Abstract
Beneficial lactic acid bacteria (LAB)-based fermentation is an effective bioprocessing approach to improve human-health-targeted functional benefits of plant-based food substrates, such as cereal grains. Previously, we observed high phenolic bioactive-linked antioxidant and anti-hyperglycemic properties in whole grain Emmer (hulled). In this study, beneficial LAB (Lactiplantibacillus plantarum) was recruited to ferment (0–72 h) aqueous extracts (0.4 g/mL concentration) of previously optimized hulled Emmer wheat and conventional red spring wheat cv. Barlow. The fermented and unfermented (control) wheat extracts were analyzed for phenolic content, phenolic profile, antioxidant activity, and antihyperglycemic properties (α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzyme inhibitory activity) using in vitro assay models. Additionally, antimicrobial activity against pathogenic bacteria Helicobacter pylori, and potential prebiotic activity supporting the growth of beneficial Bifidobacterium longum were also investigated. Improvement in antioxidant activity and antihyperglycemic functional benefits were observed, while soluble phenolic content remained high after 72 h fermentation. Antimicrobial activity against H. pylori was also observed in 48 and 72 h fermented wheat extracts. This study provides an insight into the efficacy of LAB-based fermentation as a safe bioprocessing tool to design health-targeted functional foods and ingredients from underutilized whole grains like Emmer for targeting type 2 diabetes dietary benefits.
Highlights
The fermentation of cereal grains with beneficial lactic acid bacteria (LAB) is a useful bioprocessing approach to enhance nutritional, organoleptic, and bioactive properties, which has wider relevance in health-targeted food applications
Due to the acidic conditions generated during the growth of LAB and through potential microbial enzymatic action, the fermentation of wheat with LAB can alter its phenolic profile and content, as well as related bioactivity, such as its antioxidant, antihyperglycemic and antimicrobial activity against bacterial pathogens
An acidic pH can affect the stability of phenolic compounds present in plant-based food substrates such as wheat, as different phenolic bioactive compounds have different sensitivities to low pH, and the acidic conditions generated during fermentation can release bound or esterified phenolics, which in turn enhance phenolic-linked bioactivity
Summary
The fermentation of cereal grains with beneficial lactic acid bacteria (LAB) is a useful bioprocessing approach to enhance nutritional, organoleptic, and bioactive properties, which has wider relevance in health-targeted food applications. There are many dietary advantages associated with the LAB-based fermentation of whole and processed grains, such as (i) the enhanced mobilization and solubilization of health-relevant bioactive nutrients, (ii) the improvement in the stability of the functional properties of bioactive compounds, (iii) the addition of potential prebiotic and probiotic functions, (iv) the food-safety benefits associated with the improved antimicrobial property, and (v) the removal of undesirable toxins or antinutrients [1,2]. Such improvements with LAB fermentation have dual functional benefits for enhancing post-harvest preservation or shelf-life and for the improvement of human-health-targeted nutritional qualities of cereal-grain-based food substrates [3].
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