The Possibility of Using Lactobacillus plantarum 299v to Reinforce the Bioactive Properties of Legume-Derived Beverages.

Featured Application: This study investigates the possibility of using the probiotic strain Lactobacillus plantarum 299v to ferment legume-derived beverages to enhance their bioactive properties. It has practical relevance in the development of innovative functional foods, nutraceuticals, supplements, or pharmaceuticals. Moreover, this study may be significant for exploring novel plant-based foods and searching for alternative protein sources. The investigations suggest effective approaches to increase the use of pulses, promoting their consumption and significance in the food industry. There is a global need to explore alternative protein sources and develop new health-promoting plant-based products. This study aimed to produce beverages from organic seeds of chickpeas and green or red lentils and assess the potential of using L. plantarum 299v to ferment these beverages. Spectrophotometric methods were used to evaluate the ability of the beverages to neutralize 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radicals (DPPH^•) and chelate Fe²⁺. Total dietary fiber (including soluble and insoluble fractions) and the protein profiles were compared among the tested legume-derived beverages. The observations were focused on reductions in pH levels, total extract content, dietary fiber, ash, and moisture levels in all the fermented legume products. Fermentation contributed to increased antioxidative activity in all the tested products. The strongest ability to chelate Fe²⁺ (58.33 ± 2.35%) was noted in non-fermented green lentil products, while green lentil beverages fermented for 72 h exhibited the highest value of free radical scavenging activity (88.44 ± 4.24 DPPH^• inhibition %). Chickpea products fermented for 72 h displayed the highest count of viable bacterial cells at 7.0 ± 0.7 × 10⁸ CFU/g, while those fermented for 48 h exhibited the greatest number (2764) of potential biopeptide sequences. These findings highlight the feasibility of using this probiotic strain to enhance the functional properties of legume-based beverages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]