Effect of probiotic Lactobacillus plantarum Dad-13 powder consumption on the gut microbiota and intestinal health of overweight adults

BACKGROUND Shifting on lifestyle,diet,and physical activity contributed on increasing number of obese people around the world.Multiple factors influence the development of obesity.Some research suggested that gut microbiota(GM)plays an important role in nutrient absorption and energy regulation of individuals,thus affecting their nutritional status.Report of Indonesia Basic Health Research showed that the prevalence of obesity in every province tended to increase.Although the root cause of obesity is excessive calorie intake compared with expenditure,the differences in gut microbial ecology between healthy and obese humans may affect energy homeostasis.GM affect body weight,especially obesity.Probiotics that are consumed while alive and able to colonize in the intestine are expected to increase the population of good bacteria,especially Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli,and suppress pathogens such as Enterobacteriaceae and Staphylococcus.The strain of L.plantarum Dad-13 has been demonstrated to survive and colonize in the gastrointestinal tract of healthy Indonesian adults who consume fermented milk containing L.plantarum Dad-13.The consumption of probiotic L.plantarum Dad-13 powder decreased E.coli and non-E.coli coliform bacteria in school-aged children in Indonesia.L.plantarum is a dominant bacterium in the average Indonesian’s GM.For this reason,this bacterium is probably a more suitable probiotic for Indonesians.AIM To determine the effect of the consumption of indigenous probiotic Lactobacillus plantarum Dad-13 powder in overweight adults in Yogyakarta(Indonesia).METHODS Sixty overweight volunteers with a body mass index(BMI)equal to or greater than 25 consume indigenous probiotic powder L.plantarum Dad-13(2×109 CFU/gram/sachet)for 90 d.The study was a randomized,double-blind,placebocontrolled study.The volunteers filled in a diary on a daily basis,which consisted of questions on study product intake(only during ingestion period),other food intake,number of bowel movements,fecal quality(consistency and color),any medications received,and any symptom of discomfort,such as diarrhea,constipation,vomiting,gassing,sensation of illness,etc.Fecal samples and the subjects’diaries were collected on the morning of day 10+1,which was marked as the end of the baseline period and the start of the ingestion period.During the ingestion period(from day 11 to day 101),several parameters to measure and analyze the results included body weight and height(once a month),the lipid profile,GM analysis using MiSeq,short-chain fatty acid(SCFA)analysis using gas chromatography,and the measurement of fecal pH using a pH meter.RESULTS The consumption of indigenous probiotic powder L.plantarum Dad-13 caused the average body weight and BMI of the probiotic group to decrease from 84.54±17.64 kg to 83.14±14.71 kg and 33.10±6.15 kg/m2 to 32.57±5.01 kg/m2,respectively.No significant reduction of body weight and BMI in the placebo group was observed.An analysis of the microbiota showed that the number of Bacteroidetes,specifically Prevotella,increased significantly,while that of Firmicutes significantly decreased.No significant change in lipid profile in both groups was found.Also,no significant change in SCFAs(e.g.,butyrate,propionate,acetic acid)and pH level was found after the consumption of the probiotic.CONCLUSION No significant differences in pH before and after ingestion were observed in both the probiotic and placebo groups as well as in the lipid profile of both cholesterol and triglyceride,high-density lipoprotein(HDL),low-density lipoprotein(LDL),and the LDL/HDL ratio.In addition,no significant changes in the concentration of SCFAs(e.g.,acetic acid,propionate,and butyrate)were found after consumption.Interestingly,a significant decrease in body weight and BMI(P<0.05)was determined in the treatment group.An analysis of GM shows that L.plantarum Dad-13 caused the Firmicutes population to decrease and the Bacteroidetes population(especially Prevotella)to increase.

Gut microbiota profile in healthy Indonesians

BACKGROUND Recently, gut microbiota has been associated with various diseases other than intestinal disease. Thus, there has been rapid growth in the study of gut microbiota. Considering the numerous factors influencing gut microbiota such as age, diet, etc., area-based research is required. Indonesia has numerous different tribes and each of these tribes have different lifestyles. Hence, it is expected that each tribe has a specific gut microbiota. A deeper insight into the composition of gut microbiota can be used to determine the condition of gut microbiota in Indonesians and to consider which treatment may be suitable and effective to improve health status.AIM To investigate the gut microbiota of Indonesian subjects represented by Javanese and Balinese tribes by analyzing fecal samples.METHODS Fecal samples were collected from a total of 80 individuals with 20 in each of the young groups ranging from 25-45 years and the elderly group aged 70 years or more from two different regions, Yogyakarta and Bali. Fecal sample collection was performed at the end of the assessment period(day 14 ± 1 d) during which time the subjects were not allowed to consume probiotic or antibiotic products.The quantification of various Clostridium subgroups, Lactobacillus subgroups,Enterococcus, Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, Bacteroides fragilis group and Prevotella,Bifidobacterium and Atopobium cluster, Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas was performed using the Yakult intestinal flora-scan(YIF-SCAN).RESULTS The bacterial population in younger subjects' feces was higher than that in the elderly population, with a total of approximately 10.0 – 10.6 log10 bacterial cells/g feces. The most abundant bacteria in all groups were Clostridium, followed by Prevotella, Atopobium, Bifidobacterium and Bacteroides. In the elderly, an increase in Enterobacteriaceae, Coliform and Escherichia coli was found. In terms of bacterial counts in Yogyakarta, total bacteria, Clostridium coccoides(C. coccoides) group,Bifidobacterium, Prevotella, Lactobacillus plantarum subgroup, and Streptococcus were significantly higher(P < 0.05) in younger than elderly subjects, while the Lactobacillus gasseri subgroup, Lactobacillus casei subgroup, and Lactobacillus reuteri subgroup counts were significantly lower(P < 0.05) in younger subjects. In Balinese subjects, total bacteria, C. coccoides group, Clostridium leptum subgroup,Bacteroides fragilis group, and Prevotella were significantly higher(P < 0.05) in younger compared to elderly individuals, while the Lactobacillus ruminis subgroup, and Enterobacteriaceae were significantly lower(P < 0.05) in younger subjects. The results also revealed that, besides the C. coccoides group and Clostridium leptum group being the most abundant gut microbiota in both Yogyakarta and Balinese people, the latter was indicated by a higher Clostridium perfringens count, which was almost 10 times that of Yogyakarta subjects. This may be a response to different lifestyles in the different tribes; however, this phenomenon requires further extensive study.CONCLUSION Bacterial populations were higher in younger than in elderly subjects. Most abundant bacterial groups were Clostridium, Prevotella, Atopobium, Bifidobacterium,and Bacteroides. The level of Clostridium perfringens in Yogyakarta subjects was lower than that in Balinese subjects.

Production of Dried Lactobacillus plantarum HL-15 Culture for Inhibition Growth of Mycotoxin Producing Fungi

Lactobacillus plantarum HL-15 is able to inhibit the growth of mycotoxin producing fungi.To support the application of that culture,the research aimed to produce dried L.plantarum HL-15 and observe its stability during storage was conducted.Production of dried culture was started by fermentation of L.plantarum HL-15 then centrifuged to get the pellet.The pellet was mixed with filler(rice flour or tapioca)with a ratio 1:1(pellet:filler(10%),v/v)then dried.The temperature of the inlet and outlet of the spray dryer used were 105°C and 65°C,respectively.Dried culture was packaged in aluminum foil and sealed then stored at 4°C.Results showed that viable cells of dried inoculum with rice flour filler was 11.99±0.01 log CFU/g and dried inoculum with tapioca filler was 11.90±0.04 log CFU/g.Spray dried L.Plantarum HL-15 was proved being able to inhibit the growth of Aspergillus niger.During six months storage,there is a decrease in the viability of spray dried L.plantarum HL-15 either with rice flour or tapioca filler.During four months of storage,there was a decrease in the activity of inhibition of spray dried culture of L.plantarum HL-15 both with fillers of rice flour and tapioca to the growth of A.niger.L.plantarum HL-15 spray dried cultures could be stored at 4°C for four months for tapioca and five months for rice flour as filler.L.plantarum HL-15 spray dried cultures could inhibit the growth of A.niger so it could be used as a culture for inhibiting the growth of mycotoxin producing fungi in food.

Characteristic of Chocolate Candy Produced from Fermented Cocoa Bean with Lactobacillus plantarum HL-15 Starter Culture for Inhibition Growth of Mycotoxin-Producing Fungi

Chocolate candy is a snack product that is liked by many people.The presence of mycotoxin producing fungi is a problem in chocolate product.The objective of this research was to observe the characteristic of chocolate candy which is produced from fermented cocoa bean with Lactobacillus plantarum HL-15 starter culture.The cocoa bean(47.5 kg)is fermented by adding L.plantarum HL-15 culture about 500 mL(10^10 CFU/mL)in the new and old fermentation box and in another new and old fermentation box without adding culture.Chocolate candy processing is done based on standard processing of chocolate candy.The results showed that the addition of L.plantarum HL-15 culture in cocoa bean fermentation and use of the new fermentation box give lower fungi concentration on chocolate candy,reducing 1 log cycle from 1.7×10^3 to<10^2 colony/g,while the addition of L.plantarum HL-15 culture in the old fermentation box is not effect.The average aw value of chocolate candy is 0.64 and pH value is 6.7.Fat content of chocolate candy is about 44.9%-46.2%.