Functional goat milk cheese with feruloyl esterase activity

The aim of this paper was to evaluate the effect of the intake of goat milk cheese manufactured with Lactobacillus fermentum CRL1446 on intestinal feruloyl esterase (FE) activity and oxidative status in Swiss albino mice. This strain was used as single-strain culture (CRL cheese) and in combination with starter culture (Mix cheese). In both cheeses, L. fermentum reached 8–9 log cfu/g and FE activity increased during ripening. Highest activity level was observed in Mix cheese. In vivo studies showed that total intestinal FE activity in mice fed with CRL and Mix cheeses increased 1.5 and 2-fold compared to non-treated mice, respectively. Administration of Mix cheese produced a 2-fold increase in FE activity in small and large intestine mucosa. Mice receiving this cheese also showed an approx. 2-fold decrease in plasmatic thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) levels and an approx. 3-fold increase in glutathione reductase (GR) activity.Goat milk cheese elaborated with FE-producing strain L. fermentum CRL1446 could represent a novel functional food with FE activity, responsible for increasing intestinal FE activity and consequently the bioavailability of antioxidant ferulic acid in the gut, thus enhancing the oxidative status and providing protection against oxidative stress-related disorders.