A review:Health promoting lactic acid bacteria in traditional Indonesian fermented foods

Traditional Indonesian fermented foods can be used as potential sources of probiotics as they commonly contain lactic acid bacteria(LAB),including species of Lactobacillus,Pediococcus,Enterococcus,Weisella and Leuconostoc.The occurrence of LAB in Indonesian fermented foods is not only limited to lactic fermented foods but is also present in foods with molds as the main starter culture.This review aims to describe the significance of Indonesian fermented foods as potential sources of probiotics and the potential of LAB from fermented foods to promote beneficial health effects.A number of in vitro studies have been carried out to assess the probiotic potential of LAB from fermented foods.Many LAB strains have met the basic requirements for them to be considered as probiotics and possess some functional properties contributing to positive health impacts.Hypocholesterolemic effects,stimulation of the immune system,and prevention of diarrhea by some probiotic strains have been shown in animal studies.However,human studies on the efficacy of probiotic strains are still limited.Two strains isolated from dadih,a fermented buffalo milk,are examples of promising probiotic strains that have gone through human studies.The potential probiotic properties of LAB in Indonesian fermented foods still need to be fully investigated to assess their impact on human health.The studies should also consider factors that may influence the functional properties of probiotics,both in foods and in humans.

Free Glutamate Content of Condiment and Seasonings and Their Intake in Bogor and Jakarta, Indonesia

Free glutamate has been known as flavor enhancer. Commercially, free glutamate is available in form of monosodium glutamate (MSG) crystal. Seasoning or premix may also contain free glutamate or MSG. The aim of the present study was focus on the determination of the usage and potential/actual exposure of consumers to free glutamate from condiment and seasonings. There were several steps of the study, i.e. survey, laboratory analyses, data analyses, and evaluation of total exposure of free glutamate from condiment and seasonings. The survey was conducted to the 110 households in Bogor (rural) and 112 households in Jakarta (urban). The samples of condiment/seasoning were analyzed by using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescent detector. The condiment/seasonings were categorized into 15 types, i.e. sweet soy sauce, salty soy sauce, fermented soybean paste, tomato sauce, MSG, premix seasoning, fermented fish/shrimp paste, chili sauce, ready to use seasoning, seasoned flour, dip and sauce, mayonnaise and mustard, spread, oyster and fish sauce, and teriyaki and others. The results of condiment/seasonings survey revealed that sweet soy sauce, MSG, and premix seasoning were used by most of households (±71% or more than 80 households) both in Bogor and Jakarta. The laboratory analyses of free glutamate from condiment/seasonings revealed that the highest free glutamate content was found in MSG (733.29 mg/g). Beside MSG, there were three other condiments that also had high free glutamate content, i.e. premix seasoning (70.77 mg/g in Bogor and 63.66 mg/g in Jakarta), oyster and fish sauce (46.76 mg/g in Bogor), and ready to use seasoning (15.71 mg/g in Jakarta). Although the average condiment/seasonings usage in Bogor (5.39 g/cap/day) was lower than that in Jakarta (9.62 g/cap/day), but the free glutamate intake from condiment/seasonings in Bogor (847.04 mg/cap/day) was higher than that in Jakarta (615.87 mg/cap/day). This was due to the high contribution of MSG that used in higher amount in Bogor.