Cultivating Gut Health: From Traditional Turnip Juice to Apple Vinegar
Fermented foods and beverages have a longstanding tradition across cultures, valued for their distinctive tastes and numerous health benefits. For example, consumers increasingly turn to functional beverages for gut-health benefits, driving the global probiotic products market to USD 87.7 billion in 2023, with an expected CAGR of 14.1 % through 2030 [1]. In this context, exploring traditional fermented drinks for novel probiotic strains can help meet rising demand. Recently, scientists from İstanbul Nişantaşı University have been investigating fermented turnip juice and apple vinegar to identify beneficial microorganisms (with probiotic potential) and antioxidant compounds. Microbes, mainly lactic acid bacteria and yeasts, help preserve food and may improve gut health when included in our diets.
Probiotic Resilience in Shalgam: Bacteria and Yeasts Built for the Gut
In Shalgam, a traditional Turkish fermented turnip juice, Pediococcus acidilactici comprised 54.2 % of lactic acid bacteria isolates, with Lacticaseibacillus (18.8 %) and Enterococcus (6.3 %) also detected [2]. These strains survived simulated gastrointestinal conditions—acidic pH 2.0, bile salts, pepsin, pancreatin, and phenol—and produced antimicrobial compounds against common pathogens [1,2]. They tolerated up to 10 % salt and displayed proteolytic and β-galactosidase activities, aiding nutrient breakdown and absorption [1,2]. Such robustness and antimicrobial production highlight their promise as probiotic starter cultures in functional foods. Their safety profile—absence of hemolytic activity—supports probiotic applications [2].
Yeast species isolated from the same traditional beverage—primarily Pichia species—also exhibited excellent probiotic traits. All yeast isolates survived harsh gastrointestinal conditions (pH 2–4) and tolerated bile salts and digestive enzymes. They grew well in up to 10 % NaCl and lacked β-galactosidase, making them suitable for lactose-free fermented foods. Additionally, certain Pichia strains displayed strong cell-adhesion properties, beneficial for gut colonization, and none showed harmful hemolytic activity. [3]
Anthocyanin-Packed Apple Vinegar: A High-Antioxidant Biofunctional Profile
Beyond probiotics, researchers have also explored fermentations that significantly enhance the antioxidant properties of food products. A notable example is vinegar produced from Niedzwetzky’s apple, which was rich in antioxidants such as phenolics (904.8 mg GAE/mL), flavonoids (0.25 mg EGCE/mL), and notably high vitamin C content (3024.3 mg AAE/mL). This vinegar retained a considerable amount of anthocyanins (6.46 mg/g), particularly cyanidin-3-glucoside, known for its potent antioxidant effects. The strong antioxidant activity measured in the vinegar highlights its potential health benefits. [4]
These scientific discoveries confirm that traditional fermented products and novel fermentation methods can yield healthy and desirable functional foods. Continued research and development in this area promise to enrich dietary options, bridging traditional practices with contemporary nutritional needs.
*Notes: This article provides research teasers for each reference to showcase the novelties
References
[1] Sengun, I., Yalcin, H.T., Kilic, G. et al. Isolation and characterization of novel Lacticaseibacillus, Pediococcus, Enterococcus, Lentilactobacillus, and Levilactobacillus strains with probiotic potential from fermented turnip juice. J Food Sci Technol (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-024-06133-7
[2] Ilkin Yucel Sengun, Husniye Tansel Yalcin, Gulden Kilic, Berna Ozturk, Aysegul Kirmizigul Peker, Yigit Terzi, Kivanc Atlama, Identification of lactic acid bacteria found in traditional Shalgam juice using 16S rRNA sequencing and evaluation of their probiotic potential in vitro, Food Bioscience, Volume 60, 2024, 104300, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fbio.2024.104300.
[3] Sengun, I., Yalcin, H.T., Terzi, Y. et al. Isolation, identification and in vitro probiotic characterisation of yeast strains found in fermented turnip juice. J Food Sci Technol (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-024-06143-5
[4] Özdemir, N., Pashazadeh, H., Mohammed, S., & Koca, I. (2024). Biofunctionality of a new vinegar rich in anthocyanin from red-fleshed Niedzwetzky’s apple: An ornamental plant. Journal of Food Science, 89, 6745–6758. https://doi.org/10.1111/1750-3841.17356
Cultivating Gut Health: From Traditional Turnip Juice to Apple Vinegar
Fermented foods and beverages have a longstanding tradition across cultures, valued for their distinctive tastes and numerous health benefits. For example, consumers increasingly turn to functional beverages for gut-health benefits, driving the global probiotic products market to USD 87.7 billion in 2023, with an expected CAGR of 14.1 % through 2030 [1]. In this context, exploring traditional fermented drinks for novel probiotic strains can help meet rising demand. Recently, scientists from İstanbul Nişantaşı University have been investigating fermented turnip juice and apple vinegar to identify beneficial microorganisms (with probiotic potential) and antioxidant compounds. Microbes, mainly lactic acid bacteria and yeasts, help preserve food and may improve gut health when included in our diets.
Probiotic Resilience in Shalgam: Bacteria and Yeasts Built for the Gut
In Shalgam, a traditional Turkish fermented turnip juice, Pediococcus acidilactici comprised 54.2 % of lactic acid bacteria isolates, with Lacticaseibacillus (18.8 %) and Enterococcus (6.3 %) also detected [2]. These strains survived simulated gastrointestinal conditions—acidic pH 2.0, bile salts, pepsin, pancreatin, and phenol—and produced antimicrobial compounds against common pathogens [1,2]. They tolerated up to 10 % salt and displayed proteolytic and β-galactosidase activities, aiding nutrient breakdown and absorption [1,2]. Such robustness and antimicrobial production highlight their promise as probiotic starter cultures in functional foods. Their safety profile—absence of hemolytic activity—supports probiotic applications [2].
Yeast species isolated from the same traditional beverage—primarily Pichia species—also exhibited excellent probiotic traits. All yeast isolates survived harsh gastrointestinal conditions (pH 2–4) and tolerated bile salts and digestive enzymes. They grew well in up to 10 % NaCl and lacked β-galactosidase, making them suitable for lactose-free fermented foods. Additionally, certain Pichia strains displayed strong cell-adhesion properties, beneficial for gut colonization, and none showed harmful hemolytic activity. [3]
Anthocyanin-Packed Apple Vinegar: A High-Antioxidant Biofunctional Profile
Beyond probiotics, researchers have also explored fermentations that significantly enhance the antioxidant properties of food products. A notable example is vinegar produced from Niedzwetzky’s apple, which was rich in antioxidants such as phenolics (904.8 mg GAE/mL), flavonoids (0.25 mg EGCE/mL), and notably high vitamin C content (3024.3 mg AAE/mL). This vinegar retained a considerable amount of anthocyanins (6.46 mg/g), particularly cyanidin-3-glucoside, known for its potent antioxidant effects. The strong antioxidant activity measured in the vinegar highlights its potential health benefits. [4]
These scientific discoveries confirm that traditional fermented products and novel fermentation methods can yield healthy and desirable functional foods. Continued research and development in this area promise to enrich dietary options, bridging traditional practices with contemporary nutritional needs.
*Notes: This article provides research teasers for each reference to showcase the novelties
References
[1] Sengun, I., Yalcin, H.T., Kilic, G. et al. Isolation and characterization of novel Lacticaseibacillus, Pediococcus, Enterococcus, Lentilactobacillus, and Levilactobacillus strains with probiotic potential from fermented turnip juice. J Food Sci Technol (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-024-06133-7
[2] Ilkin Yucel Sengun, Husniye Tansel Yalcin, Gulden Kilic, Berna Ozturk, Aysegul Kirmizigul Peker, Yigit Terzi, Kivanc Atlama, Identification of lactic acid bacteria found in traditional Shalgam juice using 16S rRNA sequencing and evaluation of their probiotic potential in vitro, Food Bioscience, Volume 60, 2024, 104300, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fbio.2024.104300.
[3] Sengun, I., Yalcin, H.T., Terzi, Y. et al. Isolation, identification and in vitro probiotic characterisation of yeast strains found in fermented turnip juice. J Food Sci Technol (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-024-06143-5
[4] Özdemir, N., Pashazadeh, H., Mohammed, S., & Koca, I. (2024). Biofunctionality of a new vinegar rich in anthocyanin from red-fleshed Niedzwetzky’s apple: An ornamental plant. Journal of Food Science, 89, 6745–6758. https://doi.org/10.1111/1750-3841.17356