Journal of food science and technology(Iran)

Journal of food science and technology(Iran)

Enhancing Food Quality through Probiotic Potential of Lactobacillus helveticus C7303: Functional and Safety Attributes from Traditional Iranian Khiki Cheese

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Alireza Vasiee 1
Zeinab Mousavi 2
Behrooz Alizadeh Behbahani 2
Hossein Jooyandeh 3
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
3 , Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University of Khuzestan,
10.48311/fsct.2026.118240.82979
Abstract
Lactobacillus strains, particularly Lactobacillus helveticus, are highly suitable candidates for use as dairy starter cultures and functional probiotics. This is primarily due to their strong capacity for carbohydrate fermentation, lactic acid production, and established health-promoting effects. This study aimed to investigate the probiotic, functional, safety, and biological characteristics of the indigenous strain L. helveticus C7303, which was isolated from Khiki cheese (a traditional Iranian cheese). We evaluated several parameters: carbohydrate fermentation, enzymatic activity, morphological, physiological, and physicochemical properties, as well as tolerance to acidic conditions, bile salts, and simulated gastrointestinal juices. Growth characteristics were also assessed across various NaCl concentrations and temperatures. Furthermore, functional indicators including surface hydrophobicity, auto-aggregation, co-aggregation with pathogens, and cholesterol assimilation were examined. The strain successfully fermented key dairy sugars such as lactose, galactose, glucose, and maltose, and demonstrated high β-galactosidase activity. Survival under acidic conditions was favorable. In the simulated gastrointestinal juice assay, the viability reached 70.3±10.50% in simulated gastric juice and 85.2±2.82% in simulated intestinal juice. The strain exhibited high surface hydrophobicity against different solvents, time-dependent auto-aggregation, and strong co-aggregation with pathogens. Cholesterol assimilation reached 80.40% in the presence of 0.2% bile. Given the consistently positive results obtained from the functional and safety assays, L. helveticus C7303 shows high potential for application as an efficient dairy starter culture and a functional probiotic with significant nutritional and therapeutic effects.
Keywords
Lactobacillus helveticus
Probiotic
Co-aggregation
Antibiofilm

Subjects

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