Versatile Lactococcus lactis strains improve texture in both fermented milk and soybean matrices.

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Microbiology
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are crucial for fermented dairy products, improving shelf life, taste, and texture.
• Investigating LAB's texturing capabilities in plant-based foods is essential for developing novel fermented products.

Purpose of the Study:

• To screen a large collection of Lactococcus lactis strains for their texturing potential in both milk and plant-based (soybean) matrices.
• To identify novel exopolysaccharide (eps) gene clusters associated with texturing abilities in LAB.

Main Methods:

• High-throughput screening of 1232 Lactococcus lactis strains.
• Comparative genomics analysis of whole genome sequences from texturing strains.
• Focus on exocellular polysaccharide (eps) production and gene clusters.

Main Results:

• Most LAB strains that improved texture in fermented milk also enhanced texture in fermented soybean.
• Exocellular polysaccharide properties, not protein interactions, appeared key to texture enhancement in both matrices.
• Ten texturing strains with novel eps gene clusters were identified.

Conclusions:

• Lactococcus lactis strains possess texturing potential transferable across different fermentation matrices (dairy and plant-based).
• Novel eps gene clusters identified represent a promising area for future research into food texture modification.
• Further research is needed to elucidate the functionality of these novel genes in various food matrices.