Dietary effect of folate-rich fermented milk produced by Streptococcus thermophilus strains on hemoglobin level

Abstract

ObjectiveFolate, a water-soluble vitamin, functions as a carbon carrier in the formation of heme, the iron-containing non-protein portion of hemoglobin. Therefore, its deficiency leads to anemia. The objective of this study was to determine the dietary effects of folate-rich fermented milk produced by high-folate–producing Streptococcus thermophilus strains (RD 102 and RD 104) on hemoglobin level using a murine model. MethodsThirty-two albino mice 30 ± 10 d old were assigned to ingest a basal diet (i.e., a synthetic anemic diet, n = 8, group I, control 1), a basal diet with skim milk (n = 8, group II, control 2), a basal diet with fermented skim milk produced by folate plus RD 102 (n = 8, group III, test 1), and a basal diet with fermented skim milk produced by folate plus RD 104 (n = 8, group IV, test 2) in a 6-wk, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Hemoglobin concentrations were estimated by the Drabkin–Austin cyanmethemoglobin method during the prefeeding (10 d), feeding (20 d), and postfeeding (10 d) trials, respectively. ResultsThe results showed that the test groups (III and IV) receiving folate-rich fermented milks prepared using high-folate producing S. thermophilus strains showed a significant increase in hemoglobin level compared with the control groups (I and II). ConclusionFolate-rich fermented milks have the potential to significantly increase the hemoglobin level of blood. Hence, high-folate–producing S. thermophilus strains offer a novel natural approach to fortify dairy products with folate.