**Author details**

Tsuda Harutoshi *National Institute of Health and Nutrition, Tokyo, Japan* 

## **6. References**


[3] Sreekumar O, Hosono A (1998) The antimutagenic properties of a polysaccharide produced by *Bifidobacterium longum* and its cultured milk against some heterocyclic amines. Can. J. Microbiol. 44: 1029-1036.

530 Lactic Acid Bacteria – R & D for Food, Health and Livestock Purposes

the parental strain has enzymes that can degrade the EPS.

that strain could be effective in improving human health.

*National Institute of Health and Nutrition, Tokyo, Japan* 

splenocytes. Lait 81: 683-698.

Microbiol. 40: 169-175.

**5. Conclusion** 

**Author details** 

Tsuda Harutoshi

**6. References** 

The dietary fiber, arabinoxylan is the predominant hemicellulose from cereals and exhibits prebiotic activity [96]. The addition of water-unextractable arabinoxylans increased the population of bifidobacteria and bacteroides in a medium inoculated with faecal slurry. Polysaccharides are not usually utilized by microorganisms. Remarkably, however, *Bifidobacterium bifidum* DSM20456 can utilize the EPS produced by *Pediococcus pentosaceus*, *Lb. plantarum*, *Weissella cibaria*, and *Weissella confusa,* and some growth is observed in cas of *Bif. longum*, *Bif. adolescentis*, and *Lb. acidophilus* [97]. For EPS production by LAB, reduced yields were frequently observed after the maximal level had been reached, which might be caused by the enzymes produced by the bacteria [98]. Tsuda and Miyamoto investigated the prebiotic activity of EPS produced by *Lb. plantarum* 301102S [52], a mutant strain derived from *Lb. plantarum* 301102. Oral administration of the parental strain 301102 showed the survivability and proliferation in porcine gastrointestinal tract [99]. The potential prebiotic activities of EPS, GOS, and inulin were measured in 37 LAB strains, and the activity scores of EPS in the strains 301102 and 301102S were highest. This suggests that the EPS produced by the mutant strain is utilized by the same strain 301102S and the parental strain, and that

Poly- and hetero-oligosaccharides produced by LAB may be potential prebiotics. Studies on the production of polysaccharides and oligosaccharides by enzymes in beneficial microorganisms may lead to the production of highly selective prebiotics, although in vitro evaluation may be difficult because of degradation and utilization of polysaccharides by various microorganisms in the gastrointestinal tract. Administration of synbiotic food containing a combination of a probiotic bacterial strain and the prebiotic sugar produced by

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**Chapter 23** 

© 2013 Serrazanetti et al., licensee InTech. This is an open access chapter distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

© 2013 The Author(s). Licensee InTech. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution,

**Dynamic Stresses of Lactic Acid Bacteria** 

Diana I. Serrazanetti, Davide Gottardi, Chiara Montanari and Andrea Gianotti

Despite their negligible mass the microbial agents, starters and non starters, play a profound role in the characterization of the fermented foods in terms of chemical and sensorial properties. In fact, fermented foods may be defined as foods processed through the activity of microorganisms. Fermentation processes take a special place in the evolution of human cuisine, by altering the taste experience of food products, as well as extending the storage period. In particular, foods fermented with lactic acid bacteria (LAB) have constituted an important part of human diet and of fermentation processes (involving various foods, including milk, meat, vegetables and fruits) [1] since ancient times. They have played an essential role in the preservation of agricultural resources and in the improvement of nutritional and organoleptic properties of human foods and animal feed. Moreover, these organisms nowadays are increasingly used as health promoting probiotics, enzyme and

It is interesting to outline how the changes of food characteristics during the fermentation process can be described as dynamic fluctuations of the food environment itself and, at the same time, stress source for the microorganisms involved [3, 4], such as LAB. In fact, whenever autochthonous bacteria are adapted and competitive in their respective environment, the environment can be described as stressful for LAB [5, 4]. The fermentation parameters, including temperature, water activity (Aw), oxygen, pH, as well as the concentration of starter cultures, affect the regulatory mechanism and the response

When LAB are added to food formulations, several factors that may influence the ability of those microorganisms to survive, growth and become active in the new matrix have to be considered [6]. These factors include: 1) the physiological state of the LAB used as starters (whether the cells are from the logarithmic or the stationary growth phase); 2) the physical

and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

mechanisms of LAB, as well as their effects on the final products properties [4].

**Associated to Fermentation Processes** 

Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

metabolite factories and vaccine delivery vehicles [2].

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/51049

**1. Introduction** 

[99] Tsuda H, Hara K, Miyamoto T (2008) Survival and colonization of orally administered *Lactobacillus plantarum* 301102 in porcine gastrointestinal tract. Anim. Sci. J. 7: 274-278.

**Chapter 23** 
