Potential use of Bacillus coagulans in the food industry

Probiotic microorganisms are generally considered to beneficially affect host health when used in adequate amounts. Although generally used in dairy products, they are also widely used in various commercial food products such as fermented meats, cereals, baby foods, fruit juices, and ice creams. Among lactic acid bacteria, Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium are the most commonly used bacteria in probiotic foods, but they are not resistant to heat treatment. Probiotic food diversity is expected to be greater with the use of probiotics, which are resistant to heat treatment and gastrointestinal system conditions. Bacillus coagulans (B. coagulans) has recently attracted the attention of researchers and food manufacturers, as it exhibits characteristics of both the Bacillus and Lactobacillus genera. B. coagulans is a spore-forming bacterium which is resistant to high temperatures with its probiotic activity. In addition, a large number of studies have been carried out on the low-cost microbial production of industrially valuable products such as lactic acid and various enzymes of B. coagulans which have been used in food production. In this review, the importance of B. coagulans in food industry is discussed. Moreover, some studies on B. coagulans products and the use of B. coagulans as a probiotic in food products are summarized. © 2018 by the authors

Production of biosurfactant by lactic acid bacteria using whey as growth medium

The aim of this study was to produce biosurfactants from whey waste using Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus acidophilus, and Lactobacillus rhamnosus as well as to determine oil spreading, emulsification index, surface tension, and antiadhesive properties in these biosurfactants. Additionally, the capability of biosurfactant production from whey waste in the dairy industry was compared with that of MRS broth, a commercial culture medium. The presence of biosurfactants by all lactic acid bacteria was detected using the oil spreading test. Zone diameter due to the surface activity of lactic acid bacteria strains ranged from 1.87 to 5.92 cm. Biosurfactants from both whey medium and MRS broth reduced surface tension. Differences between data from whey medium and MRS broth were statistically insignificant in terms of the biomass, oil spreading, and surface tension of biosurfactants. Emulsification index values recorded after 1 h, 24 h, and 1 week were significantly different and ranged from 19.50% to 58.00%. The highest emulsification activity was exhibited by L. acidophilus from whey medium in the first hours. A 10 mg/mL concentration of biosurfactants was able to prevent S. aureus, P. aeruginosa, and E. coli adhesion 37.25%–52.5%, 10.25%–23.25%, and 5.32%–11.50%, respectively. E. coli was more resistant to the biosurfactants than the other pathogens were. On the other hand, biosurfactants from L. rhamnosus had the lowest antiadhesive effects. In general, biosurfactants from whey medium and MRS broth were similar in terms of antiadhesion properties. The present study showed that dairy wastes could be an appropriate medium for cost-effective biosurfactant production by lactic acid bacteria for the benefit of the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries. © TÜBİTAKFYL-2015-4390 215O062 Türkiye Bilimsel ve Teknolojik Araştirma KurumuWe would like to thank the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK, Project No: 215O062) and the Çukurova University Research Fund (Project No: FYL-2015-4390) for their financial support