article · Journal of Food Quality
Traditional fermented Ethiopian dairy products harbour lactic acid bacteria with antibacterial properties against food spoilage and disease-causing bacteria. In Pawe Woreda, thirty-five dairy samples were collected from three cattle-farming areas to assess these antibacterial qualities. Researchers isolated 97 lactic acid bacteria strains and tested them against three Gram-positive and three Gram-negative bacterial strains. Ten strains showed activity against at least two bacteria, and seven broad-spectrum candidates underwent secondary screening, producing inhibition zones between 5 and 16 millimetres. Three specific strains, designated Z2, Z4, and N2, showed the highest inhibition across all tested bacteria. Minimum inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations ranged from 0.10 to 0.30 micrograms per microlitre and 0.20 to 0.50 micrograms per microlitre, respectively. The potent strains were identified as Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus paracasei, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Streptococcus thermophilus, and Lactococcus lactis.
Food spoilage and bacterial contamination threaten food security and consumer health. Demonstrating that traditional Ethiopian fermented dairy products naturally harbour diverse bacteria capable of suppressing pathogens confirms the protective value of these foods. Finding potent, broad-spectrum lactic acid bacteria provides scientific evidence for natural agents that can help prevent food spoilage without relying on synthetic chemical additives.
The findings suggest potential applications in natural food preservation, specifically the development of protective bacterial cultures or bio-preservatives for dairy and food manufacturing. Food processors seeking clean-label or biological alternatives to synthetic antimicrobials could be prospective users. As the evidence is currently limited to in vitro laboratory screening and strain identification, the research sits at an early stage, with food matrix testing and process validation needed before practical adoption.
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Fermented Ethiopian traditional dairy products containing LAB that show antibacterial activities against various food spoilage and pathogenic bacteria have been used for the preservation of fermented dairy products for a long time. However, there are no comprehensive scientific reports on the antibacterial activity of LAB isolated from various fermented dairy products in Pawe Woreda. The objective of the study was to evaluate the antibacterial activity of LAB isolated from traditionally fermented Ethiopian dairy products against spoilage and pathogenic bacteria. Thirty-five samples of fermented dairy products were collected from three cattle-farming areas of Pawe Woreda. A total of 97 LAB were isolated and screened primarily using the perpendicular streak plate method against 3 Gram-positive and 3 Gram-negative bacterial strains. Out of the 97 strains, 10 were active against at least two of the tested bacteria, of which 7 strains were selected for secondary screening by their broad-spectrum antibacterial activities. The seven in vitro antibacterial activities of the extract ranged from 5 to 16 mm in diameter during the secondary screening. In this study, Z2, Z4, and N2 strains exhibited the highest inhibition zone with broad-spectrum activity against all tested bacteria. The MIC and MBC values range from 0.10 to 0.30 µg/µL and 0.20 to 0.50 µg/µL, respectively. Following morphological, physiological, biochemical, and molecular characteristics, seven potent strains were identified as Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus paracasei, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Streptococcus thermophilus, and Lactococcus lactis. According to the findings of this study, Ethiopian fermented dairy products were the most potent source of bioactive compounds with potential effects against food spoilage and pathogenic bacterial strains.
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DOI: 10.1155/2021/9978561
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