Browsing by Author "Alowo, Docus."

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    Bioactive Potential of Fermentable Oligo-Di-Monosaccharides and Polyols (FODMAPs) and Lactic Acid Bacteria in Composite Fermented Beverages Developed from Selected Ugandan Food Crops
    (Gulu University, 2026-08) Alowo, Docus.
    Dietary interventions for functional gastrointestinal disorders remain ineffective in Uganda largely due to inadequate information on bioactive foods. In this study, an in vitro evaluation of bioactive potential of Fermentable Oligo-Di-Monosaccharides and Polyols (FODMAPs) and lactic acid bacteria isolated from fermented composite beverages was conducted. It examined how varietal differences, processing methods, and ingredient type influence FODMAPs content, prebiotic potential, genotypic characteristics of lactic acid bacteria, and probiotic capacity. Improved and indigenous varieties of soybean, millet, sorghum, and sesame were processed by roasting or malting. FODMAPs were extracted, analysed using HPLC-UV and Megazyme kits, and tested for prebiotic attributes. Extracts with promising prebiotic attributes were used to develop fermented composite beverages from which lactic acid bacteria were isolated, examined for genotypic characteristics, and probiotic capacity. Results showed that improved varieties of soybean (maksoy 3N), Millet (seremi 2) and sorghum (narosorg 2) had significantly (p < 0.05) lower oligosaccharide contents than indigenous varieties by 10.2 to 73.9%. Malting was more effective than roasting (p < 0.05) in reducing FODMAPs by 17-70% for galacto-oligosaccharides and 66% for fructo-oligosaccharides. Probiotic strains, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum ATCC 14917 and Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus ATCC 7469 grew better in extracts from improved varieties than those from indigenous varieties by a difference of 15-25% (p < 0.05). However, Lpb. plantarum produced more short-chain fatty acids than Lb. rhamnosus by 6–50% following incubation in extracts from improved varieties. Lpb. plantarum and Lb. rhamnosus incubated in improved variety extracts exhibited better antagonistic activity against common enteric pathogens (Salmonella enterica and Shigella flexneri), reducing pathogen density by over 40%. Lactic acid bacteria from composite fermented beverages of improved crop varieties had greater genotypic plasticity, and better (p < 0.05) probiotic attributes. These findings highlight the potential of composite ingredients from improved crop varieties to enhance gastrointestinal health. Nevertheless, in vivo studies are necessary to validate the results.