Bifidobacteria as Potential Functional Starter Cultures: A Case Study by MSc Students in Food Science and Technology (University of Foggia, Southern Italy)

Abstract

This research paper was the results of activity of MSc students of Food Science and Technology, attending the class “Biotechnology of Functional Starter”. Five strains of bifidobacteria (Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis; B. longum subsp. infantis; B. breve; B. animalis subsp. animalis; B. bifidum) were evaluated in order to assess their suitability as functional starter cultures, by studying the following technological and probiotic traits: growth at different temperatures, NaCl amounts and pH values; acidifying ability; metabolism (arginin deamination, esculin hydrolysis, acetoin production); survival at low pH and in presence of bile salts; hydrophobic properties; antibiotic resistance. After laboratory assays and strain selection through a multivariate analyses, it was highlighted that B. longum subsp. infantis and B. animalis subsp. lactis represent a good compromise as potential functional starter cultures, as B. animalis subp. lactis showed a high growth index at pH 5 and good values at 25?C and 30?C, as well as the minimal viability loss at pH 2.5. B. longum subsp. infantis DSMZ 20088 was the best microorganism for its growth index in presence of 6.5% of salt added and at 25?C and 30?C.

Share and Cite:

A. Bevilacqua, M. Cagnazzo, C. Caldarola, E. Ciuffreda, A. Dragano, S. Franchino, R. Lauriola, A. Pacifico, M. Corbo and M. Sinigaglia, "Bifidobacteria as Potential Functional Starter Cultures: A Case Study by MSc Students in Food Science and Technology (University of Foggia, Southern Italy)," Food and Nutrition Sciences, Vol. 3 No. 1, 2012, pp. 55-63. doi: 10.4236/fns.2012.31010.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1] R. Crittenden, “An Update of Probiotic Bifidobacteria,” In: S. Salminen, A. von Wright and A. Ouwehand, Eds., Lactic Acid Bacteria: Microbiological and Functional Aspects, 3rd Edition, CRC Press, Roca Raton, 2004. doi:10.1201/9780824752033.ch3
[2] J. O’Brien, R. Crittenen, A. C., Ouwerhand and S. Salminen, “Safety Evaluation of Probiotics,” Trends in Food Science and Technology, Vol. 10, No. 12, 1999, pp. 418-424. doi:10.1016/S0924-2244(00)00037-6
[3] I. Jankovic, W. Sybesma, P. Phothirath, E. Ananta and A. Mercenier, “Application of Probiotics in Food Products-Challenges and New Approaches,” Current Opinion in Biotechnology, Vol. 21, No. 2, 2010, pp. 175-181. doi:10.1016/j.copbio.2010.03.009
[4] A. Bevilacqua, G. Caggianello, A. Marchesiello, D. Paglialonga, G. Petrella, R. Ruotolo, L. Trivisano, G. Varva, M. R. Corbo and M. Sinigaglia, “Preliminary Assays for the Selection of a Multifunctional Starter for a Dairy Product: a Case Study by Food Science and Technology MSc Students, University of Foggia (Southern Italy),” Advances in Food Sciences, Vol. 32, No. 4, 2010, pp. 238-246.
[5] M. Blaszyk and R. A. Holley, “Interaction of Monolaurin, Eugenol and Sodium Citrate on Growth of Common Meat Spoilage and Pathogenic Organisms,” International Journal of Food Microbiology, Vol. 39, No. 3, 1998, pp. 175-183.
[6] A. Bevilacqua, M. Perricone, M. Cannarsi, M. R. Corbo and M. Sinigaglia, “Technological and Spoiling Characteristics of the Yeast Microflora Isolated from Bella di Cerignola Table Olives,” International Journal of Food Science and Technology, Vol. 44, No. 11, 2009, pp. 2198-2207. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2621.2009.02060.x
[7] A. Bevilacqua, C. Altieri, M. R. Corbo, M. Sinigaglia and L. I. I. Ouoba, “Characterization of Lactic Acid Bacteria Isolated from Italian Bella di Cerignola Table Olives: Selection of Potential Multifunctional Starter Cultures,” Journal of Food Science, Vol. 75, No. 8, 2010, pp. M536-M544. doi:10.1111/j.1750-3841.2010.01793.x
[8] National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards, “Performance Standards for Antimicrobial Disc Susceptibility Test: Tentative Standards,” NCCLS, Vallinova, 1993.
[9] R. Crittenden, A. Laitila, P. Forssell, J. M?tt?, M. Saarela, T. Mattila-Sandholm and P. Myll?rinen, “Adhesion of Bifidobacteria to Granular Starch and its Implications in Probiotic Technologies,” Applied and Environmental Microbiology, Vol. 67, No. 8, 2001, pp. 3469-3475. doi:10.1128/AEM.67.8.3469-3475.2001
[10] C. Altieri, A. Bevilacqua, D. D’Amato, M. A. Del Nobile and M. Sinigaglia, “Modelling the Survival of Starter Lactic Acid Bacteria and Bifidobacterium bifidum in Single and Simultaneous Cultures,” Food Microbiology, Vol. 25, No. 5, 2008, pp. 729-734.
[11] C. G. Vinderola and J. A. Reinheimer, “Lactic Acid Bacteria and Probiotic Bacteria: A Comparative “in Vitro” Study of Probiotic Characteristics and Biological Barrier Resistance,” Food Research International, Vol. 36, No. 9-10, 2003, pp. 895-904. doi:10.1016/S0963-9969(03)00098-X
[12] M. Gramovà, E. Vlkovà, V. Radà and I. Houtovà, “Survival of Bifidobacteria in Adult Intestinal Tract,” Folia Microbiologica, Vol. 55, No. 3, 2010, pp. 281-285. doi:10.1007/s12223-010-0042-5
[13] D. Czeruka, T. Piche and P. Rampal, “Review Article: Yeast as Probiotics—Saccharomyces boulardii,” Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Vol. 26, No. 6, 2007, pp. 767-778. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2036.2007.03442.x

Copyright © 2024 by authors and Scientific Research Publishing Inc.

Creative Commons License

This work and the related PDF file are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.