Diversity and Functional Properties of Lactic Acid Bacteria Isolated From Wild Fruits and Flowers Present in Northern Argentina

Abstract

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are capable of converting carbohydrate substrates into organic acids (mainly lactic acid) and producing a wide range of metabolites. Due to their interesting beneficial properties, LAB are widely used as starter cultures, as probiotics, and as microbial cell factories. Exploring LAB present in unknown niches may lead to the isolation of unique species or strains with relevant technological properties. Autochthonous rather than allochthonous starter cultures are preferred in the current industry of fermented food products, due to better adaptation and performance of autochthonous strains to the matrix they originate from. In this work, the lactic microbiota of eight different wild tropical types of fruits and four types of flowers were studied. The ability of the isolated strains to produce metabolites of interest to the food industry was evaluated. The presence of 21 species belonging to the genera Enterococcus, Fructobacillus, Lactobacillus, Lactococcus, Leuconostoc , and Weissella was evidenced by using culture-dependent techniques. The isolated LAB corresponded to 95 genotypically differentiated strains by applying rep-PCR and sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene; subsequently, representative strains of the different isolated species were studied for technological properties, such as fast growth rate and acidifying capacity; pectinolytic and cinnamoyl esterase activities, and absence of biogenic amine biosynthesis. Additionally, the strains' capacity to produce ethyl esters as well as mannitol was evaluated. The isolated fruit- and flower-origin LAB displayed functional properties that validate their potential use in the manufacture of fermented fruit-based products setting the background for the design of novel functional foods.

Multi-Product Lactic Acid Bacteria Fermentations: A Review

“…Most LAB are part of the phylum Firmicutes, class Bacilli, and order Lactobacillales. The order Lactobacillales includes six families, i.e., Aerococcaceae, Carnobacteriaceae, Enterococcaceae, Lactobacillaceae, Leuconostocaceae, and Streptococcaceae, over 30 genera, and more than 300 species, a number that continues rising as novel species are discovered [10,11]. The genus Bifidobacterium (family Bifidobacteriaceae) is also included in the LAB group, although it belongs to the phylum Actinobacteria [6].…”

“…Lactic acid bacteria are ubiquitous and widespread in nature, found in a variety of nutrient-rich habitats such as animals, food, feed, humans, plants, and soil [10,16]. Isolation of LAB from composts, fermented foods, gastrointestinal and vaginal tracts, plant surfaces, and silages, to name a few, was reported [8].…”

“…Owing to their versatile metabolism and their ability to synthesize a wide range of beneficial metabolites in addition to LA, LAB are extensively used in biotechnology, food, and therapeutic products. Some of the applications of LAB include their use as additional hurdles for spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms, antifungal and anti-mycotoxigenic agents, bacteriocin producers, nutraceutical producers, probiotics and starter cultures, among others [6,10,[16][17][18][19]. After safety assessment, the United States (US) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) included numerous LAB species and food additives derived from them on the generally recognized as safe (GRAS) inventory or accordingly granted the qualified presumption of safety (QPS) status [6,20].…”

Effectiveness of Bacteriocin-Producing Lactic Acid Bacteria and Bifidobacterium Isolated from Honeycombs against Spoilage Microorganisms and Pathogens Isolated from Fruits and Vegetables

“…In order to control, or even prevent, the growth of such microorganisms, the application of bacteriocins-producing lactic acid bacteria (LAB) has been proposed [10]. LAB can be isolated from many raw wild fruits, vegetables and flowers [11,12]. Moreover, lactic and acetic acid bacteria can promote the spoilage of fruits, vegetables, fruit juices and beverages as residents at the outer layer of the skin of fruits and vegetables [6].…”

Insights into the Microbiological Safety of Wooden Cutting Boards Used for Meat Processing in Hong Kong’s Wet Markets: A Focus on Food-Contact Surfaces, Cross-Contamination and the Efficacy of Traditional Hygiene Practices

“…Therefore, it is likely that these microorganisms were also present in the refrigerated meat samples before being processed on the wooden cutting board surface. Because of the aciduricity and ability of these microorganisms to use a wide range of nutrients, the detection of L. garvieae and W. hellenica was unsurprising, and these findings adds to the growing scientific evidence of the ubiquity of these species [45][46][47]. Similarly, the prevalence of Enterococcus faecalis in the unprocessed imported meat also highlights the complex pathogenic profile of the species inhabiting these meat products.…”