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Functionality and Stability of Probiotics, Postbiotics, and Parabiotics in the...
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Functionality and Stability of Probiotics, Postbiotics, and Parabiotics in the Food System

A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Nutraceuticals, Functional Foods, and Novel Foods".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2025 | Viewed by 9833

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Lianliang Liu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Food Science and Engineering, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315832, China
Interests: hydrogel; polysaccharide; delivery system; polyphenols; Maillard reaction; probiotics; prebiotics; immune metabolism; gut microbiota
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Hui Cao

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Vigo, 32004 Ourense, Spain
Interests: nutritional; phytochemical composition
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Lingyi Liu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA
Interests: probiotics; lipid oxidation; 3D food printing; lipid processing; phenolics; natural food modification; enzymatic reaction

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent years, there has been growing interest in the role of gut health in overall well-being, leading to a surge in the consumption of probiotic products. Probiotics are live microorganisms that, when administered in adequate amounts, confer health benefits on the host. However, the effectiveness of probiotics is highly dependent on their functionality and stability within the food system.

Functionality refers to the ability of probiotics to exert their beneficial effects, such as improving digestion, enhancing immune function, and reducing the risk of certain diseases. To ensure functionality, it is crucial to select probiotic strains with documented health benefits and incorporate them into food products in sufficient quantities. Moreover, the survival of probiotics during processing, storage, and gastrointestinal transit is essential for their functionality. Probiotics are susceptible to environmental stressors such as temperature, pH, and oxygen exposure, which can significantly reduce their viability and, thus, their health benefits.

Postbiotics are the metabolic byproducts generated by probiotics during their growth. These include organic acids, antimicrobial peptides, and enzymes, which contribute to gut health and overall well-being. The stability of postbiotics in the food system is essential to preserve their beneficial properties. Processing techniques and storage conditions must be optimized to retain the bioactivity of postbiotics, ensuring their functionality in food products.

Parabiotics, conversely, are non-viable probiotics or their cellular components that exert health benefits. These include cell surface proteins, cell wall fragments, and extracellular polysaccharides. The functionality and stability of parabiotics depend on their ability to survive processing and storage conditions without compromising their bioactivity.

Overall, ensuring the functionality and stability of probiotics, postbiotics, and parabiotics in the food system is crucial for developing innovative and reliable functional food products. Advances in techniques and technologies are needed to optimize their viability, bioactivity, and delivery methods, ultimately enhancing the potential health benefits they can provide.

Dr. Lianliang Liu
Prof. Dr. Hui Cao
Dr. Lingyi Liu
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Foods is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • prebiotics
  • probiotics
  • postbiotics
  • parabiotics
  • gut microbiota

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 1663 KiB  
Article
Co-Encapsulation of Coffee and Coffee By-Product Extracts with Probiotic Kluyveromyces lactis
by Dérica Gonçalves Tavares, Mayara Andrade Martins de Souza, Tamara Leite dos Santos, Adriele do Amor Divino Silva, Danilo José Machado de Abreu and Whasley Ferreira Duarte
Foods 2024, 13(19), 3056; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13193056 - 26 Sep 2024
Viewed by 901
Abstract
Coffee and coffee by-products contain several chemical compounds of great relevance, such as chlorogenic acid (CGA), trigonelline, and caffeine. Furthermore, yeasts have been the target of studies for their use as probiotics because of their interesting biochemical characteristics. The combined administration of probiotic [...] Read more.
Coffee and coffee by-products contain several chemical compounds of great relevance, such as chlorogenic acid (CGA), trigonelline, and caffeine. Furthermore, yeasts have been the target of studies for their use as probiotics because of their interesting biochemical characteristics. The combined administration of probiotic microorganisms with components that provide health benefits mediated by alginate encapsulation is an alternative that ensures the stability of cells and chemical compounds. In this context, the aim of this work was to co-encapsulate the probiotic yeast Kluyveromyces lactis B10 and extracts of green coffee beans, coffee silverskin, and PVA (black, green or immature, and sour coffee beans). The bioactive composition, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of the extracts, microcapsule morphological characteristics and encapsulation efficiency, ability of the encapsulation to protect the yeast cells subjected to gastrointestinal conditions, and antioxidant activity of the microcapsules were evaluated. All the evaluated extracts showed antioxidant activity, of which PVA showed 75.7% and 77.0%, green coffee bean showed 66.4% and 45.7%, and coffee silverskin showed 67.7% and 37.4% inhibition of DPPH and ABTS•+ radicals, respectively, and antimicrobial activity against the pathogenic bacteria E. coli, Salmonella, and S. aureus, with high activity for the PVA extract. The microcapsules presented diameters of between 1451.46 and 1581.12 μm. The encapsulation efficiencies referring to the yeast retention in the microcapsules were 98.05%, 96.51%, and 96.32% for green coffee bean, coffee silverskin, and PVA, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that the microcapsules of the three extracts presented small deformations and irregularities on the surface. The K. lactis cells encapsulated in all treatments with the extracts showed viability higher than 8.59 log CFU/mL, as recommended for probiotic food products. The addition of green coffee bean, coffee silverskin, and PVA extracts did not reduce the encapsulation efficiency of the alginate microcapsules, enabling a safe interaction between the extracts and the K. lactis cells. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functionality and Stability of Probiotics, Postbiotics, and Parabiotics in the Food System)
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14 pages, 2354 KiB  
Article
Shell–Core Microbeads Loaded with Probiotics: Influence of Lipid Melting Point on Probiotic Activity
by Youfa Xie, Kui Zhang, Jingyao Zhu, Li Ma, Liqiang Zou and Wei Liu
Foods 2024, 13(14), 2259; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13142259 - 17 Jul 2024
Viewed by 868
Abstract
Probiotics have many beneficial physiological activities, but the poor stability during storage and gastrointestinal digestion limits their application. Therefore, in this study, a novel type of shell–core microbead for loading probiotics was prepared through high-precision concentric drop formation technology using gelatin as the [...] Read more.
Probiotics have many beneficial physiological activities, but the poor stability during storage and gastrointestinal digestion limits their application. Therefore, in this study, a novel type of shell–core microbead for loading probiotics was prepared through high-precision concentric drop formation technology using gelatin as the shell material and lipids as the core material. The microbeads have a regular spherical structure, uniform size, low moisture content (<4%) and high probiotic activity (>9.0 log CFU/g). Textural testing showed that the hardness of the medium-chain triglyceride microbeads (MCTBs), cocoa butter replacer microbeads (CBRBs) and hydrogenated palm oil microbeads (HPOBs) increased gradually (319.65, 623.54, 711.41 g), but their springiness decreased (67.7, 43.3, 34.0%). Importantly, lipids with higher melting points contributed to the enhanced stability of probiotics during simulated digestion and storage. The viable probiotic counts of the HCTBs, CBRBs and HPOBs after being stored at 25 °C for 12 months were 8.01, 8.44, and 8.51 log CFU/g, respectively. In the simulated in vitro digestion process, the HPOBs resisted the destructive effects of digestive enzymes and gastric acid on probiotics, with a reduction in the probiotic viability of less than 1.5 log CFU/g. This study can provide new ideas for the preparation of intestinal delivery probiotic foods. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functionality and Stability of Probiotics, Postbiotics, and Parabiotics in the Food System)
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18 pages, 2155 KiB  
Communication
Influence of Lactobacillus rhamnosus Supplementation on the Glycaemic Index, Lipid Profile, and Microbiome of Healthy Elderly Subjects: A Preliminary Randomized Clinical Trial
by Chaiyavat Chaiyasut, Bhagavathi Sundaram Sivamaruthi, Subramanian Thangaleela, Natarajan Sisubalan, Muruganantham Bharathi, Suchanat Khongtan, Periyanaina Kesika, Sasithorn Sirilun, Thiwanya Choeisoongnern, Sartjin Peerajan, Pranom Fukngoen, Phakkharawat Sittiprapaporn and Wandee Rungseevijitprapa
Foods 2024, 13(9), 1293; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13091293 - 23 Apr 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2247
Abstract
Aging is a time-dependent complex biological process of organisms with gradual deterioration of the anatomical and physiological functions. The role of gut microbiota is inevitable in the aging process. Probiotic interventions improve gut homeostasis and support healthy aging by enhancing beneficial species and [...] Read more.
Aging is a time-dependent complex biological process of organisms with gradual deterioration of the anatomical and physiological functions. The role of gut microbiota is inevitable in the aging process. Probiotic interventions improve gut homeostasis and support healthy aging by enhancing beneficial species and microbial biodiversity in older adults. The present preliminary clinical trial delves into the impact of an 8-week Lactobacillus rhamnosus intervention (10 × 109 CFU per day) on the glycaemic index, lipid profile, and microbiome of elderly subjects. Body weight, body fat, fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) are assessed at baseline (Week 0) and after treatment (Week 8) in placebo and probiotic groups. Gaussian regression analysis highlights a significant improvement in LDL cholesterol in the probiotic group (p = 0.045). Microbiome analysis reveals numeric changes in taxonomic abundance at various levels. At the phylum level, Proteobacteria increases its relative frequency (RF) from 14.79 ± 5.58 at baseline to 23.46 ± 8.02 at 8 weeks, though statistically insignificant (p = 0.100). Compared to the placebo group, probiotic supplementations significantly increased the proteobacteria abundance. Genus-level analysis indicates changes in the abundance of several microbes, including Escherichia-Shigella, Akkermansia, and Bacteroides, but only Butyricimonas showed a statistically significant level of reduction in its abundance. Probiotic supplementations significantly altered the Escherichia-Shigella and Sutterella abundance compared to the placebo group. At the species level, Bacteroides vulgatus substantially increases after probiotic treatment (p = 0.021). Alpha and beta diversity assessments depict subtle shifts in microbial composition. The study has limitations, including a small sample size, short study duration, single-strain probiotic use, and lack of long-term follow-up. Despite these constraints, the study provides valuable preliminary insights into the multifaceted impact of L. rhamnosus on elderly subjects. Further detailed studies are required to define the beneficial effect of L. rhamnosus on the health status of elderly subjects. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functionality and Stability of Probiotics, Postbiotics, and Parabiotics in the Food System)
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Review

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15 pages, 886 KiB  
Review
An Update on Prebiotics and on Their Health Effects
by Antonio Bevilacqua, Daniela Campaniello, Barbara Speranza, Angela Racioppo, Milena Sinigaglia and Maria Rosaria Corbo
Foods 2024, 13(3), 446; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13030446 - 30 Jan 2024
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 5139
Abstract
Prebiotic compounds were originally defined as “a nondigestible food ingredient that beneficially affects the host by selectively stimulating the growth and/or activity of one or a limited number of bacteria in the colon, and thus improves host health”; however, a significant modulation of [...] Read more.
Prebiotic compounds were originally defined as “a nondigestible food ingredient that beneficially affects the host by selectively stimulating the growth and/or activity of one or a limited number of bacteria in the colon, and thus improves host health”; however, a significant modulation of the definition was carried out in the consensus panel of The International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP), and the last definition states that “prebiotics are substrates that are selectively utilized by host microorganisms conferring a health benefit”. Health effects of prebiotics compounds attracted the interest of researchers, food companies and Regulatory Agencies, as inferred by the number of articles on Scopus for the keywords “prebiotic” and “health effects”, that is ca. 2000, for the period January 2021–January 2024. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to contribute to the debate on these topics by offering an overview of existing knowledge and advances in this field. A literature search was performed for the period 2012–2023 and after the selection of the most relevant items, the attention was focused on seven conditions for which at least 8–10 different studies were found, namely colorectal cancer, neurological or psychiatric conditions, intestinal diseases, obesity, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and immune system disorders. In addition, the analysis of the most recent articles through the software VosViewer version 1.6.20 pointed out the existence of five clusters or macro-categories, namely: (i) pathologies; (ii) metabolic condvitions; (iii) structure and use in food; (iv) immunomodulation; (v) effect on gut microbiota. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functionality and Stability of Probiotics, Postbiotics, and Parabiotics in the Food System)
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