Abstract:
In order to enhance folate levels in fermented
foods, a folate producing probiotic lactic acid bacterium isolated
from cow’s milk and identified as Lactococcus lactis
CM28 by 16S rRNA sequencing was used to fortify skim
milk. Optimization of medium additives such as folate precursors,
prebiotics and reducing agents along with suitable
culture conditions enhanced folate levels in skim milk. Optimization
resulted in a four fold increase in the extracellular
folate (61.02±1.3 μg/L) and after deconjugation the total
folate detected was 129.53±1.2 μg/L. The effect of refrigerated
storage on the viability of L. lactis, pH, titratable acidity
(TA) in terms of percentage lactic acid and finally on the
stability of folate was determined. Only a slight variation in
pH (4.74±0.02 to 4.415±0.007) and acidity (0.28±0.028 to
0.48±0.014 %) was noted during folate fermentation. During
storage, only less than a log unit reduction was noted in the
viable count of the probiotic after 15 days and about 90 % of
the produced folate was retained in an active state.
