Submit to Special Issue Submit Abstract to Special Issue Review for Foods Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

Special Issue "Functional Properties of Food Source Probiotics"

Print Special Issue Flyer
Special Issue Editors
Special Issue Information
Keywords
Published Papers

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: 15 May 2024 | Viewed by 4863

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Jiajia Song

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

College of Food Science, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
Interests: bioactive peptides; probiotics; natural antimicrobials

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are thrilled to announce the publication of a Special Issue titled "Functional Properties of Food Source Probiotics" in the journal Foods. Probiotics are live microorganisms that provide numerous health benefits to the host when consumed in adequate amounts. Food sources such as dairy, fermented foods, and fruits and vegetables are excellent sources of probiotics. This Special Issue explores the potential advantages of consuming probiotics obtained from food sources and how they can enhance gut health, modulate the immune response and exercise performance, and prevent extraintestinal disorders, including metabolic disorders, hyperuricemia, polycystic ovarian syndrome, and neuronal diseases. The articles in this issue offer an in-depth understanding of the mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of probiotics and their potential applications in preventing and treating various illnesses. We are confident that the insights shared in this Special Issue emphasize the significance of probiotics in food sources and further encourage research development in this area.

Dr. Jiajia Song
Guest Editor

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

probiotics
fermented foods
gut microbiota
gut health
immune response
exercise performance
metabolic disorders
hyperuricemia
polycystic ovarian syndrome
neuronal diseases

Published Papers (5 papers)

Download All Papers

Order results

Result details

Show export options Show export options

Select all

Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

18 pages, 1342 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Enhancing Phytochemical Compounds, Functional Properties, and Volatile Flavor Profiles of Pomelo (Citrus grandis (L.) Osbeck) Juices from Different Cultivars through Fermentation with Lacticaseibacillus paracasei

Vernabelle Balmori

Marisa Marnpae

Charoonsri Chusak

Kritmongkhon Kamonsuwan

Kasinee Katelakha

Suvimol Charoensiddhi

and

Sirichai Adisakwattana

Foods 2023, 12(23), 4278; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12234278 - 27 Nov 2023

Viewed by 502

Abstract

The current study aimed to explore the effects of fermenting five different pomelo cultivars using Lacticaseibacillus paracasei on various physicochemical, phytochemical, and organoleptic attributes. Fermentation led to an increase in viable lactic acid bacteria count (8.80–9.28 log cfu/mL), organic acids, total polyphenols, and flavonoids, resulting in improved antioxidant activity, bile acid binding, cholesterol micellization disruption, and inhibition of pancreatic lipase activity. Additionally, some cultivars displayed higher levels of naringin, naringenin, and hesperetin after fermentation. The levels of volatile compounds were elevated after fermentation. The bitterness and overall acceptability scores were improved in the fermented samples of the Kao Numpueng cultivar. The principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that the Tubtim Siam cultivar demonstrated the highest functionality and health-related benefits among all fermented pomelos. Overall, the study suggests that pomelo exhibits potential as a valuable resource for creating a dairy-free probiotic drink enriched with bioactive phytochemical compounds and beneficial functional attributes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Properties of Food Source Probiotics)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 6182 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Water-Insoluble Polysaccharide Extracted from Poria cocos Alleviates Antibiotic-Associated Diarrhea Based on Regulating the Gut Microbiota in Mice

and

Foods 2023, 12(16), 3080; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12163080 - 16 Aug 2023

Viewed by 840

Abstract

Antibiotics are very effective in treating a variety of bacterial infections, while clinical overuse of antibiotics can lead to diseases such as antibiotic-associated diarrhea. Numerous studies have shown that natural polysaccharides can be used as prebiotics to alleviate antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD). Poria cocos is a medicinal and edible mushroom widely used for thousands of years in China, and our former study demonstrated that water-insoluble polysaccharide (PCY) has the potential prebiotic function. Therefore, we simulated the digestion and fermentation of PCY using feces from volunteers, and then administered it to C57BL/6 mice with AAD to study its effects on the gut microbiota and metabolites. The results indicated that PCY effectively alleviated the symptoms of AAD in mice, restored the intestinal barrier function, improved the content of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), decreased the level of inflammatory cytokines, and changed the structure of gut microbiota by increasing the relative abundance of norank_f__Muribaculaceae and unclassified_f__Lachnospiraceae, and decreasing that of Escherichia-Shigella, Staphylococcus and Acinetobacter. This study further demonstrated that PCY is an effective functional prebiotic for improving AAD disease, and provided a new avenue and insight for developing PCY as a functional food or prebiotic for alleviating gastrointestinal diseases. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Properties of Food Source Probiotics)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 2003 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of the Exopolysaccharide from Lactiplantibacillus plantarum HMX2 on the Growth Performance, Immune Response, and Intestinal Microbiota of Juvenile Turbot, Scophthalmus maximus

and

Foods 2023, 12(10), 2051; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12102051 - 19 May 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 931

Abstract

In this study, the exopolysaccharide (EPS) from Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (HMX2) was isolated from Chinese Northeast Sauerkraut. Its effects on juvenile turbot were investigated by adding different concentrations of HMX2-EPS (C: 0 mg/kg, H1: 100 mg/kg, H2: 500 mg/kg) to the feed. Compared with the control group, HMX2-EPS significantly improved the growth performance of juvenile turbot. The activities of antioxidant enzymes, digestive enzymes, and immune-related enzymes were significantly increased. HMX2-EPS could also increase the secretion of inflammatory factors and enhance the immune response of turbot by regulating the IFN signal transduction pathway and exhibit stronger survival rates after the A. hydrophila challenge. Moreover, HMX2-EPS could improve the diversity of intestinal microbiota in juvenile fish, increase the abundance of potential probiotics, and reduce the abundance of pathogenic bacteria. The function of gut microbes in metabolism and the immune system could also be improved. All results showed better effects with high concentrations of HMX2-EPS. These results indicated that HMX2-EPS supplementation in the diet could promote growth, improve antioxidant activity, digestive capacity, and immunity capacity, and actively regulate the intestinal microbiota of juvenile turbot. In conclusion, this study might provide basic technical and scientific support for the application of L. plantarum in aquatic feed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Properties of Food Source Probiotics)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 3832 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Heat-Killed Bifidobacterium longum BBMN68 in Pasteurized Yogurt Alleviates Mugwort Pollen-Induced Allergic Airway Responses through Gut Microbiota Modulation in a Murine Model

and

Foods 2023, 12(10), 2049; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12102049 - 19 May 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1184

Abstract

Many probiotic bacteria have been proven to prevent allergic airway responses through immunomodulation. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of heat-killed Bifidobacterium longum BBMN68 (BBMN68) in pasteurized yogurt on the alleviation of mugwort pollen (MP)-induced allergic inflammation. BALB/c mice aged 5–6 weeks were randomly assigned and fed pasteurized yogurt containing heat-killed BBMN68 for 27 days, followed by allergic sensitization and challenge with MP extract. The allergic mice that received pasteurized yogurt containing heat-killed BBMN68 had improved immune status, including a lower serum IgE level, decreased serum interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, and IL-13 concentrations, and alleviated airway inflammation manifested by increased macrophage and decreased eosinophil and neutrophil counts in BALF, as well as airway remodeling and suppressed peribronchial cellular infiltration. Moreover, oral administration of pasteurized yogurt containing heat-killed BBMN68 significantly modulated gut microbiota composition by influencing the proportion of beneficial genera associated with inflammation and immunity, such as Lactobacillus, Candidatus_Saccharimonas, Odoribacter, and Parabacteroides, which also negatively correlated with serum IgE and Th2 cytokine levels. These results demonstrated that pasteurized yogurt containing heat-killed BBMN68 had mitigative effects on allergic airway inflammation, likely through maintaining the systemic Th1/Th2 immune balance by altering the structure and function of the gut microbiota. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Properties of Food Source Probiotics)

► Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Review

Jump to: Research

23 pages, 7392 KiB

Open AccessReview

An Update on the Pivotal Roles of Probiotics, Their Components, and Metabolites in Preventing Colon Cancer

and

Foods 2023, 12(19), 3706; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12193706 - 09 Oct 2023

Viewed by 868

Abstract

Diet, lifestyle, and gut microbiota composition are key risk factors for the progression of colon cancer. Probiotics are living microorganisms that can offer health benefits to the parasitifer when ingested in competent quantities. Several in vivo, in vitro, and clinical studies have demonstrated that probiotics can prevent and mitigate the development of colon cancer. The anti-colon cancer mechanisms of probiotics include the suppression of cell proliferation and the promotion of cancer cell apoptosis, immunomodulation, the modulation of intestinal microorganisms and their metabolism, strengthening the intestinal barrier, and antioxidant effects. This article describes the pathogenesis of colon cancer and the available therapeutic options. In addition, this paper reviews the mechanisms by which probiotics mitigate colon cancer as well as the mitigating effects of probiotic components and metabolites on colon cancer. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Properties of Food Source Probiotics)

► Show Figures

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

Special Issue "Functional Properties of Food Source Probiotics"

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editor

Special Issue Information

Keywords

Published Papers (5 papers)

Research

Review

Further Information

Guidelines

MDPI Initiatives

Follow MDPI