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Review
. 2022 Apr 2;8(4):365.
doi: 10.3390/jof8040365.

Assessment of Yeasts as Potential Probiotics: A Review of Gastrointestinal Tract Conditions and Investigation Methods

Nadia S Alkalbani  1 , Tareq M Osaili  2   3 , Anas A Al-Nabulsi  3 , Amin N Olaimat  4 , Shao-Quan Liu  5 , Nagendra P Shah  6 , Vasso Apostolopoulos  7   8 , Mutamed M Ayyash  1
Affiliations
Review

Assessment of Yeasts as Potential Probiotics: A Review of Gastrointestinal Tract Conditions and Investigation Methods

Nadia S Alkalbani et al. J Fungi (Basel). .

Abstract

Probiotics are microorganisms (including bacteria, yeasts and moulds) that confer various health benefits to the host, when consumed in sufficient amounts. Food products containing probiotics, called functional foods, have several health-promoting and therapeutic benefits. The significant role of yeasts in producing functional foods with promoted health benefits is well documented. Hence, there is considerable interest in isolating new yeasts as potential probiotics. Survival in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), salt tolerance and adherence to epithelial cells are preconditions to classify such microorganisms as probiotics. Clear understanding of how yeasts can overcome GIT and salt stresses and the conditions that support yeasts to grow under such conditions is paramount for identifying, characterising and selecting probiotic yeast strains. This study elaborated the adaptations and mechanisms underlying the survival of probiotic yeasts under GIT and salt stresses. This study also discussed the capability of yeasts to adhere to epithelial cells (hydrophobicity and autoaggregation) and shed light on in vitro methods used to assess the probiotic characteristics of newly isolated yeasts.

Keywords: autoaggregation; coaggregation; gastric; intestine; probiotics.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Total number (%) of isolated yeast genera under gastrointestinal conditions.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Survival rate (%) of yeasts under gastric conditions in descending order according to genera. * is outliners.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Survival rate (%) of yeasts under intestinal conditions. o = outliners.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Schematic in vitro digestion method. SSF, simulated salivary fluid; SGF, simulated gastric fluid; SIF, simulated intestinal fluid.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Total number (%) of isolated yeast genera after NaCl stress.
Figure 6
Figure 6
MIC (g/L) of yeasts under NaCl conditions in descending order according to genera. o = outliners.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Total number (%) of isolated yeast genera that underwent the autoaggregation test.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Autoaggregation (%) in descending order according to yeast genera. o = outliners.
Figure 9
Figure 9
Total number (%) of isolated yeast genera measured as the hydrophobicity ability towards n-hexadecane.
Figure 10
Figure 10
Hydrophobicity (%) towards n-hexadecane in descending order according to yeast genera.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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