Background/Objectives: Probiotics have great potential in improving acute alcohol intoxication. The aim of this study was to investigate the mitigating effect and mechanism of action of Weizmannia coagulans BC99 on acute alcohol intoxication (AAI) in SD rats. Methods: BC99 was divided into different doses administered by gavage to rats, and a rat model of acute alcohol intoxication was established by multiple gavages of excess alcohol. Results: Our study demonstrated that W. coagulans BC99 intervention significantly prolonged the latency period of intoxication; significantly attenuated alcohol-induced lipid elevation, liver injury, hepatic inflammation, and intestinal barrier damage; and lowered plasma endotoxin (LPS) levels in rats. In addition, W. coagulans BC99 could effectively restore the balance of intestinal flora, increase the abundance of Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136, Prevotellaceae_NK3B31, Parabacteroides, and Ralstonia, and thus increase the content of intestinal short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), especially butyric acid. Moreover, we demonstrated through sodium butyrate validation experiments that butyrate could attenuate intestinal barrier damage and reduce the diffusion of LPS, thereby reducing liver inflammation. Conclusions: In conclusion, W. coagulans BC99 ameliorates acute alcohol intoxication in rats by increasing the abundance of butyrate-producing genera and thereby increasing butyrate abundance to alleviate intestinal barrier injury.

Background/Objectives: With the improvement of living standards, alcoholic liver disease caused by long-term drinking has been a common multiple disease. Probiotic interventions may help mitigate liver damage caused by alcohol intake, but the mechanisms need more investigation. Methods: This study involved 70 long-term alcohol drinkers (18–65 years old, alcohol consumption ≥20 g/day, lasting for more than one year) who were randomly assigned to either the BC99 group or the placebo group. Two groups were given BC99 (3 g/day, 1 × 10¹⁰ CFU) or placebo (3 g/day) for 60 days, respectively. Before and after the intervention, blood routine indicators, liver function, renal function, inflammatory factors and intestinal flora were evaluated. Results: The results showed that intervention with Weizmannia coagulans BC99 reduced the levels of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, glutamyl transpeptidase, serum total bilirubin, blood urea nitrogen, uric acid and ‘blood urea nitrogen/creatinine’. Weizmannia coagulans BC99 also reduced the levels of pro-inflammatory factors TNF-α and IL-6 and increased the levels of anti-inflammatory factor IL-10. The results of intestinal flora analysis showed that Weizmannia coagulans BC99 regulated the imbalance of intestinal flora, increased the beneficial bacteria abundance (Prevotella, Faecalibacterium and Roseburia) and reduced the conditionally pathogenic bacteria abundance (Escherichia-Shigella and Klebsiella). Both LEfSe analysis and random forest analysis indicated that the increase in the abundance of Muribaculaceae induced by BC99 was a key factor in alleviating alcohol-induced liver damage. Conclusions: These findings demonstrate that Weizmannia coagulans BC99 has the potential to alleviate alcoholic liver injury and provide an effective strategy for liver protection in long-term drinkers.

With the increasing awareness of health, more people have shown a preference for low-alcohol beverages. Seeking various methods to improve the quality of kiwi wine is now a major research interest in the wine industry. In this study, kiwi wine was fermented by Saccharomyces cerevisiae and different non-Saccharomyces strains (Torulaspora delbrueckii, Kluyveromyces thermotolerans, Pichia fermentans) in three methods (pure fermentation, simultaneous, and sequential co-fermentation). The physicochemical characteristics, color parameters, phenolic profiles, total phenolic content (TPC), antioxidant activities, organic acids, and taste sense of the different wines were evaluated to determine the effects of different yeasts and fermentation methods on the quality of the kiwi wine. Results indicated that co-fermentation reduced the contents of alcohol while enhancing the lightness of the kiwi wine. The TPC of sequential co-fermentation with K. thermotolerans/S. cerevisiae was significantly higher than that of their simultaneous co-fermentation. Compared to K. thermotolerans/S. cerevisiae, the antioxidant activities were increased by co-fermentation of T. delbrueckii/S. cerevisiae and P. fermentans/S. cerevisiae. Principal component analysis showed that kiwi wines fermented by different yeasts and inoculation methods could be separated and grouped. Correlation analysis presented positive correlations of phenolic composition, antioxidant activities, and color intensity. This study provided theoretical guidance for co-fermentation of non-Saccharomyces/S. cerevisiae and accelerated the industrialization process of kiwi wine.

Background: The dietary proteins are one of the most important factors determining health conditions in humans. The sufficient digestion and absorption of dietary proteins in the digestive tract has positive effects on performance and recovery in sportspeople and athletes. Improving protein digestibility is a strategy for maintaining health status and optimal performance in sport and exercise activities. Objectives: The aim of the present study is to verify whether Weizmannia coagulans BC 99 (BC99) can increase muscle mass and strength. Methods: This randomized double-blind, controlled trial assigned 72 male college students to receive probiotics (n = 36, 20.25 ± 1.03 years; 179.00 ± 5.94 cm; 73.55 ± 8.73 kg, protein powder with BC99) or the placebo (n = 36, 20.19 ± 0.79 years; 179.25 ± 5.16 cm; 73.61 ± 8.24 kg, protein powder) for 12 weeks. At the baseline and final stages of the study, strength tests and body composition assessment were performed. Blood and stool samples were taken at the end of the 12-week intervention, and digestive enzymatic activity of stool samples, biochemical parameters, amino acids and hormone level of plasma were analyzed. Results: BC99 administration significantly improved strength performance, skeletal muscle mass, activity of pepsin and trypsin, the concentrations of branched chain amino acids and essential amino acids, reduced activities of creatine kinase and lactic dehydrogenase and urea nitrogen (BUN) level and increased testosterone and glucagon-like peptide-1 level in male college students. Conclusions: Therefore, BC99 supplementation can be an important nutritional strategy to improve strength performance, body composition, protein digestion and body metabolism in healthy young males.

Acute alcoholic liver injury (AALI) remains a significant global health concern, primarily driven by oxidative stress. This study investigated the protective mechanisms of Weizmannia coagulans BC99 against alcohol-induced oxidative stress using a dual model in rats and Caenorhabditis elegans. In rats, excessive alcohol was predominantly metabolized via the CYP2E1 pathway, leading to severe oxidative stress. However, intervention with BC99 suppressed CYP2E1 expression and enhanced antioxidant enzyme activities through the Nrf2/SKN-1 pathway, thereby alleviating oxidative stress. Additionally, BC99 treatment elevated glutamate and aspartate levels while reducing glycerate and glucose, which collectively increased glutathione levels and mitigated oxidative stress triggered by glucose metabolism disorders. In C. elegans, BC99 reduced excessive ROS by upregulating Nrf2/skn-1, daf-16, and their downstream antioxidant genes, consequently alleviating the biotoxicity associated with alcohol-induced oxidative damage. The protective effects of BC99 were markedly diminished in the skn-1 mutant (GR2245) and daf-16 mutant (CF1038), further confirming the pivotal roles of SKN-1 and DAF-16 pathways in BC99-mediated antioxidant protection. Taken together, these findings reveal that BC99 mitigates alcohol-induced oxidative stress by activating the Nrf2/SKN-1 pathway and regulating liver metabolites to eliminate excess ROS, thereby providing a theoretical basis for the application of probiotics in preventing acute alcoholic liver injury.

Oenococcus oeni β-glucosidase can significantly improve food flavor, but its catalytic activity and stability performance need to be enhanced. In this study, the two dominant mutants III and IV were obtained by site-directed mutation of key amino acid residues in the catalytic pocket of Oenococcus oeni β-glucosidase. Compared with the wild-type enzyme, the activities of mutants III and IV were increased by 2.81 and 3.18 times, respectively. Their thermal stability was also significantly improved. Mutants III and IV showed a significant increase in affinity for the standard substrate p-NPG, with the K_m value decreasing by 18.2% and 33.3%, respectively. Molecular docking analysis indicated that hydrogen bonding and π–π aromatic interactions were the primary factors influencing the changes in enzyme properties, with F133 and N181 identified as key amino acids affecting catalytic activity and stability. This research is of great significance for enhancing food flavor and expands the potential industrial applications of Oenococcus oeni β-glucosidase.