Impact of growth temperature on exopolysaccharide production and probiotic properties of Lactobacillus paracasei strains isolated from kefir grains

BENGOA, ANA A.; LLAMAS, M. GORETTI; IRAPORDA, CAROLINA; DUEÑAS, M. TERESA; ABRAHAM, ANALÍA G.; GARROTE, GRACIELA L.

FOOD MICROBIOLOGY

ACADEMIC PRESS LTD-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD

Año: 2017 vol. 69 p. 212 - 218

0740-0020

EPS-producing LAB are widely used in the dairy industry since these polymers improve the viscosity and texture of the products. Besides, EPS might be responsible for several health benefits attributed to probiotic strains. However, growth conditions (culture media, temperature, pH) could modify the characteristics of EPS affecting both technological and probiotic properties. In this work, the influence of growth temperature on EPS production was evaluated, as well as the consequences of these changes in the probiotic properties of the strains. All Lactobacillus paracasei strains in study showed changes in EPS with temperature, evidenced by the appearance of a high molecular weight fraction and an increment in the total amount produced when temperature decreases. Nevertheless, these changes do not affect the probiotic properties of the strains. L. paracasei strains grown at 20 ºC, 30 ºC and 37 ºC are able to survive to simulated gastrointestinal conditions, to adhere to Caco-2 cells after that treatment and to modulate the epithelial innate immune response. The results suggest that these L. paracasei strains are new probiotic candidates that can be applied in a wide range of functional foods in which temperature could be used as a tool to improve the technological properties of the product.