Search

Purpose: Traditional fermented products can be adopted as probiotic carriers. This study was aimed at evaluating the potential of using Obushera, a traditional sorghum beverage from Uganda, as a carrier for Lactobacillus rhamnosus yoba. Design/methodology/approach: Probiotic Obushera was produced by fermenting sorghum malt with Lb. rhamnosus yoba 2012 and Streptococcus thermophilus C106 at 30 °C and at room temperature (21°C-25 °C) for 24 h. Acidity, pH, total soluble solids and microbial counts were monitored. Consumer acceptability and purchase index of probiotic Obushera were compared to four commercial non-probiotic brands. Shelf stability of probiotic Obushera was determined by monitoring changes in pH, acidity, soluble solids, microbial counts and consumer acceptability during refrigerated storage. Findings: Lactobacillus rhamnosus yoba 2012 multiplied and lowered the pH of Obushera from 5.3 to < 4.0 (p < 0.0001) whilst increasing acidity from 0.21 to 0.46 per cent (p < 0.0001) in 9 h at 30 °C. Consumer acceptability varied with Obushera brand (p < 0.0001). The overall acceptability score of probiotic Obushera (score of 6.4 = like slightly) was similar to that of the two most acceptable commercial brands (scores of 5.8 and 6.6). Acidity, pH and Lb. rhamnosus counts of probiotic Obushera varied within 0.6 per cent –1.05 per cent (p < 0.0001), 3.3–3.4 (p < 0.0001), and 8.2-9.2 log cfu/ml (p < 0.0001), respectively during two months of storage. The overall acceptability of probiotic Obushera (scores of 6.9-7.8) did not change significantly during storage (p = 0.185). Practical Implications: Traditional fermented foods such as Obushera can be adopted as carriers of probiotic microorganisms. Originality/value: Use of commercial probiotic strains in traditional fermented foods is a novel approach that can be adopted to improve safety of traditional fermentations and health of consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of the project was to test the influence of probiotic bacteria Escherichia coli Nissle (EcN) on severity of intraocular inflammation in experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU). Methods: EAU was induced in C57BL/6J mice by interphotoreceptor retinoid binding protein in complete Freund´s adjuvant and pertussis toxin. The grade of uveitis (0–4) was assessed clinically (21st and 27th day) by using otoscope connected to camera and histologically (28th day) on hematoxylin and eosin stained tissues. Probiotic bacteria EcN were administered orally three times a week and saline solution was administered to control group. Different regimens of administration were tested as follows: administration throughout the experiment (47 eyes), prophylactically (26 eyes) and therapeutically (24 eyes). Mesenteric and cervical lymph nodes were collected at the end of experiment for flow cytometry analysis of lymphocyte populations (Treg, Th17, ILC3) and intracellular cytokines (IFNγ, TNFα, IL‐17). Results: Probiotics significantly reduced the severity of uveitis compared to the control group in all three regimens by clinical evaluation i.e. throughout the experiment (p = 0.0003), prophylactically (p = 0.0015) and therapeutically (p = 0.02) and by histological evaluation throughout the experiment (p = 0.0002) and prophylactically (p = 0.0017). There was no significant difference in the lymphocyte population counts and cytokines production between groups. Conclusions: Orally administered probiotic bacteria EcN successfully prevented or reduced the severity of EAU in mice. This may have valuable implications for the control of sight‐threatening uveitis in patients. Supported by Ministry of Health of the Czech Republic (grant 17‐31248A) and Charles University Institutional Program SVV 260367. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fermentation of food products can be used for the delivery of probiotic bacteria and means of food detoxification, provided that probiotics are able to grow, and toxins are reduced in raw materials with minimal effects on consumer acceptability. This study evaluated probiotic enrichment and detoxification of kwete , a commonly consumed traditional fermented cereal beverage in Uganda, by the use of starter culture with the probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus yoba 2012 and Streptococcus thermophilus C106. Probiotic kwete was produced by fermenting a suspension of ground maize grain at 30 °C for a period of 24 h, leading to a decrease of the pH value to ≤ 4.0 and increase in titratable acidity of at least 0.2% (w/v). Probiotic kwete was acceptable to the consumers with a score of ≥6 on a 9-point hedonic scale. The products were stable over a month's study period with a mean pH of 3.9, titratable acidity of 0.6% (w/v), and Lactobacillus rhamnosus counts >10⁸ cfu g -1 . HPLC analysis of aflatoxins of the water-soluble fraction of kwete indicated that fermentation led to an over 1000-fold reduction of aflatoxins B₁, B₂, G₁, and G₂ spiked in the raw ingredients. In vitro fluorescence spectroscopy confirmed binding of aflatoxin B₁ to Lactobacillus rhamnosus with an efficiency of 83.5%. This study shows that fermentation is a means to enrich with probiotics and reduce widely occurring aflatoxin contamination of maize products that are consumed as staple foods in sub-Saharan Africa.