D targeted immunotherapy able to replace standard insulin administration. Presently, a number of novel therapy strategies are pursuing the goals of beta cell protection and normoglycemia. In the present review we explore the current state of immunotherapy in T1D by highlighting the most important studies in this field, and envision novel strategies that could be used to treat T1D in the future.