Bioactive metabolite profiling in mixed-species probiotic yogurt.

Area of Science:

• Food Science and Technology
• Microbiology
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Yogurt is a source of bioactive metabolites like peptides and short-chain fatty acids (SCFA).
• The profile of these metabolites is influenced by lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and probiotic species.
• Understanding these profiles is key to developing functional yogurts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the bioactive peptide and SCFA profiles in yogurt with specific probiotic strains.
• To investigate the impact of Bifidobacterium spp. and Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG on metabolite production.
• To identify novel peptides with potential bioactivity in probiotic yogurts.

Main Methods:

• Utilized ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray ionization quadrupole-time-of-flight MS for peptide analysis.
• Employed GC-MS for the quantification of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA).
• Incorporated specific probiotic strains: Bifidobacterium bifidum ATCC 11863, Bifidobacterium breve ATCC 15700, Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. animalis ATCC 25527, and Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG.

Main Results:

• Yogurt with Bifidobacterium bifidum ATCC 11863 or Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG exhibited higher proteolytic activity.
• Bifidobacterium bifidum ATCC 11863 increased bioactive peptide content, while Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. animalis ATCC 25527 enhanced acetic acid (SCFA).
• Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG boosted both bioactive peptides and SCFA, with novel short peptides (<10 AA) identified.

Conclusions:

• Probiotic incorporation significantly alters yogurt's bioactive metabolite profile.
• Specific strains like B. bifidum ATCC 11863 and L. rhamnosus GG enhance therapeutic potential through increased bioactive peptides and SCFA.
• This research provides insights for developing functional yogurts with targeted health benefits.