The combination of omics strategies to evaluate starter and probiotic strains in the Catharina sour Brazilian-style beer.

Catharina sour, the first internationally recognized Brazilian beer, is characterized by fermentation with lactic acid bacteria (LAB), which may have probiotic potential, and the addition of fruit juice. This study aimed to evaluate the use of the starter Streptococcus thermophilus TH-4 (TH-4) and the probiotics Lacticaseibacillus paracasei F19 and 431, associated with Saccharomyces cerevisiae US-05, in the absence (control)/presence of passion fruit or peach juices. Evaluation proceeded during fermentation and storage by enumeration using pour-plate and qPCR; gene expressions of hop resistance; proteome by Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS); and odor, flavor, and metabolome by Headspace Solid-Phase Microextraction (HS-SPME), coupled with the gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. We concluded that the strains studied are recommended for applications in sour beers, due to the presence of defense mechanisms like membrane adhesion and H + pump. Furthermore, HS-SPME/GC-MS indicated that the strains may contribute to the beer flavor and odor.

Brewer's Spent Grain Enhanced the Recovery of Potential Probiotic Strains in Fermented Milk After Exposure to In Vitro-Simulated Gastrointestinal Conditions.

Brewer's spent grain (BSG) is a beer industry by-product with interesting functional properties by its high fiber content and bioactive compounds, which may be possibly employed as a prebiotic ingredient. The fermentability of BSG by ten probiotics and two starter cultures was evaluated, and the co-culture of Lacticaseibacillus paracasei subsp. paracasei F-19® (probiotic) and Streptococcus thermophilus TH-4® (starter) was selected to produce a potentially probiotic fermented milk (FM). Four formulations of FM were studied: FM1 (control), FM2 (probiotic - /BSG +), FM3 (probiotic + /BSG -), and FM4 (probiotic + /BSG +). The viability of the microorganisms in the FM was monitored throughout 28 days of storage. The resistance of the microorganisms in the FM to in vitro-simulated gastrointestinal tract (GIT) conditions was also evaluated. Even though the BSG did not influence the fermentation kinetics or increase the populations of both microorganisms in the FM, a significant improvement on the survival of TH-4® against in vitro-simulated GIT stress was observed in the formulations containing BSG alone or in combination with F-19®. All formulations showed potential as probiotic FM, since total probiotic populations were kept above 1010 CFU in a daily portion of 200 mL, and a minimum of 1010 and 108 CFU equivalent of, respectively, TH-4® and F-19® was recovered after the GIT stress. Therefore, TH-4® has potential as a probiotic strain in addition to its starter feature, while BSG may be employed as a possible prebiotic ingredient in a synbiotic approach. Nonetheless, further studies to evaluate possible health benefits are needed.

A Gut Feeling in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: Microbiome of Mice and Men.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a severely debilitating disease characterized by progressive degeneration of motor neurons. ALS etiology and pathophysiology are not well understood. It could be the consequences of complex interactions among host factors, microbiome, and the environmental factors. Recent data suggest the novel roles of intestinal dysfunction and microbiota in ALS etiology and progression. Although microbiome may indeed play a critical role in ALS pathogenesis, studies implicating innate immunity and intestinal changes in early disease pathology are limited. The gastrointestinal symptoms in the ALS patients before their diagnosis are largely ignored in the current medical practice. This review aims to explore existing evidence of gastrointestinal symptoms and progress of microbiome in ALS pathogenesis from human and animal studies. We discuss dietary, metabolites, and possible therapeutic approaches by targeting intestinal function and microbiome. Finally, we evaluate existing evidence and identify gaps in the knowledge for future directions in ALS. It is essential to understanding the microbiome and intestinal pathogenesis that determine when, where, and whether microbiome and metabolites critical to ALS progression. These studies will help us to develop more accurate diagnosis and better treatment not only for this challenging disease, but also for other neurodegenerative diseases.

Interactions of probiotics and prebiotics with the gut microbiota.

The gut microbiota (GM) composition varies among individuals and is influenced by intrinsic (genetics, age) and extrinsic (environment, diet, lifestyle) factors. An imbalance or dysbiosis is directly associated with the development of several illnesses, due to the potential increase in intestinal permeability leading to a systemic inflammation triggered by higher levels of circulating lipopolysaccharides and changes in the immune response caused by an overgrowth of a specific genus or of pathogens. These mechanisms may increase symptoms in gastrointestinal disorders or reduce glucose tolerance in metabolic diseases. Diet also has a significant impact on GM, and functional foods, namely prebiotics and probiotics, are a novel approach to reestablish the indigenous microbiota. Prebiotics, like inulin and polyphenols, are selectively utilized by GM, releasing short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) and other metabolites which may reduce the intestinal lumen pH, inhibit growth of pathogens, and enhance mineral and vitamin bioavailability. Probiotic microorganism may increase the microbial diversity of GM and improve the integrity of the intestinal barrier, leading to an improvement of baseline and pathologic inflammation. In this chapter, we will discuss the potential roles of prebiotics and probiotics in health and diseases throughout an individual's lifetime and proposed mechanisms of action.

Vitamin D Modulates Intestinal Microbiota in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), including Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), which differ in the location and lesion extensions. Both diseases are associated with microbiota dysbiosis, with a reduced population of butyrate-producing species, abnormal inflammatory response, and micronutrient deficiency (e.g., vitamin D hypovitaminosis). Vitamin D (VitD) is involved in immune cell differentiation, gut microbiota modulation, gene transcription, and barrier integrity. Vitamin D receptor (VDR) regulates the biological actions of the active VitD (1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3), and is involved in the genetic, environmental, immune, and microbial aspects of IBD. VitD deficiency is correlated with disease activity and its administration targeting a concentration of 30 ng/mL may have the potential to reduce disease activity. Moreover, VDR regulates functions of T cells and Paneth cells and modulates release of antimicrobial peptides in gut microbiota-host interactions. Meanwhile, beneficial microbial metabolites, e.g., butyrate, upregulate the VDR signaling. In this review, we summarize the clinical progress and mechanism studies on VitD/VDR related to gut microbiota modulation in IBD. We also discuss epigenetics in IBD and the probiotic regulation of VDR. Furthermore, we discuss the existing challenges and future directions. There is a lack of well-designed clinical trials exploring the appropriate dose and the influence of gender, age, ethnicity, genetics, microbiome, and metabolic disorders in IBD subtypes. To move forward, we need well-designed therapeutic studies to examine whether enhanced vitamin D will restore functions of VDR and microbiome in inhibiting chronic inflammation.

Development and characterization of an innovative synbiotic fermented beverage based on vegetable soybean

Abstract Soymilk was produced from vegetable soybean and fermented by probiotics (Lactobacillus acidophilus La-5, Bifidobacterium animalis Bb-12) in co-culture with Streptococcus thermophilus. The composition of the fermented beverage and oligosaccharides content were determined. The effect of fructooligosaccharides and inulin on the fermentation time and viability of probiotic microorganisms throughout 28 days of storage at 5 °C were evaluated. The soymilk from vegetable soybeans was fermented in just 3.2 h, when pH reached 4.8. Fermentation reduced the contents of stachyose and raffinose in soymilk. Prebiotics had no effect on acidification rate and on viability of B. animalis and S. thermophilus in the fermented beverage. The viable counts of B. animalis Bb-12 remained above 108 CFU mL-1 in the fermented soymilk during 28 days of storage at 5 °C while L. acidophilus La-5 was decreased by 1 log CFU mL-1. The fermented soymilk from vegetable soybeans showed to be a good food matrix to deliver probiotic bacteria, as well as a soy product with a lower content of non-digestible oligosaccharides.

Development and characterization of an innovative synbiotic fermented beverage based on vegetable soybean.

Soymilk was produced from vegetable soybean and fermented by probiotics (Lactobacillus acidophilus La-5, Bifidobacterium animalis Bb-12) in co-culture with Streptococcus thermophilus. The composition of the fermented beverage and oligosaccharides content were determined. The effect of fructooligosaccharides and inulin on the fermentation time and viability of probiotic microorganisms throughout 28 days of storage at 5°C were evaluated. The soymilk from vegetable soybeans was fermented in just 3.2h, when pH reached 4.8. Fermentation reduced the contents of stachyose and raffinose in soymilk. Prebiotics had no effect on acidification rate and on viability of B. animalis and S. thermophilus in the fermented beverage. The viable counts of B. animalis Bb-12 remained above 108CFUmL-1 in the fermented soymilk during 28 days of storage at 5°C while L. acidophilus La-5 was decreased by 1logCFUmL-1. The fermented soymilk from vegetable soybeans showed to be a good food matrix to deliver probiotic bacteria, as well as a soy product with a lower content of non-digestible oligosaccharides.