IN VITRO EVALUATION OF THE PROBIOTIC POTENTIAL OF BACTERIA ISOLATED FROM KEFIR

INTRODUCTION: With scientific advancements and easy access to information nowadays, concern for well-being has been increasing. Consequently, products that can bring health benefits are gaining attention in both the scientific and industrial fields. Kefir, a beverage with promising probiotic potential, has thus become a subject of study for various researchers. AIMS: The main objective of this work is to study the probiotic potential of bacteria isolated from kefir through in vitro methods, with the aim of creating foods that help ensure optimal health for the global population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Bacterial isolates from a kefir sample bank were selected through phenotypic tests. Assays were conducted to analyze the probiotic potential of the kefir bacteria, including tests for hemolytic activity, autoaggregation, coaggregation, hydrophobicity, biofilm production, and antibiotic sensitivity. Additionally, tests for resistance to bile salts, pepsin, pancreatin, and pH, as well as antimicrobial activity, will also be carried out. RESULTS: The results of the phenotypic tests were crucial, as they allowed for the selection of bacterial isolates of interest. The tests to analyze probiotic potential were promising, and most results were consistent with expectations based on the reviewed studies, including biofilm formation, coaggregation and hydrophobicity, for which some of the selected isolates showed promising results. Further experiments may provide additional insights to those already obtained. FINAL CONSIDERATIONS: This research project achieved significant results in studying the probiotic potential of bacteria isolated from kefir. It allowed for a thorough analysis of the benefits of these bacteria, paving the way for the development of new probiotic products in the future.

KEYWORDS: 1. Kefir; 2. Probiotic potential; 3. Bacterial isolates; 4. Phenotypic tests; 5. In vitro methods.