PROBIOTIC PROSPECTS FROM PEELS: UNLOCKING GUT-FRIENDLY MICROBES IN FRUIT AND VEGETABLE WASTES

Abstract

The increasing interest in gut health has led to a surge in both Prebiotic and probiotic intake. While prebiotics are indigestible food elements that specifically promote the growth or activity of helpful microbes in the stomach, probiotics are the live bacteria that, when supplemented in adequate proportions, aids the host's wellness. The purpose of this investigation is to isolate and characterize probiotic bacteria from a fruits and vegetables peel, an underutilized food manufacturing byproduct. Native bacterial strains with probiotic potential, such as the capacity to withstand gastrointestinal disorders, suppress harmful bacteria, and satisfy fundamental safety standards for probiotic use, are found in fruit and vegetable peels. The peels from banana, orange, red apple, cucumber, and cabbage were collected under aseptic conditions. After homogenization, samples were serially diluted and cultured on de Man, Rogosa, and Sharpe (MRS) agar, incubated anaerobically at 37°C for 48 hours. Isolated colonies were preliminarily screened by Gram staining and catalase testing. The isolated LAB strains were characterized based on their ability to survive under simulated gastrointestinal conditions and bacteriocin production optimization. This study successfully identified a several strains of lactic acid bacterial strains, which exhibited strong probiotic potential. Out of the four bacterial isolates, two strains exhibited survival at pH 1.5-2.0 and 1.5% bile salts, indicating strong acid-bile resistance. Antibiotic susceptibility profiling confirmed sensitivity to most clinically relevant antibiotics, with no transferable resistance genes detected. Fruit and vegetable peels have the potential to be an affordable source for isolating probiotic bacteria.