Fermentation of Milk Using Folate-Producing Lactic Acid Bacteria to Increase Natural Folate Content: A Review

Folate, also known as vitamin B9, is essential in cell metabolism and very important especially for pregnant women and lactating mothers. Natural folate is available in food but it is very unstable. Synthetic folate is generally used as an alternative to meet daily needs due to its stability, even though it has a negative effect causing a variety of metabolic disorders. Some lactic acid bacteria have been reported as being able to synthesize natural folate during the fermentation process. Lactic acid bacteria are the main microorganisms for lactic fermentation such as fermented milk, fruits, and vegetables. Milk is the most nutritious food and contains folate-binding protein, hence it is considered the ideal fermentation medium to increase folate stability during storage. Fermentation of milk with folate-producing lactic acid bacteria can be used as a technique to produce natural folate-rich fermented foods as an attempt to prevent folate deficiency without side effects to the consumers.