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Mandai is a traditional fermented food made from the inner skin of the cempedak fruit (Artocarpus champeden) and is widely known in South Kalimantan. Its distinctive sour taste is a result of microbial activity during the natural fermentation process. This study highlights the important role of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) as the dominant agents in Mandai fermentation. The main objective of this research is to isolate and characterize LAB from fermented Mandai samples. The methods used in this study include serial dilution, inoculation on Nutrient Agar (NA) media, incubation at room temperature, colony morphology observation, and Gram staining using crystal violet. The results showed the presence of round colonies with a creamy white color and smooth surfaces, which indicate the characteristics of lactic acid bacteria. Most of the isolates showed Gram-positive properties, supporting their identification as lactic acid bacteria. This research not only enriches our understanding of the microbial ecology in Mandai fermentation but also opens up opportunities for utilizing LAB as a natural preservative or functional probiotic in both traditional and modern food products. The presence of LAB in Mandai fermentation suggests the potential to enhance the quality and health benefits of this traditional food, making it a viable source of probiotics beneficial for digestive health. Additionally, the use of LAB in Mandai processing could increase the appeal of this product in broader markets, both locally and internationally. Overall, this study provides a solid foundation for further development in utilizing microbes in traditional food fermentations. Moreover, it opens opportunities to improve the quality and sustainability of Mandai products while raising awareness about the importance of fermentation in enhancing the nutritional value and health benefits of traditional food products.

To isolate, characterize and identify lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in yan-tsai-shin (fermented broccoli stems), a traditional fermented food in Taiwan. A total of 226 LAB were isolated; 111 cultures were isolated from samples collected from seven different markets and 115 from six fresh broccoli samples. These isolates were characterized phenotypically and then initially divided into nine groups (r1 to r9) using restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis and sequencing of 16S ribosomal DNA. Some isolates were further divided into four additional groups by other genetic analysis. The most common bacterial genera in yan-tsai-shin and fresh broccoli were Weissella, Lactococcus and Lactobacillus. Regional similarities in the LAB, with differences in diversity, were observed in this study. On the basis of phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA, rpoA, rpoB and pheS gene sequences, two strains were included in the genera Enterococcus and Lactococcus, respectively, and identified as potential novel species or subspecies. In addition, the novel enterococcal strain, and 33 L.lactis subsp. lactis and two Weissella cibaria strains were found to have bacteriocin-like inhibitory substance (BLIS) producing abilities. These results suggest that the LAB play important roles in the fermentation of yan-tsai-shin. This is the first report describing the distribution and varieties of LAB existing in yan-tsai-shin and fresh broccoli. In addition, two potential novel LAB species or subspecies and one potential novel BLIS were also found in this study.

Fermentation processes can produce a wide range of important metabolic products that can improve the quality, flavour and safety of our food. In particular, lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are known to produce a number of biogenic compounds including fatty acids, sugars and bioactive peptides. This chapter reviews existing literature concerning the production of traditional fermented foods of marine (fish, seaweeds and marine microalgae), meat, dairy, fruit and vegetable and cereal origin. It looks at traditional fermented products and recent advances and trends in microbial strain selection as well as recent trends and developments in the field of fermentation science. It cites several existing traditional fermented products that are commercially available in different part of the world and discusses the associated microflora and existing and potential bioactive compounds associated with these products.

Chapter 8 - Probiotics as starter and nonstarter cultures in fermented foods

The continent of Africa is endowed with a rich cultural heritage, where traditional fermented food products play a dominant role in the diet and socio-economic life of its people. Fermentation is a simple and inexpensive approach to the improvement of safety, nutritional, organoleptic value and shelf life of food substrates. In Africa, most traditional food fermentations remain household arts, which are transferred from one generation to the other preserving the culture and tradition of the food products. Food fermentations can be acidic, alkaline or alcoholic where microorganisms perform a number of roles that assist the overall improvement of food quality and safety. Scientific advances have elucidated the selection and use of appropriate multifunctional microbial strains, which have contributed to the biotechnological applications and improvement of the safety and functionality of traditional fermented foods of Africa. In this chapter, we discuss the tradition, safety, quality and challenges associated with the biotechnology of the African traditional fermented foods, and how to surmount these problems to meet contemporary consumer acceptability and market demands.

This study investigated the isolation and molecular characterization of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) from four samples of fermented food condiments in Nigerian; Samples are fermented unsoften locust beans (iru woro), fermented soften locust beans (Iru pete), fermented African oil bean seeds (Ugba), fermented melon seed (Cirulus colocynthis) (Ogiri). Samples were obtained from Sabo market in Ogbomosho, Oyo State, and processed according to standard microbiological techniques on MRS medium under anaerobic conditions. Total LAB counts ranged from 1.2 × 10⁶ to 1.9 × 10⁶ CFU/g, with the highest count in the fermented unsoften locust beans (iru woro). Five distinct LAB isolates were obtained and molecularly characterized via 16S rRNA gene sequencing. From the BLAST analysis, with a similarity of 99-100% to the reference strains, the isolates were identified as Lactobacillus acidophilus IR1, Lactobacillus delbrueckii UG1, Lactobacillus johnsonii OG1, Lactococcus garvieae OG2, and and Lactococcus lactis IW1. All the isolates have been deposited in NCBI GenBank under accession numbers PQ758599, PQ758600, PQ555637, PQ555638, and PQ555639, respectively. The phylogenetic analysis showed that the isolates clustered within the Lactobacillaceae family and had a close relationship to other known probiotic strains. This shows the very high diversity that exists among the beneficial LAB in traditional Nigerian fermented foods and their availability for further studies in food biotechnology and probiotic development.

A review: Health promoting lactic acid bacteria in traditional Indonesian fermented foods

Tunisian traditional fermented foods represent a valuable cultural heritage transmitted across generations and are highly appreciated by consumers for their distinctive flavours, textures, and nutraceutical value. This review provides the first comprehensive and exclusive overview of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) associated with Tunisian traditional fermented foods, both plant- and animal-based. The overview integrates data across dairy, meat, fish, vegetable, and cereal matrices, highlighting the central role that LAB play in the processing of these foods, driving fermentation and shaping the quality and safety of final products. During fermentation, LAB produce a variety of bioactive metabolites, including organic acids, antimicrobial compounds, exopolysaccharides, enzymes, and vitamins, which enhance food safety, shelf life, nutritional quality, and health-promoting potential. The studies include evidence of LAB's long history of safe use by humans, including the characterisation of autochthonous strains with protechnological, bioprotective, and probiotic properties, providing candidates for the design of starter, protective and probiotic cultures. By consolidating evidence on the relevance of microbial diversity, this review positions Tunisian LAB as valuable resources for both traditional food valorisation and innovative food system development. Importantly, key knowledge gaps are identified, including the limited application of omics-based tools, insufficient genomic safety assessments, and the lack of systematic analysis linking LAB diversity with the desired attributes to promote innovations. Overall, this review provides a structured framework for the valorisation of Tunisian agrofood heritage, bridging artisanal knowledge with modern food microbiology and offering strategic directions for future research, industrial translation, and sustainable innovation in fermented foods.

There are many traditional fermented foods in Thailand, with almost a hundred kinds. The history of Thai fermented foods dated back to more than a century ago as an art without any scientific information support. The knowledge and experiences of Thai fermented products were handed down from generation to generation with successful or unsuccessful due to spontaneous fermentation. Two decades ago, scientists and researchers in Thailand were concerned on key microorganisms involved and how to make a consistent quality product which lead to the application of starter culture in various products. In this article, two main categories of Thai traditional fermented foods are presented which are salted and non-salted products, and the raw materials ranged from fish, meat, fruit, vegetable, rice, etc. The key microorganisms found in such products included beneficial ones such as lactic acid bacteria, yeast, and fungi. In addition, the development and future trend of Thai traditional fermented foods were proposed in order to improve the quality and safety of products and also extend for scale-up production.

Biotechnology is as old as human civilization and has been an integral part of the human life and is believed to originate more recently to its modern form from an indigenous knowledge of African traditional food and beverage fermentation practices. The application of modern biotechnology methods in the food and agricultural industry is expected to alleviate hunger today and help avoid mass starvation in the future. Nowadays, modern food biotechnology has been transforming our traditional way of food production and preparation far beyond the traditional scope. Currently, at global level, food biotechnological research has focused on; traditional process optimization (starter culture development, enzymology), food safety and quality, nutritional quality improvement and food preservation (improving shelf life). Special emphasis has also been given to the newly growing concept such as functional foods and probiotics. To this regard, the science has gone more beyond our expectation and exemplary achievements are described here. In this review, food biotechnological research on Ethiopian indigenous traditional fermented foods and beverages was assessed in view of this global achievement. Microbiological study on Ethiopian traditional fermented foods and beverages has focused more on Isolation, identification, characterization of fermentative microbes, attempts to develop starter culture, physicochemical, biochemical, nutritional composition change during fermentation, depicting general traditional processing and recently on probiotics. Most of the researches have been concentrated on some very commonly and widely known traditional fermented foods and beverages nearly around the central and southern part of the country. The research was also fragmented and not progressive for a given food and/or beverage. Biotechnological researches on Ethiopian traditional fermented foods and beverages have not gone far beyond some attempts on molecular characterization study of fermentative microorganisms. The reasons for this limitation could be linked to the fact that; biotechnological research is capital intensive, requires the use of sophisticated equipment, reagents, chemicals and needs sufficient trained man power in the field. Lack of funding, little attention from government policy and the endemicity of the traditional fermentation techniques may also have contributed for the less/no advancement of the techniques. In conclusion, to promote Ethiopian indigenous traditional fermented foods and beverages into commercialization/ industrialization, using currently advancing food fermentation biotechnology, we need to: realize the economic benefits of these indigenous traditional knowledge, develop our human, technical and institutional capability, go out to assess the cultural and geographical diversities of the country, broaden our research topics far beyond the current, and keep on continuous and progressive research.

The present work investigated the profile and biodiversity of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from selected manufactured and homemade fermented foods in Malaysia. A total of 55 LAB were isolated from 20 samples, and identified based on the sequencing of 16S rRNA gene. The LAB isolates were identified as Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus (34.5%), Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (20%), Limosilactobacillus fermentum (20%), Lacticaseibacillus paracasei (12.7%), Lacticaseibacillus casei (3.6%), Lactobacillus sp. (1.8%), Enterococcus faecalis (3.6%), Enterococcus faecium (1.8%), and Enterococcus durans (1.8%). Majority (94%) of the LAB isolates exhibited broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity against selected foodborne pathogens, and four isolates (L. fermentum SC1001, L. paracasei K2003, and L. rhamnosus KF1002 and MK2003) could produce bacteriocin-like inhibitory substance (BLIS). Lacticaseibacillus paracasei M1001 (homemade mozzarella) exhibited high-temperature tolerance and acid resistance, was homofermentative, and generated good antimicrobial activity, which strongly implied its potential for industrial applications. The present work results would potentially widen our knowledge of LAB diversity in Malaysian fermented foods and provide a potential for their applications in the food industry or other purposes.

Microbial communities within fermented food (beers, wines, distillates, meats, fishes, cheeses, breads) products remain within biofilm and are embedded in a complex extracellular polymeric matrix that provides favorable growth conditions to the indwelling species. Biofilm acts as the best ecological niche for the residing microbes by providing food ingredients that interact with the fermenting microorganisms' metabolites to boost their growth. This leads to the alterations in the biochemical and nutritional quality of the fermented food ingredients compared to the initial ingredients in terms of antioxidants, peptides, organoleptic and probiotic properties, and antimicrobial activity. Microbes within the biofilm have altered genetic expression that may lead to novel biochemical pathways influencing their chemical and organoleptic properties related to consumer acceptability. Although microbial biofilms have always been linked to pathogenicity owing to its enhanced antimicrobial resistance, biofilm could be favorable for the production of amino acids like l-proline and L-threonine by engineered bacteria. The unique characteristics of many traditional fermented foods are attributed by the biofilm formed by lactic acid bacteria and yeast and often, multispecies biofilm can be successfully used for repeated-batch fermentation. The present review will shed light on current research related to the role of biofilm in the fermentation process with special reference to the recent applications of NGS/WGS/omics for the improved biofilm forming ability of the genetically engineered and biotechnologically modified microorganisms to bring about the amelioration of the quality of fermented food.

Chapter 5 - Fermented foods and probiotic beverages in Korea

BackgroundIndigenous communities residing in the Darjeeling Himalayan region and its adjacent hilly areas have a deeply rooted cultural tradition of consuming a diverse range of vegetable and milk-based fermented products, believed to confer various health advantages. With this traditional knowledge, lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were isolated from popular fermented foods such as Chhurpi (derived from Bos grunniens milk), Gundruk (made from Brassica juncea leaves), Sinki (derived from Raphanus sativus taproots), and Kinema (produced from Glycine max beans). This study aimed to investigate the probiotic properties of the prevalent LABs, including aggregation properties, bile salt hydrolase activities, survival under gastro-inhibitory conditions, safety evaluations, and their potential health-promoting attributes, with a specific focus on inhibiting α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzymes.ResultsFive of the LAB isolates demonstrated notable viability rates exceeding 85% when exposed to gastro-inhibitory challenges. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing, these isolates were identified as Pediococcus pentosaceus (isolate GAD), Lactobacillus plantarum (isolates KAD and CAD), Lactobacillus brevis (isolate SAD), and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (isolate CMD). These LAB isolates exhibited versatile carbon source utilization, significant auto- and co-aggregation, and bile salt hydrolase (BSH) properties. Auto-aggregation capacity notably increased over time, ranging from 30 to 150 min, with percentage increments from 4.83 ± 1.92% to 67.60 ± 5.93%. L. brevis SAD displayed the highest co-aggregation increment (%) against Staphylococcus aureus, while L. plantarum KAD demonstrated potent antimicrobial activity. In vitro analyses postulated potential health benefits related to antidiabetic properties, particularly inhibiting α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzymes. L. brevis SAD exhibited the highest α-glucosidase inhibitory activity, while L. plantarum KAD displayed the most potent α-amylase inhibitory activity. Comprehensive safety assessments, including antibiotic susceptibility profiling, hemolytic activity evaluation, and in vivo acute toxicity studies, confirmed the suitability of these LAB isolates for human consumption.ConclusionsThe isolates show promising probiotic characteristics and significant potential in addressing metabolic health. These results carry substantial scientific implications, suggesting the pharmaceutical-based applications of these traditional fermented foods. Further in vivo investigation is recommended to fully elucidate and exploit the health benefits of these LAB isolates, opening avenues for potential therapeutic interventions and the development of functional foods.

Human intestinal flora is very diverse; with lactic acid bacteria (LAB) existing as part of the most vital gut microbes that improve host health. The application of LAB as a whole organism or its metabolite in the case of probiotic and bacteriocin respectively is extensive. Thus, the need to always bio-prospect for newer strains of LAB is essential. This study focused on isolating LAB from kunun-zaki and kindirmo, a fermented non-alcoholic beverage of non-dairy and dairy sources respectively, explored their physiological and biochemical properties, antibiotics sensitivity pattern and identified based on their 16S rRNA sequencing. A total of eighty isolates were selected sixty-six from kunun-zaki and fourteen from kindirmo in which 93.7% were bacilli and 6.3% were spherical in shape having 68.75% and 30% homofermentative and heterofermentative pathway respectively. All isolates have the ability to utilize glucose to produce lactic acid while their tolerance to pH 3 and salt concentration at 2%, 4% and 6.5% varied widely. Thirty-four isolates based on their physiological and biochemical properties were selected for molecular identification to ascertain their genera and species. Limosilactobacillus fermentum (68%); Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (6%) and Weissella confusa (3%) were confirmed species isolated. Thus, it was concluded that traditional fermented foods such as kunun-zaki and kindirmo are a good source to bio-prospect for LAB for product development, starter culture and probiotic study.