BIOTECHNOLOGICAL APPROACHES TO THE SELECTION AND OPTIMIZATION OF PROBIOTIC STRAINS WITH HYPOCHOLESTEROLEMIC ACTIVITY FOR FUNCTIONAL FOOD APPLICATIONS

Abstract

The review analyzed biotechnological approaches to the selection and optimization of probiotic microorganisms with hypocholesterolemic activity for their application in functional food products. It summarized current understanding of the role of elevated cholesterol levels in the development of cardiovascular diseases and examined the potential of probiotic bacteria to modulate lipid metabolism. The study described the principal mechanisms of cholesterol reduction, including bile acid deconjugation, microbial assimilation and adsorption of cholesterol, synthesis of short-chain fatty acids, bacterial conversion of cholesterol to coprostanol, and the involvement of exopolysaccharides. Particular attention was given to lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria as key probiotic groups. Criteria for strain selection were outlined, including safety, survival under gastrointestinal conditions, probiotic functionality, and technological suitability. The review evaluated primary and secondary screening strategies, approaches to in vitro assessment of cholesterol removal, and methods for improving strain performance, including adaptive laboratory evolution. It also examined the advantages of multistrain bacterial compositions and their functional complementarity. The findings indicated that a complex, stepwise selection and optimization strategy enhanced the effectiveness of probiotic cultures. The results provided a methodological basis for the development of functional foods with potential hypocholesterolemic effects.