Physicochemical and sensory characterization of functional synbiotic Labneh fortified with the bacteriocin-producing Lactiplantibacillus plantarum strain GA7 and nano-encapsulated Tirmania pinoyi extract.

BACKGROUND: Functional foods and dairy products are gaining global attention due to their nutritional value and health-promoting characteristics. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are one of the promising components included in these products, thanks to their probiotic properties and ability to produce bioactive compounds such as bacteriocins. On the other hand, ectomycorrhizal wild mushrooms (truffles) are known for their ethnomycological importance. Hence, we aimed to develop a functional dairy product using a bacteriocin-producing LAB isolate that has probiotic potentials together with the bioactive extract of a truffle mushroom. RESULTS: Screening for bacteriocin-producing LAB led to the selection of four safe isolates that also showed promising probiotic potentials. Isolate No. 7 was selected due to its wider antimicrobial spectrum and was identified as Lactiplantibacillus plantarum strain GA7. Out of resulting bands from Tricine SDS-PAGE analysis, a band (its molecular mass was approximately 7 kDa) exhibited antimicrobial activity. Amino acid sequencing of this active band detected 62 amino acid residues with 100% identity to plantaricin ASM1 bacteriocin. Simultaneously, an ethyl acetate extract was prepared from a truffle sample identified as Tirmania pinoyi. Safety of this truffle was confirmed and its extract exerted promising antioxidant and hypocholesterolemic activity. Prepared functional dairy products (Labneh) fortified with L. plantarum GA7 and nano-encapsulated T. pinoyi extract exhibited superior physicochemical, sensory and antioxidant properties compared to control. Moreover, an increase in probiotic count was observed in presence of T. pinoyi extract. Furthermore, prepared Labneh using the bacteriocin-producing L. plantarum GA7 and nano-encapsulated T. pinoyi extract remained unspoiled for over 60 days, compared to control, which spoiled after 21 days. CONCLUSION: Besides improving Labneh physicochemical, sensory and antioxidant properties, the presence of the bacteriocin-producing L. plantarum GA7 has contributed in significantly extending its shelf life, while T. pinoyi extract showed prebiotic influence on probiotic count. As far as we know this is the first study describing production of a functional synbiotic dairy product fortified with bacteriocin-producing probiotic LAB and bioactive T. pinoyi truffle extract.