Effect of grape polyphenols on lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria growth: resistance and metabolism.

Abstract Food polyphenols are able to selectively modify the growth of susceptible micro-organisms. This study describes the effect of a flavan-3-ol enriched grape seed extract (GSE) on the growth of several lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and bifidobacteria and the ability of the resistant strains to metabolize these compounds. Streptococcus thermophilus , Lactobacillus fermentum , Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus vaginalis strains showed a remarkable sensitivity to the phenolic extracts assayed, including a GSE fraction consisting mainly in (+)-catechin and (−)-epicatechin (GSE-M). On the other hand, Lactobacillus plantarum , Lactobacillus casei , and Lactobacillus bulgaricus strains reached maximal growth with the GSE fractions, including a rich-oligomeric (GSE-O) fraction. Within bifidobacteria, Bifidobacterium lactis BB12 showed the highest sensitivity to the phenolic extracts assayed, whereas Bifidobacterium breve 26M2 and Bifidobacterium bifidum HDD541 reached maximum growth in presence of GSE-O and GSE-M fractions. Metabolism of flavan-3-ols by LAB and bifidobacteria resistant strains was investigated in vitro . The results revealed that only L. plantarum IFPL935 was able to metabolize the polyphenols studied by means of galloyl-esterase, decarboxylase and benzyl alcohol dehydrogenase activities that led to the formation of gallic acid, pyrogallol and catechol, respectively. An unknown metabolite that does not exhibit a phenolic-acid-type structure was also detected, which suggests a new enzyme activity in L. plantarum IFPL935 able to degrade flavan-3-ol monomers.