Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Postbiotic Extract derived from Bacillus coagulans: A Promising and Sustainable Approach to Food Preservation and Fortification

Food safety faces growing threats from microbial and chemical contaminants. Although synthetic preservatives are effective, their health and environmental risks highlight the need for natural alternatives. Postbiotics, stable probiotic-derived metabolites, offer promise in this regard. Bacillus coagulans, a GRAS-approved spore-former, produces antimicrobial and antioxidant postbiotics. In this study, B. coagulans was cultured in MRS broth, and postbiotics were extracted from the cell-free supernatant to evaluate their preservative potential. Antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli was assessed using the broth microdilution method to determine MIC and MBC. Antioxidant activity was evaluated via the DPPH free radical scavenging assay. All experiments were analyzed using one-way ANOVA (p<۰.۰۵). As a result, the postbiotic exhibited greater inhibition of S. aureus (MIC: ۳.۱۲%, MBC: ۶.۲۵%) than E. coli (MIC: ۱۲.۵%, MBC: ۶.۲۵%). DPPH scavenging (IC۵۰ ≈ ۱۱۰ ppm) confirmed moderate antioxidant capacity compared to ascorbic acid (IC۵۰ = ۷۴ ppm). These findings suggest that B. coagulans-derived postbiotics exhibit promising antimicrobial and antioxidant properties, supporting their potential as natural and sustainable food preservatives.

کلیدواژه ها:

Postbiotics ، Antimicrobial activity ، Antioxidant activity ، Food Safety ، Bacillus coagulans