Novel Lactic Acid Bacteria Strains from Regional Peppers with Health-Promoting Potential

NUÑEZ MICAELA; VERNI CECILIA; ARGAÑARAZ MARTINEZ E; BABOT J; TERAN V; DANILOVICH ME; CARTAGENA E; ALBERTO M. R.; ARENA M.E.

Fermentation

MPDI

Año: 2024

2311-5637

Acepted after major revision. Se envió el manuscrito corregidoThis study provides a comprehensive investigation of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from Argentinean Capsicum annum L. The research covers important aspects, including genotypic characterization, bacterial stress tolerance, adhesion ability, safety evaluation, and functional and technological properties. The predominant isolates were identified as Lactilactobacillus cur-vatus and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum. Rep-PCR analysis grouped the isolates into 11 clonal groups. Lp. plantarum LVP 40 and LV 46; Levilactobacillus brevis LVP 41, Pediococcus pentosaseus LV P43, and Lt. curvatus LVP44, displayed both safety and resilience against adverse conditions such a slow pH, bile, and simulated gastric and intestinal juices. Moreover, the LAB strains ex-hibited high hydrophobicity and auto-aggregation percentages, NaCl tolerance, and substan-tial acidifying capacity. LAB supernatants demonstrated promising surfactant and emulsifying properties. Likewise, they differentially inhibited Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeru-ginosa biofilms, showcasing their potential as antipathogenic agents. Noteworthy some strains displayed considerable co-aggregation with these pathogens, and several isolates showed an effective antimutagenic and detoxifying power, further emphasizing their multifaceted capa-bilities. Five pepper bacterial strains showcased beneficial properties, suggesting their poten-tial for gut health enhancement. In summary, these LAB strains hold promise as vegetable fermentation starters, contributing to food safety and versatile applications in food science.