Products of metabolism and processing of lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria as functional ingredients

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and bifidobacteria (BB) are unique microorganisms that have a lot of biological and physiological effects. Structural components of LAB and BB – peptidoglycans, compounds of the muramylpeptide series, teichoic acids – have powerful immunological properties. Metabolites of LAB and BB – organic acids, hydrogen peroxide, bacteriocins, etc. – provide antagonistic activity, have an indirect impact on the immune system, reducing the antigenic load caused by pathogenic microorganisms. The expediency of peptidoglycans degradation of LAB and BB cell walls is substantiated. Low molecular weight products of the degradation can easily be absorbed and enter into biochemical processes, accelerating the expected functional-physiological effect. To obtain low-molecular products of peptidoglycans degradation, a combination of LAB and BB was used. The combination of LAB and BB is the sum of the test cultures of Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis, Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris, Streptococcus thermophilus. Destruction of peptidoglycans of bacterial cell walls was carried out using a combination disintegrating factors. The efficiency of destruction was determined by the accumulation of low molecular weight peptides (with molecular weight up to 1500 Da), amino acids and soluble protein in the disintegrate. It has been established that the highest accumulation of low molecular weight degradation products occurs when using autolysis followed by enzymatic hydrolysis during 180 min with the ratio of the enzyme: substrate 1:100. At the same time ≈ 53% of protein substances pass from insoluble to soluble state. The molecular weight of the obtained products is determined by the gel chromatography method. The qualitative and quantitative content of organic acids, amino acids and vitamins of group В in the hydrolysis products composition was investigated. It was shown that the obtained product possesses high biological effect in the experiment on animals. Practical applications. The expediency of cell walls destruction of the bacterial composition for the purpose of obtaining of low molecular weight immunological compounds has been proved. The conditions of degradation of LAB and BB cells are investigated and products of their destruction are characterized. It is proved that as a result of enzymatic hydrolysis of autolysate of bacterial biomass on selected parameters, low molecular weight peptides with a molecular weight in the range of 294-650Da form, which corresponds to the molecular weight of the muramyldipeptide – a powerful immunological compound. The qualitative and quantitative content of organic acids, amino acids and vitamins of group В in the hydrolysate composition is investigated. Conducted biomedical researches confirm the safety and efficacy of the resulting product. It is proved that the received preparation contains a large number of biologically active substances and can be used as a functional and physiological food ingredient for the nutritional support of the population with suppressed state of immunity. The use of products of processing and metabolism of LAB and BB biomass as food immunological ingredients or dietary supplements is promising.