METABOLISM AND FUNCTIONAL HETEROGENEITY OF FERMENTED MILK ORIGIN LACTIC ACID BACTERIA FOR LACTOSE INTOLERANCE

Abstract

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are cosmopolitan in distribution with multiple ecological niches. LAB shows diverse applications in improvement of health by biochemical interference or imuno modulation to overcome several clinical circumstances. Lactose intolerance (LI) is one such situation, where individual show lactose maldigestion after the consumption of dairy products. It is necessary to overcome such a condition by employing indigenous beneficial bacteria or their products. Therefore, in this study we have isolated and characterized LAB from fermented milk samples, from remote villages of districts of south India. Traditionally fermented milk samples (68) were collected, cultivated on MRS medium, identified by biochemical and carbohydrate metabolic activity and correlated with Bergey's manual of systematic bacteriology. When matched with other LAB, Lactiplantibacillus isolates were able to reduced pH of medium significantly and reached pH of 4.6 in 48 hours. On MRS agar, 450 different bacterial isolates were isolated, recognized as presumptive LAB and classified up to the level of genera as Lactiplantibacillus (285), Lactococcus (70), Pediococcus (19), Streptococcus (20), and Enterococcus (16). Later, β-galactosidase screening was carried out using MRS/X-gal agar medium. Out of 450 LAB isolates only Lactiplantibacillus isolates were potential β-galactosidase producers. GRAS organisms such as LAB are multifaceted diverse group of bacteria localized in varieties of fermented foods/in the intestine and recognized as probiotics. Distinct contribution of LAB in health care and disorder management made this organism as a choice for alternate therapy; hence functionality of LAB can be promoted for LI management.