Preparation of Fermented Ragi Based Beverage Containing Probiotic Lactobacillus Culture Producing Folic Acid isolated from Infant Faecal Matter of Preterm Babies

Abstract

Lactobacillus isolate was used for preparation of a ragi based fermented beverage and its fermentative behavior was also studied upto 4 days at room temperature. Different biochemical parameters such as pH, titratable acidity, lactic acid. The isolate grown well in rice and decreased the pH, with an increase of total titratable acidity on account of high yield in lactic acid. Extracellular production of folate by lactic acid bacteria (LAB) has been investigated by isolating LAB from infant faecal matter. Among 70 isolates of LAB, One isolate IFM2 (2) was found to produce high levels of folate i.e. 32 ng/ml, respectively. Extracellular folate produced by isolate IFM2 (2) (Lactobacillus spp.) was detected by HPLC and compared with the standards tetrahydrofolate and 5-methyl tetrahydrofolate, which have shown the retention time of 7.615. The chromatogram suggested that IFM2 (2) synthesized 5-methyl tetrahydrofolate form of folate. Further the strain was evaluated for probiotic properties as per WHO and FAO guidelines. The isolate showed 50 % survival at highly acidic condition (pH 2.0) and 95 % survivability at 0.5 % bile salt concentration for 24 h. Isolate was susceptible to many antibiotics (tetracycline, erythromycin, ampicillin, gentamycin, penicillin, etc.), which reduce the prospect to offer resistance determinants to other organisms if administered in form of probiotic preparations. Isolate showed antimicrobial activity against enteric pathogens like Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Shigella dysenteriae. The above profiling revealed that probiotic Lactobacillus isolate have significant impact in preparation of ragi beverage improving its functional characteristics digestibility and therapeutic potentialities mainly among tribals of Odisha and Africa.