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Published on: June 3, 2020
Probiotic Lactic Acid Bacteria Fermentation Modulates the Bioactive Properties of Sprouted and Unsprouted Amaranth
Mihaela Aida Vasile1, Nicoleta Balan1, Leontina Grigore-Gurgu1
1Faculty of Food Science and Engineering, "Dunărea de Jos" University of Galați, 111 Domnească Street, 800201 Galați, Romania.
Sprouting and probiotic fermentation enhance red and black amaranth flours, increasing bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity. Red amaranth showed higher potential, with fermentation improving protein profiles and overall nutritional value.
Area of Science:
- Food Science and Technology
- Nutritional Biochemistry
- Microbiology
Background:
- Amaranth flours (red and black) are rich in phytochemicals but their functional properties can be enhanced.
- Probiotic fermentation is a known method to improve the nutritional and functional characteristics of food ingredients.
- Sprouting can also modify the biochemical composition and bioavailability of nutrients in grains.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of sprouting and probiotic fermentation on the functional and biochemical properties of red and black amaranth flours.
- To characterize the phytochemical profile, antioxidant activity, and protein composition of fermented amaranth extracts.
- To evaluate the potential of these enhanced amaranth flours as nutritive food ingredients.
Main Methods:
- Fermentation of sprouted and unsprouted red and black amaranth flours with four probiotic strains: *Lactiplantibacillus plantarum*, *Lactiplantibacillus pentosus*, *Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus*, and *Lactiplantibacillus paraplantarum*.
- Characterization of aqueous extracts using titrimetric, spectrophotometric, and chromatographic methods for acidification, phytochemical profiles (phenolic acids and flavonoids), and antioxidant activity (ABTS and DPPH assays).
- Evaluation of water-soluble proteins using SDS-PAGE analysis.
Main Results:
- Red amaranth samples, both sprouted and unsprouted, exhibited higher levels of biologically active compounds compared to black amaranth.
- Fermentation, particularly with *Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus* MIUG BL38, increased protein hydrolysis and altered the protein profile in red amaranth.
- Total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) showed moderate correlation with antioxidant activity, with values ranging significantly across samples.
Conclusions:
- Sprouting and probiotic fermentation significantly improve the fermentative performance and bioactive compound content of amaranth seeds.
- Red amaranth demonstrates superior potential for enhanced nutritional and health-promoting properties after processing.
- Fermented amaranth flours represent a promising functional food ingredient with improved characteristics for consumption.
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