Traditional Suzbe is a fermented dairy product widely prepared at the household level in Kazakhstan, but the composition and functional potential of its microbiota remain poorly characterized. In this study, shotgun metagenomic sequencing was used to investigate the microbial communities of 20 traditional Suzbe samples collected from five geographically distinct regions of Kazakhstan. Lactic acid bacteria dominated the microbial communities, with annotations assigned to Lactococcus lactis, Lactococcus cremoris, and Streptococcus thermophilus present in all samples. Alpha diversity did not differ significantly among the five regions, and PERMANOVA did not detect statistically significant regional differences in overall microbial community composition (R² = 0.253, p = 0.216). Nevertheless, LEfSe analysis identified several region-associated taxa, mainly among less abundant members of the microbiota. Functional annotation using the KEGG database showed that carbohydrate metabolism, amino acid metabolism, energy metabolism, cofactor and vitamin metabolism, and membrane transport were among the major functional categories. Functional PERMANOVA did not detect statistically significant regional differences in overall functional composition (R² = 0.249, p = 0.276), although several metabolic pathways differed in relative abundance. Overall, the sampled Suzbe microbiomes were dominated by lactic acid bacteria, with several species detected in all samples and major functional categories detected across regions. Region-associated differences were identified among specific taxa and metabolic pathways; the nonsignificant PERMANOVA results do not establish taxonomic or functional conservation. This study provides new metagenomic data on traditional Suzbe and contributes to a better understanding of fermented dairy microbiota in Central Asia.

The article presents the results of studying the technological properties and the ability to synthesize exopolysaccharides of lactic acid bacteria isolated from domestic traditional fermented milk products. The strains were identified using the MALDI-TOF MS and API 50CHL methods. All tested strains showed the ability to grow in milk. After 24 hours of incubation, they formed a homogeneous, dense consistency, reminiscent of yogurt, and had a pleasant aroma characteristic of fermented dairy products. It should be noted that, according to technological parameters, the strains Lactobacillus acidophilus 3.7 and Lactobacillus acidophilus 3.10 demonstrated the best results: the total number of cells was 3.6 ± 2.3 × 10⁸ and 1.8 ± 4.0 × 10⁹ CFU/ml, respectively, and the pH values were 3.6 and 3.7. It was found that of the nine cultures studied, eight strains showed positive exopolysaccharide – producing activity. These strains were selected for the subsequent assessment of probiotic properties for their use in further research.According to the results of the screening, it was shown that the Lb strain, paracasei 4.2, showed high exopolysaccharide-producing activity.

Camel milk and its fermented derivatives have gained increasing attention due to their exceptional nutritional value and functional potential. However, data regarding the probiotic characteristics of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) indigenous to traditional Kazakh fermented camel milk (shubat) remain limited. This study aimed to identify LAB strains isolated from camel milk using molecular techniques and to evaluate their probiotic potential alongside their techno-functional properties. Four LAB isolates were identified as belonging to Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and the Lacticaseibacillus casei/paracasei group. The strains exhibited high acidification activity in milk and substantial lactic acid production. All isolates demonstrated pronounced antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Bacillus cereus, with strains CM 4.2 and KAN SHNI 6 showing inhibition zones ≥40 mm. The isolates displayed notable cell surface-associated properties relevant for intestinal adhesion. Auto-aggregation increased over time, ranging from 51.84% to 79.06% after 24 h, although no statistically significant differences were observed among the strains. Co-aggregation with E. coli also increased over time, reaching 59– 72% after 24 h. Furthermore, strain CM 2A exhibited the highest cell surface hydrophobicity among the tested strains (p < 0.05), along with the highest biofilmforming capacity. Antibiotic susceptibility profiling indicated that all LAB strains exhibited intrinsic resistance to glycopeptide (vancomycin) and aminoglycoside (kanamycin) antibiotics, consistent with their species-specific traits. Variable susceptibility was observed for other clinically relevant antibiotics, including beta-lactams, macrolides, and tetracyclines, reflecting strain-dependent resistance patterns. These results support the safe use of the tested LAB strains in fermented camel milk, emphasizing the need to assess antibiotic resistance for each strain.

Background and Aim. Systematization of current data on the impact of postbiotics on the health and productivity of poultry to justify their use in industrial poultry farming as an effective and safe alternative to antibiotic growth promoters.Materials and Methods. This article examined review articles on the relevance and effectiveness of postbiotics in poultry farming, published between 2020 and 2026. The analysis was based on 106 review articles published in international and domestic scientific journals with varying impact factors.Results. A review of scientific publications on the use of postbiotic preparations in poultry farming was conducted. The analysis of available sources demonstrated that postbiotics are considered a promising alternative to probiotics and antibiotic growth promoters due to their high stability, safety, and pronounced biological activity. The results of the review indicate that the use of postbiotic metabolites contributes to the improvement of gastrointestinal health in poultry, enhances feed digestibility, stimulates growth, and reduces the prevalence of pathogenic microorganisms. In addition, postbiotics have a positive effect on the formation of a balanced intestinal microbiota and the strengthening of the immune status of birds.Conclusion. Thus, the findings of the literature analysis confirm the significant potential for the development and implementation of postbiotic preparations in poultry nutrition technologies, which may contribute to increased productivity and improved biosafety in poultry production.