Research on lactic acid bacteria has confirmed how specific strains possess probiotic properties and impart unique sensory characteristics to food products. The use of probiotic lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in many food products, thus confers various health benefits to humans when they are frequently consumed in adequate amounts. The advent of functional food or the concept of nutraceuticals objectively places more emphasis on seeking alternatives to limit the use of medications thus promoting the regular consumption of fermented foods. Probiotic use has thus been recommended to fulfill the role of nutraceuticals, as no side effects on human health have been reported. Probiotics and lactic acid bacteria can boost and strengthen the human immune system, thereby increasing its resistance against numerous disease conditions. Consumer safety and confidence in dairy and fermented food products and the desire of the food industry to meet the sensory and health needs of consumers, has thus increased the demand for probiotic starter cultures with exceptional performance coupled with health benefiting properties. The potential of probiotic cultures and lactic acid bacteria in many industrial applications including fermented food products generally affects product characteristics and also serves as health-promoting foods for humans. The alleviation of lactose intolerance in many populations globally has been one of the widely accepted health claims attributed to probiotics and lactic acid bacteria, although many diseases have been treated with probiotic lactic acid bacteria and have been proven with scientific and clinical studies. The aim of our review was to present information related to lactic acid bacteria, the new classification and perspectives on industrial applications with a special emphasis on food safety and human health.

Cow’s milk is a highly nutritious biological fluid that provides nourishment and immunity to infants when breastfeeding declines. However, some infants, children, and adults are allergic to cow’s milk because milk contains potential allergens in the form of proteins. Casein and whey proteins and their coagulated sub-fractions in the milk such as αS₁-casein, αS₂-casein, β-casein, κ-casein and α-lactalbumin, β-lactoglobulin, bovine serum albumin, immunoglobulins, lactoferrin, respectively are the major etiological determinant of cow’s milk allergy (CMA). Moreover, milk processing techniques such as homogenization and pasteurization alter the milk fat and whey protein’s molecular structure and serve them as allergens to the immune system of allergic individuals. Strict exclusion of nutrient-rich milk and other dairy products from diet puts children with CMA at higher nutritional risk. Thus, regular nutritional monitoring, the inclusion of protein and mineral-rich supplements as a substitute for cow’s milk, management of animal genetics (sheep, goats, buffaloes, camel, mare, donkey, yak), and milk processing to produce non-allergenic milk by inactivating allergic proteins for designer nutrition is essentially required. This review paper details the prevalence, molecular profiling of milk allergens (proteins), body immune response against CMA, consequences of milk processing, treatment, and novel role of galectins as potentially allergy suppressors.

The main objective of this research is to develop, by adaptive evolution, mutant strains of Enterobacter aerogenes ATCC 13048 that are capable of withstanding high glycerol concentration as well as resisting ethanol-inhibition. The mutant will be used for high ethanol fermentation from glycerol feedstock. Ethanol production from pure (P-) and recovered (R-) glycerol using the stock was evaluated. A six-tube-subculture-generations method was used for developing the mutant. This involved subculturing the organism six consecutive times in tubes containing the same glycerol and ethanol concentrations at the same culture conditions. Then, the glycerol and/or ethanol concentration was increased and the six subculture generations were repeated. A strain capable of growing in 200 g/L glycerol and 30 g/L ethanol was obtained. The ability of this mutant, vis-à-vis the original strain, in utilizing glycerol in a high glycerol containing medium, with the concomitant ethanol yield, was assessed. Tryptic soy broth without dextrose (TSB) was used as the fermentation medium. Fermentation products were analyzed using HPLC. In a 20 g/L glycerol TSB, E. aerogenes ATCC 13048 converted 18.5 g/L P-glycerol and 17.8 g/L R-glycerol into 12 and 12.8 g/L ethanol, respectively. In a 50 g/L P-glycerol TSB, it utilized only 15.6 g/L glycerol; but the new strain used up 39 g/L, yielding 20 g/L ethanol after 120 h, an equivalence of 1.02 mol ethanol/mol-glycerol. This is the highest ethanol yield reported from glycerol bioconversion. The result of this P-glycerol fermentation can be duplicated using the R-glycerol from biodiesel production.

The objective of this study was to assess the molecular impact of probiotic administration on genes involved in homeostasis and immunity in goat blood. Following initial screening for infection, one-week post weaning, female SpanishXBoer goats were drenched daily with the recommended doses of FASTtrak microbial pack (Conklin Company Inc., Shakopee, MN) in 10 mL sterile water over an 8-week period. The control group were given sterile water. Blood samples were collected weekly. Total RNA was isolated from blood collected at the beginning of the study (week 0) and at the end of the study (week 8) using Tri-reagent and then reverse-transcribed to cDNA using the Ambion-Retroscript kit. Quantification of genes was performed in the CFX96TM Biorad Real-Time PCR detection system with the addition of the dye SYBR green. The cow Wingless (Wnt) signaling pathway, Human Innate & Adaptive Immune Responses and the Cow Inflammatory Cytokine & Receptors RT² Profiler™ PCR Arrays (QIAGEN, Valencia, CA) were used to profile the expression of 84 genes involved in each pathway. Probiotic treatment had no effect on body weight, body condition, fecal egg count and RNA concentration (p>0.05). Packed cell volume and FAMACHA scores were significantly improved by probiotic administration. Results from RT-PCR showed increased expression of genes in innate and adaptive immune response, cytokine and Wnt pathways in response to probiotics. Probiotics induced the expression of 32 genes involved in innate and adaptive immune response inflammatory cytokines, and 48 genes involved in the Wnt signaling pathway. This study provides evidence for a systematic effect of oral probiotic administration on expression of genes involved in immunity and homeostasis in goat blood.

Probiotics are viable microorganisms with beneficial health effects for humans and animals. They are formulated into many functional foods and animal feed. There is a growing research interest in the application and benefits of probiotics in ruminant production. Several recent studies have evaluated the potential of probiotics in animal nutrition and health. In this chapter, we have reviewed current research on the benefits of probiotics on gut microbial communities in ruminants and their impact on ruminant production, health and overall wellbeing.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of smooth (S) and rough (R) forms of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on gene expression in bovine blood neutrophils. Isolated neutrophils (10(7) cells/mL) were treated with Escherichia coli LPS serotype O111:B4 (S+R) and R forms (Ra, Rd, or Rc). Flow cytometry was used to assess surface expression of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR-4). Specific primers for IL-8, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), IL-1beta, cluster of differentiation antigen 14 (CD14), and natural resistance associated macrophage protein 1 (Nramp1) were used to assess transcription. Secretion of IL-8, TNF-alpha, or IL-1beta was determined using ELISA kits. Both S and R forms of LPS bound to neutrophils. Exposure induced increased surface expression of TLR-4. No TLR-4 or CD14 mRNA was detected but transcripts for IL-8, TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, and Nramp1 were detected. Secretion of IL-8 and TNF-alpha but not IL-1beta was observed following treatment with R forms of LPS. The longest R form tested (Ra) increased RNA purity and IL-8 and TNF-alpha secretion in bovine neutrophils. The Rd form increased TLR-4 expression and reduced IL-8 and TNF-alpha secretion. Exposure to LPS induced increased cell surface expression of TLR-4 and enhanced expression of IL-8 genes. Enhanced TLR-4 activity by LPS was not dependent on transcriptional activation. Recruitment of TLR-4 to the cell membrane may account for increased cell surface expression. A CD14-independent, TLR-4-dependent pathway may be important in the response to different forms of LPS by bovine neutrophils.