Pistachio milk (PM), an extraction product of pistachio, is protein- and fat-dense food. Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are known for inducing cytotoxicity and apoptosis in colon carcinoma cells. This study aimed to find an optimal combination of probiotics that can produce a higher amount of SCFAs in PM. In addition, the anti-cancer effect of fermented PM on human colon carcinoma cells (Caco-2) was determined. The combinations of probiotics were as follows: Streptococcus thermophilus + Lactobacillus bulgaricus (C); C + Lactobacillus acidophilus (C-La); C + Lactobacillus gasseri (C-Lg); C + Bifidobacterium bifidum (C-Bb). The results indicated that fermented PM was produced after a short fermentation time in all the probiotics combinations. C-Bb produced up to 1.5-fold more acetate than the other probiotics combinations did. A significant amount of cytotoxicity, i.e., 78, 56, and 29% cell viability was observed in Caco-2 cells by C-Bb-fermented PM at 1, 2.5 and 5%, respectively. C-Bb-fermented PM (5%) induced early and late apoptosis up to 6-fold. Additionally, Caco-2 cells treated with C-Bb-fermented PM significantly induced the downregulation of α-tubulin and the upregulation of cleaved caspase-3, as well as nuclear condensation and fragmentation. Our data suggest that fermented PM, which is rich in acetate, may have the potential as a functional food possessing anti-colon cancer properties.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of probiotic mixed environment improvement agent feeding and spreading on ammonia and hydrogen sulfide emissions of Hanwoo manure. Three animals were allocated to each pen as an experimental unit. An experiment was performed with three replicates as a complete randomized design and treatments were assigned a control group and a mixed environment improvement agent group. In the result of the feeding trial, at 60 days, ammonia gas emission from Hanwoo manure was significantly lower content in the probiotics mixed environment improvement agent group than in the control group (p = 0.027), hydrogen sulfide gas emission from Hanwoo manure tends to be lower in the probiotics mixed environment improvement agent group than in the control group (p = 0.085). At the 5-day point of the spreading trial, ammonia gas emission from Hanwoo manure was significantly lower in the probiotics mixed environment improvement agent group than in the control group (p = 0.001). As a result, probiotic mixed environment improvement agents could be helpful in lowering the concentrations of odor substances in a farm.