Lactic Acid Bacteria and Bifidobacteria with Potential to Design Natural Biofunctional Health-Promoting Dairy Foods

Abstract

Consumer interest in healthy lifestyle and health-promoting natural products is a major driving force for the increasing global demand of biofunctional dairy foods. A number of commercial sources sell synthetic formulations of bioactive substances for use as dietary supplements. However, the bioactive-enrichment of health-oriented foods by naturally occurring microorganisms during dairy fermentation is in increased demand. While participating in milk fermentation, lactic acid bacteria can be exploited in situ as microbial sources for naturally enriching dairy products with a broad range of bioactive components that may cover different health aspects. Several of these bioactive metabolites are industrially and economically important, as they are claimed to exert diverse health-promoting activities on the consumer, such as anti-hypertensive, anti-inflammatory, and anti-diabetic, anti-oxidative, immune-modulatory, anti-cholesterolemic, or microbiome modulation. This review aims at discussing the potential of these health-supporting bacteria as starter or adjunct cultures for the elaboration of dairy foods with a broad spectrum of new functional properties and added value.

The Effect of Probiotic Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) Strains on the Platelet Activation: A Flow Cytometry-Based Study

“…Naruszewicz et al [31] reported that L. plantarum administration led to a reduction in cardiovascular disease risk factors (e.g., lowering levels of blood lipids and blood pressure in those with hypertension) and could be useful as a protective agent in the primary prevention of atherosclerosis. More recently, Linares et al [32] have reviewed the potential health-promoting effect of LAB on human and indicated that the probiotic lactic acid bacteria strains are unlikely to be pathogenic. In our study probiotic lactic acid bacteria strains did not induce platelet activation, and this is an important finding because platelet activation may be in the causal pathway of development of a thrombotic event.…”

Bioactive Peptides in Milk: From Encrypted Sequences to Nutraceutical Aspects

“…It is important to mention the review by Hafeez et al [61] on different strategies for increasing the production of BPs from milk in order to obtain functionalized fermented products; the authors reported three types of methodology approaches: (1) proteolytic system of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) or food grade enzymes or a combined dual approach, (2) supplementation of the fermented milk products with the BPs obtained outside of the product, and (3) microorganisms using recombinant DNA technology [61]. Linares et al [62] reviewed and discussed the use of health-supporting bacteria as starters or adjunct cultures for the development of dairy foods with targeted functional properties, including BPs.…”

Probiotic monocultures in fermented goat milk beverages – sensory quality of final product

“…; Linares et al . ). Most of these features are met by fermented goat's milk products which in recent years play a significant role in human diet.…”