LactobacillusSpeciesfrom Iranian Jug Cheese: Identification and Selection of Probiotic Based on Safety and FunctionalProperties

Traditional fermented products are appropriate sources for the isolation of indigenous bacteria with probiotic characteristics and potential similar or better than commercial probiotics. In this study, Lactobacillusspecies were isolated from jug cheese, atype of Iraniantraditional cheese, and their potentialprobiotic characteristics were studied.

Study of the probiotic species included hemolytic activity, antibiotic susceptibility, inhibitory activity against pathogenic bacteria, low pH and bile salts tolerance, viability in gastrointestinal tract conditions and adhesion ability to HT-29 cells.

Results showed that the isolates included no hemolytic activity and were susceptible or intermediate susceptibility to most antibiotics. Of four isolates, Lacto-bacillus plantarumKMJC4showed the strongest antibacterial activity (MIC = 6.25 mg ml-1) against Escherichiacoli, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, Bacillus cereus and Salmonella entericasubsp. enterica serovar Typhimurium. All the isolates, except Lactobacillus curvatusKMJC3, preserved their viability after transition through the simulated gastrointestinal tract conditions above 106CFUml-1. Lactobacillus acidipiscisKMJC2and Lactobacillus plantarumKMJC4showed the lowest and the highestadhesion rates to HT-29 cells with 3.55 and 6.80 Log10CFU ml-1 (42.51 and 71.35%), respectively. Lactobacillus plantarumKMJC4 included a better bacterial inhibitory activity and adhesion to HT-29 cells than that Lactobacillus rhamnosusGG did as control. Lactobacillus brevisKMJC1 demonstrated appropriate probiotic characteristics such asantibacterial activity, viability in low pH, bile salts and gastrointestinal tract conditions and adhesion capability to HT-29 cells.In conclusion,Lactobacillus plantarum KMJC4 andLactobacillus brevisKMJC1 were introduced as probiotic capable strains.Based on the results from the current in vitrostudy, finding probiotics with similar or better characteristics than commercial probiotics within indigenous bacteria is quite possible. In vivoassessment of the bacteria can be considered in future studies, investigating using possibilities of these bacteria in food industries to produce functional fermented foods and in pharmaceutical industries in form of probiotic capsules