Journal of food science and technology(Iran)

Journal of food science and technology(Iran)

Characterization and Measurement of Probiotic Properties in Indigenous Lactobacillus helveticus C7303: Antimicrobial, Anti-Biofilm, and Antioxidant Activities for Dairy Food Applications

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Alireza Vasiee 1
Zeinab Mousavi 2
Behrooz Alizadeh Behbahani 2
Hossein Jooyandeh 2
Morteza Taki 2
1 Department of Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
2 Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University of Khuzestan, Mollasani, Iran
10.48311/fsct.2026.117404.82914
Abstract
Today, indigenous strains of Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) have gained significant importance in the dairy industry. In addition to their inherent adaptability to local environmental conditions, these strains possess unique capabilities in producing desirable flavors and aromas essential for the preparation of various fermented products. This research aimed to investigate the probiotic, functional, safety, and biological characteristics of the indigenous strain L. helveticus , isolated from Khiki cheese. The evaluation included assessing its antioxidant properties, gene expression profile, anti-biofilm features, resistance to common therapeutic antibiotics, and antimicrobial characteristics against bacterial pathogens. The strain demonstrated high levels of anti-adhesion activity, showing 61.5% inhibition in the competition assay, 53.2% in inhibition, and 30.5% in the displacement assay. L. helveticus exhibited strong antibacterial activity against several Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens, including S. aureus, L. monocytogenes, E. coli, and Sh.dysenteriae. In the modified double-layer culture method, the largest zone of inhibition was recorded for S. aureus and L. monocytogenes, while the least effect was observed against E. coli and S. Typhimurium. The MTT assay results confirmed that the strain's Cell-Free Supernatant (CFS) caused a significant reduction in the viability of cancer cells. The strain also showed high sensitivity to most tested antibiotics; the largest zone of inhibition was observed for Erythromycin (27.5 mm), and the lowest sensitivity was related to Ampicillin(16.2 mm). Given the positive outcomes from the functional and safety assays, L. helveticus C7303 shows promising potential for utilization as a dairy starter and a functional probiotic with both nutritional and therapeutic effects.
Keywords
Lactobacillus helveticus
Probiotic
Antimicrobial
Double-layer culture

Subjects

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