Traditional Indonesian fermented foods can be used as potential sources of probiotics as they commonly contain lactic acid bacteria (LAB), including species of Lactobacillus, Pediococcus, Enterococcus, Weisella and Leuconostoc. The occurrence of LAB in Indonesian fermented foods is not only limited to lactic fermented foods but is also present in foods with molds as the main starter culture. This review aims to describe the significance of Indonesian fermented foods as potential sources of probiotics and the potential of LAB from fermented foods to promote beneficial health effects. A number of in vitro studies have been carried out to assess the probiotic potential of LAB from fermented foods. Many LAB strains have met the basic requirements for them to be considered as probiotics and possess some functional properties contributing to positive health impacts. Hypocholesterolemic effects, stimulation of the immune system, and prevention of diarrhea by some probiotic strains have been shown in animal studies. However, human studies on the efficacy of probiotic strains are still limited. Two strains isolated from dadih, a fermented buffalo milk, are examples of promising probiotic strains that have gone through human studies. The potential probiotic properties of LAB in Indonesian fermented foods still need to be fully investigated to assess their impact on human health. The studies should also consider factors that may influence the functional properties of probiotics, both in foods and in humans.

Mexican fermented maize dough, pozol, including traditional banana leaf-wrapped samples and material in plastic bags, was purchased. All samples were pH 4.7 to 5.7 approx. 12 h after preparation, pH declining to 3.6 to 3.9 after 6 to 9 days storage at ambient temperature. These latter samples had dry matter contents of 31% to 48% (w/w), 0.35% to 0.75% titratable acidity as lactic acid and lactic acid bacteria as predominant microbial flora at about 10(8) c.f.u./ml. The lactic acid bacteria included strains of Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus confusus, Lactococcus lactis and Lactococcus raffinolactis. Fungi were not found in the samples stored in plastic bags. The samples wrapped in banana leaf, however, developed a large surface mycoflora within 2 days. This included Geotrichum candidum, yeasts and moulds. The majority of the lactic acid bacteria and approx. 50% of yeasts hydrolysed starch to some extent. No Geotrichum isolate hydrolysed starch. Lactate was assimilated by all the Geotrichum isolates and by 17 of 39 yeast strains.

The diet of Indonesian women of childbearing age is relatively poor, posing increased risk for suboptimal pregnancy outcome. In a cross-sectional study including 403 women in three economic quintiles (Q), we investigated differences in dietary intake and nutrition sufficiency according to economic status and whether regular dietary intakes of pregnant women (PW, n 203) differ from that of pre-pregnant women (PPW, n 200). Dietary intake data were collected using 2 × 24 h dietary recall and FFQ. Energy, protein, Fe, Ca, Zn, vitamin A and vitamin C intakes were calculated utilising Food Composition Tables and compared with Indonesian recommendations for adequacy. Energy and protein intakes <70 % and Fe, Ca, Zn, vitamin A and vitamin C intakes <77 % of the local recommendation were considered insufficient. A higher intake of milk/dairy products (Q3, Q4), fruits and vegetables (Q2) and snacks (Q3) in PW was observed compared with PPW, but insufficient to meet nutrient requirements. Nutrient intake calculations showed insufficiency in 26 % of PPW for protein and up to 70 % for Fe. Deficient nutrient intakes in PW were found in 49 % of the subjects for energy and up to 85 % for Fe. Energy and protein intakes decreased with decreasing economic quintiles in PPW and PW. Ca and vitamin A intakes were lower in Q2 compared with Q4. The proportion of animal protein in Q2-PW was low (31 %). Biochemical status parameters in a subset showed that anaemia and Fe and Zn deficiencies were prevalent among PPW and PW. Habitual diets in the study area did not meet the nutrient requirements for both PPW and PW across the investigated economic groups.Key words: Pregnant women: Pre-pregnant women: Food intakes: Nutrient intakes: Micronutrient intakes Maternal nutrition is a fundamental determinant of fetal growth, birth weight and infant morbidity; poor nutrition often leads to longterm, irreversible and detrimental consequences to the fetus (1) . Although government policies and programmes in Indonesia address nutrition among children (<5 years) and pregnant women (PW), 12·3 % of the Indonesian women are yet underweight (2) . The prevalence of anaemia and chronic energy deficiency in women (>15 years old) is 19·7 and 13·6 %, respectively (3) . Among Indonesian PW, anaemia and micronutrient deficiencies (folic acid, Zn, vitamin A, vitamin B 12 ) are quite high (40-50 %), which may lead to poor pregnancy outcomes. Earlier studies from Indonesia have shown an inadequate intake of food and several nutrients by PW (4)(5)(6) . Women are undernourished in the first trimester of the pregnancy and have an insufficient weight gain during pregnancy (79 %) (7) . Nutritional status during pregnancy not only puts the mother 'at risk' but is also a risk factor for the infant being born with low birth weight (LBW: 9-11 % in Indonesia) (8) .There are limited recent data on the nutritional status of women of reproductive age in Indonesia. Thus, the aim of the present cross-sectional study conducted in Bogor municipality, West Java, Indonesia, was ...

The way in which women accommodate for their increased nutritional needs during the lactation period is poorly investigated. In a crosssectional study involving 220 lactating women (LW), equally distributed in economic quintiles (Q2, Q3, Q4), we investigated whether habitual dietary intake of LW differed from that of 200 pre-pregnant women (PPW) studied using the same methodology. Differences in dietary intake and nutrition sufficiency according to economic status were also investigated. Dietary intake data were collected using 2 × 24-h dietary recalls and FFQ. Energy, protein, Fe, Ca, Zn and vitamins A and C intakes were calculated utilising local food composition tables and were compared against Indonesian recommendations for adequacy. Energy and protein intakes <70 % of the recommendation and Fe, Ca, Zn and vitamins A and C intakes <77 % of the recommendation were considered insufficient. Except for Zn, dietary intakes of all studied nutrients were higher in LW compared with PPW. However, for all studied nutrients, dietary intake was insufficient in >25 % of LW. For Q2-LW, this proportion was >50 %, except for protein. LW across all studied economic quintiles approximately doubled their vegetable intake, and 71 % of LW indicated a belief that this enhances lactation performance. Biochemical status parameters were analysed in a subset of forty-five women. Anaemia as well as Fe, Zn and Se deficiencies were prevalent among LW, supporting the nutrient intake deficiency data. Despite increasing intakes in LW compared with PPW, habitual diets in the study area do not provide for daily nutrient requirements in substantial proportions for both LW and PPW across all investigated economic groups. Key words: Lactating women: Food intakes: Vegetable intakes: Micronutrient intakesThe most vulnerable groups for malnutrition worldwide are infants, young children and pregnant and lactating women (LW). Among these groups, actual knowledge about nutritional status and potential nutrient insufficiencies in LW is hardly available. Although the literature on relevant physiological adjustments and additional nutritional requirements is extensive (1,2) , the number of dietary assessment studies in LW is limited (3)(4)(5)(6) . Thus, the question on whether and how women change their diet upon lactation is far from being answered and is surely also dependent on culture and socio-economic status.The constant denominator for the actual increased nutritional requirements for LW is the need to produce adequate amounts of breast milk. A variable contribution will be recovery from and replenishment of exhausted nutrient stores after pregnancy and delivery, or an intentional wish to decrease fat stores accumulated during pregnancy (7) . Owing to this variable contribution, several recommendation bodies have made different weightings depending on local or regional factors, and thus arrived at different quantifications of the additional nutrient requirements during lactation.In this contribution, we specifically report on the dietary ...

Yeasts and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are commonly found in tempeh and has been studied separately. However, comprehensive study on population dynamics of yeasts and LAB during tempeh production, including the effect of the difference tempeh production methods has not been reported. This research was aimed in studying the effect of different methods of tempeh production applied in tempeh home industry on the dynamics of yeast and LAB communities. Population dynamics was expressed as both changes of colony number and its phylotype. Samples were obtained from five stages and from two different methods of tempeh production. Observations were carried out employing colony counting on selective media followed by Terminal Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (T-RFLP). The study indicated that the population of yeasts and LAB during tempeh production were dynamic and different between these methods. Tempeh production methods affected the presence of yeasts and LAB population as indicated by difference in colony number, the number and diversity of phylotype, as well as number of specific phylotypes grew on plates

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Some lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are observed to be potential probiotics with functional properties such as lowering fasting blood glucose (FBG), as a promising hyperglycemia management. This study investigated the ability and mechanism of Lactobacillus rhamnosus BSL and Lactobacillus rhamnosus R23 on lowering FBG in diabetic rats induced by streptozotocin (STZ). The rats were orally administered with L. rhamnosus BSL and L. rhamnosus R23 by giving 1 mL cell suspension (109 CFU/mL) daily for 30 days. The body weight (BW) was recorded once in three days, and FBG was recorded once in six days. An oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was measured 1 week after injection with STZ and before sacrifice. Fecal samples were collected on days 0, 15, and 30 for LAB population and identification, performed by PCR detecting 16S rRNA. Oral administration of L. rhamnosus BSL and L. rhamnosus R23 decreased FBG and improved glucose tolerance via downregulation of glucose-6-phosphatase (G6pc) expression by 0.57- and 0.60-fold change, respectively (P<0.05). The lipid profiles, BUN, creatinine, SGOT, and SGPT were significantly (P<0.05) different between normal and diabetic rats, but they were not significantly (P>0.05) different among diabetic rats. Both strains were effective in increasing fecal LAB population. Molecular identification of the isolated LAB from fecal sample indicated that they were able to survive and pass through the digestive tract. These results suggested that both strains have the ability to manage blood glucose level and become a promising agent to manage hyperglycemia and diabetes.

Background and Aim: Fermented milk can be used to produce antihypertensive peptides. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) with its proteolytic system hydrolyze milk protein during fermentation to produce several peptides, which include antihypertensive bioactive peptides. This study aimed to investigate the ability of indigenous LAB for the production of angiotensin-I-converting enzyme inhibitory (ACE-I) peptides in fermented milk and to characterize the ACEI peptides. Materials and Methods: Reconstituted milk (11%) inoculated with ten LAB isolates, and then incubated at 37°C until it reaches pH 4.6. The evaluation was carried out for LAB count, lactic acid concentration, peptide content, and ACE-I activity. The low molecular weight (MW) peptides (<3 kDa) were identified using Nano LC Ultimate 3000 series system Tandem Q Exactive Plus Orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry. Results: The result showed that the ten LAB isolates were able to produce ACE-I in fermented milk with the activities in the range of 22.78±2.55-57.36±5.40%. The activity of ACE-I above 50% produced by Lactobacillus delbrueckii BD7, Lactococcus lactis ssp. lactis BD17, and Lactobacillus kefiri YK4 and JK17, with the highest activity of ACE-I produced by L. kefiri YK4 (IC50 0.261 mg/mL) and L. kefiri JK17 (IC50 0.308 mg/mL). Results of peptide identification showed that L. kefiri YK 4 could release as many as 1329, while L. kefiri JK 17 could release 174 peptides. The peptides produced were 95% derived from casein. The other peptides were from α-lactalbumin, β-lactoglobulin, and serum amyloid A. The peptides produced consisted of 6-19 amino acid residues, with MWs of 634-2079 Dalton and detected at 317-1093 m/z. A total of 30 peptides have been recognized based on literature searches as ACE-I peptides (sequence similarity: 100%). Conclusion: L. kefiri YK4 and JK17 are the potential to be used as starter cultures to produce the bioactive peptide as ACE-I in fermented milk.