Background The growing consumer demand for foods that do not contain artificial additives and are “clean labeled” can be addressed in fermented products by using lactic acid bacteria (LAB) capable of synthesizing exopolysaccharides (EPS). There is great variability in LAB-based EPS in terms of quantity, monomer composition, molecular weight, charge, and structure, which results in an array of physicochemical and rheological properties that can be exploited for varied applications in the food industry. Scope and approach EPS are an alternative class of bio-thickeners widely used in the food industry. This review provides a brief overview of EPS composition and production, and highlights EPS functionality, focusing on specific areas and ways of applying them in food products. Key findings and conclusions Although EPS-producing LAB strains have been traditionally applied in the manufacture of cultured milks, their use in the production process of low-fat cheeses, different plant-based yogurt alternatives, diverse types of sourdough breads, and reduced-fat fermented meat products are some of the novel applications of these polymers. EPS interact with other food components to improve the rheological and sensory properties of foods and, thus, they can act both as texturizers and stabilizers, increasing the viscosity and mouthfeel of products. Despite the abundance of research findings, a better understanding of the structure–function relationship of EPS in food products still remains a challenge.

Exopolysaccharides from lactic acid bacteria: Techno-functional application in the food industry

Significance: A 2018 retrospective analysis of Medicare beneficiaries identified that ∼8.2 million people had wounds with or without infections. Medicare cost estimates for acute and chronic wound treatments ranged from $28.1 billion to $96.8 billion. Highest expenses were for surgical wounds followed by diabetic foot ulcers, with a higher trend toward costs associated with outpatient wound care compared with inpatient. Increasing costs of health care, an aging population, recognition of difficult-to-treat infection threats such as biofilms, and the continued threat of diabetes and obesity worldwide make chronic wounds a substantial clinical, social, and economic challenge. Recent Advances: Chronic wounds are not a problem in an otherwise healthy population. Underlying conditions ranging from malnutrition, to stress, to metabolic syndrome, predispose patients to chronic, nonhealing wounds. From an economic point of view, the annual wound care products market is expected to reach $15-22 billion by 2024. The National Institutes of Health's (NIH) Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tool (RePORT) now lists wounds as a category. Future Directions: A continued rise in the economic, clinical, and social impact of wounds warrants a more structured approach and proportionate investment in wound care, education, and related research.

Human Wounds and Its Burden: An Updated Compendium of Estimates

The production of exopolysaccharides (EPS) by lactic acid bacteria (LAB) has attracted particular interest in the food industry. EPS can be considered as natural biothickeners as they are produced in situ by LAB and improve the rheological properties of fermented foods. Moreover, much research has been conducted on the beneficial effects of EPS produced by LAB on modulating the gut microbiome and promoting health. The EPS, which varies widely in composition and structure, may have diverse health effects, such as glycemic control, calcium and magnesium absorption, cholesterol-lowering, anticarcinogenic, immunomodulatory, and antioxidant effects. In this article, the latest advances on structure, biosynthesis, and physicochemical properties of LAB-derived EPS are described in detail. This is followed by a summary of up-to-date methods used to detect, characterize and elucidate the structure of EPS produced by LAB. In addition, current strategies on the use of LAB-produced EPS in food products have been discussed, focusing on beneficial applications in dairy products, gluten-free bakery products, and low-fat meat products, as they positively influence the consistency, stability, and quality of the final product. Highlighting is also placed on reports of health-promoting effects, with particular emphasis on prebiotic, immunomodulatory, antioxidant, cholesterol-lowering, anti-biofilm, antimicrobial, anticancer, and drug-delivery activities.

https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/11/2/156/pdf?version=1641622075

Exopolysaccharides Produced by Lactic Acid Bacteria: From Biosynthesis to Health-Promoting Properties

Bacterial exopolysaccharides (EPSs) are an essential group of compounds secreted by bacteria. These versatile EPSs are utilized individually or in combination with different materials for a broad range of biomedical field functions. The various applications can be explained by the vast number of derivatives with useful properties that can be controlled. This review offers insight on the current research trend of nine commonly used EPSs, their biosynthesis pathways, their characteristics, and the biomedical applications of these relevant bioproducts.

https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/13/4/530/pdf

Biomedical Applications of Bacterial Exopolysaccharides: A Review.

Bacterial exopolysaccharides for improvement of technological, functional and rheological properties of yoghurt.

Contributions of exopolysaccharides from lactic acid bacteria as biotechnological tools in food, pharmaceutical, and medical applications.

. Elkhateeb WA, Daba GM, Elnahas MO, Thomas PW, Emam M. 2020. Metabolic profile and skin-related bioactivities of Cerioporus squamosus hydromethanolic extract. Biodiversitas 21: 4732-4740.  Being a functional food capable of showing nutritional as well as medicinal properties have great attention. Mushrooms have been proven as leading targets in this field. For this purpose, the edible mushroom Cerioporus squamosus was investigated in this study to evaluate the in vitro skin-related bioactivities of its hydromethanolic extract in terms of enhancing wound healing, and human skin cancer suppression capabilities. Treatment of fibroblast cells (BJ-1) with the hydromethanolic extract of this mushroom at 50 µg/mL enhanced cell migration rates by 71.7% after 24 h of exposure to the extract. Moreover, the same extract exhibited a promising impact on human skin cancer using an epidermoid carcinoma cell line (A431). The gradual increase in C. squamosus hydromethanolic extract concentration caused gradual decrease in the A431 cell viability and proliferation. Maximum effect on reducing the cell viability was obtained at a concentration of 100 µg/mL, where cell viability was 3.7%, and recorded IC50 was 52.6 µg/mL. The metabolic profile of the extract was analyzed by GC-MS, which was performed on its silylated metabolites. Nineteen compounds were detected including sugar alcohols, amino acids, fatty and organic acids. Promising results of this mushroom extract encourage conducting further steps towards using this mushroom as a functional food showing promising bioactivities.

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Metabolic profile and skin-related bioactivities of cerioporus squamosus hydromethanolic extract

Fomes fomentarius and Polyporus squamosus Models of Marvel Medicinal Mushrooms

Polypore mushrooms have been used medicinally for thousands of years. Agarikon (Fomitopsis officinalis) is a medicinal polypore mushroom containing a host of pharmacologically active compounds that beneficially affect human health. Agarikon is known for its capability of producing various biologically active compounds with medical applications such as antiviral, antibacterial, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory agents. This review describes the importance of medicinal mushrooms, with a specific focus on Agarikon as an example of a globally commercialized medicinal mushroom.

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Fomitopsis officinalis mushroom: ancient gold mine of functional components and biological activities for modern medicine

The genus Trichoderma is multicultural soil-borne fungi found in different ecosystems. They are highly successful colonizers of their habitats. Genus Trichoderma is capable of dealing with various environments such as compost, agricultural soils, rhizosphere, and waste material. Therefore, different strains of Trichoderma have been applied in agriculture, bioremediation, waste management, and biotechnology. Many Trichoderma species act as biological control agents and plant growth promoters. Additionally, the genus Trichoderma is a new fungal source for the production of cyclosporin A as well as various hydrolytic enzymes with industrial importance.

Marwa O. Elnahas

Papers

Contributions of exopolysaccharides from lactic acid bacteria as biotechnological tools in food, pharmaceutical, and medical applications.

Metabolic profile and skin-related bioactivities of cerioporus squamosus hydromethanolic extract

Fomes fomentarius and Polyporus squamosus Models of Marvel Medicinal Mushrooms

Fomitopsis officinalis mushroom: ancient gold mine of functional components and biological activities for modern medicine

Biotechnology and Environmental applications of Trichoderma spp.