New probiotic drinks with olive bacteria

Many people need to take probiotics, vitamin and mineral complexes because they are suffering from some type of illness or disease, undergoing intense physical exercise or stress, among other reasons. It is usual to buy them in pharmacies, mainly in the form of granules, encapsulated or dissolved.

Scientists have come up with a more attractive alternative.

After more than two years of study, a new probiotic vegetable drink with bacteria from table olives, fermented with the probiotic potential Lactiplantibacillus pentosus LPG1. The drinks, which are fortified with minerals and vitamins, are released under the name BeWellDrinks.

BeWellDrinks are made mainly with water, fruits and vegetables. They contain components of great biological value, such as carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins and minerals, the concentration of which depends on the type of vegetable. They do not have any kind of fermentation process, they do not contain lactose, and they do not have fat or protein of animal origin.

One of the great advantages of L. pentosi LPG1, according to the creators, is that the natural fermentation is separate from the table process of olive production, so its acclimatization and viability in another vegetable matrix is ​​very high, if compared. other probiotic microorganisms whose origin is not vegetable. Its probiotic potential has been validated in various in vitro and in vivo studies, the latest in a recent phase 1 clinical trial conducted with researchers from the Maimonides Institute for Biomedical Research in Córdoba (IMIBIC) in Spain. Among its main probiotic characteristics, the reduction of cholesterol levels, phytase activity, anti-inflammatory activity, and adequate modulation of the intestinal microbiota stand out.

The fortification process of BeWellDrinks beverages at the Instituto de la Grasa. (Photo: IG/CSIC)

other flavors

Types of drinks have been created and formulated with vegetable and fruit matrices (orange, mango, carrot, apple, red fruits, passion fruit, cucumber, celery, pineapple, coconut, etc.) thinking about the different physiological needs of people. In addition, L. pentosus LPG1, vitamins (A, B6, C, D, E) and minerals (Zn, Mg, K) are added.

The researchers determined the survival of L. pentosi LPG1 in individual vegetable drinks and in different production batches. As it is a fresh, unpasteurized product (ready to eat), quality and food safety studies have also been carried out to show the absence of food pathogens such as Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella enterica or Escherichia coll. And it was verified if the yeast addition changed the organic characteristics of the product, as well as its presence at the end of its market life.

Francisco Noé Arroyo López, IG researcher, who participated in the development of the product, warns that this new range of drinks “can be used as a source of beneficial microorganisms for consumers who have some degree of lactose intolerance and who cannot be consumed. probiotics by dairy farmers who need a low cholesterol diet, or who simply know the advantages of eating fruits and vegetables. In this way, the experience of absorbing these microorganisms and the healthy parts will be more pleasant in people who need them.”

“This event was a clear example of successful public-private cooperation. The company provides us with batches of the product at its facilities, which we carry out tests for fortification, stability, microbiological safety, adaptability of probiotic life and shelf life. After the fortification doses have been established, the company verifies that the new product is in accordance with the quality and organoleptic signs and proceed to its scale and energy production”, says Francisco Noé. (Source: CSIC)