THE PROBIOTIC AND NUTRITIONAL CONTENT OF SOURO, AN IRANIAN TRADITIONAL FOOD

Probiotic foods are products containing adequate amounts of live and specific microorganisms that confer benefit to human health. This research was performed to spotlight on the nutritional value evaluation as well as isolation and probiotic characterization of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from native food "Souro" belonging to Iran. The isolated LABs were investigated in vitro for potential probiotic features based on their acidic pH tolerance, bile-salt resistance, hydrophobicity, autoaggragation, production of amylase and protease as well as antibiotic susceptibility test. Results showed that Souro had high content of protein (51 ± 0.16%,) and total lipid was 11.18 ± 0.38%. Most of isolates were able to produce protease and amylase. From the best potential probiotic isolates, 16S rRNA gene sequencing disclosed Lactobacillus plantarum, L. hilgardii, L. casei, L. fermentum and Weissella paramesenteroides. Thus, good physiological traits and safety evaluation of the isolated LAB emphasized the benefits of Souro for further use in the human diet as well as the preparation of diverse probiotic food formulations.