Folate production using Lactococcus lactis ssp cremoris with implications for fortification of skim milk and fruit juices

The recent findings on the protective role of folic acid in the reduction of neural tube defects, coronary heart diseases and cancer have renewed the research on folate supplementation to combat its deficiency. Humans are auxotropic for folate synthesis, which makes them dependent on the exogenous supply of folate. Milk and fermented dairy products represent a good source of natural folate and folate binding proteins, which improve the bioavailability and stability of folate. Effective manipulation of medium additives and cultivation conditions enhanced the folate level (164 ng/ml, deconjugated folate) in skim milk by Lactococcus lactis ssp cremoris, an isolate from raw cow's milk. The study on the factors influencing scale up of folate production in 600 ml and 5 L bioreactors displayed the importance of anoxygenic conditions on growth and stability of folate. A maximum titer of 187 ng/ml deconjugated folate was obtained in 5 L bioreactor. L. lactis also proved to be an excellent source for the enrichment of the folate content in cucumber and water melon juice.

► Fermentative Production of Folic acid by a Probiotic Culture Identified as Lactococcus lactis ssp cremorisis is Highlighted. ► The bioprocess was scaled up to 5 L and a maximum titer of 187 ng/ml deconjugated folate was obtained. ► This work also highlights the fortification of skim milk and fruit juices with folate to enhance its bioavailability.