title: Probiotic abilities of riboflavin-overproducing Lactobacillus strains: a novel promising application of probiotics.
abstract: The probiotic potential of Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus fermentum strains, capable of overproducing riboflavin, was investigated. The riboflavin production was quantified in co-cultures of lactobacilli and human intestinal epithelial cells, and the riboflavin overproduction ability was confirmed. When milk and yogurt were used as carrier matrices, L. plantarum and L. fermentum strains displayed a significant ability to survive through simulated gastrointestinal transit. Adhesion was studied on both biotic and abiotic surfaces. Both strains adhered strongly on Caco-2 cells, negatively influenced the adhesion of Escherichia coli O157:H7, and strongly inhibited the growth of three reference pathogenic microbial strains. Resistance to major antibiotics and potential hemolytic activity were assayed. Overall, this study reveals that these Lactobacillus stains are endowed with promising probiotic properties and thus are candidates for the development of novel functional food which would be both enriched in riboflavin and induce additional health benefits, including a potential in situ riboflavin production, once the microorganisms colonize the host intestine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Foggia, Via Napoli 25, Foggia, 71122, Italy.
authors.forename: Mattia P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Arena
authors.forename: Pasquale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.forename: Vittorio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Capozzi
authors.forename: Paloma
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: López
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fiocco
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Spano
mesh_terms: D000898:Antibiosis; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion; D018938:Caco-2 Cells; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000382:microbiology; D019453:Escherichia coli O157 / Q000502:physiology; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D052197:Limosilactobacillus fermentum / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D048191:Lactiplantibacillus plantarum / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D019936:Probiotics / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012256:Riboflavin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D012256:Riboflavin