Paraprobiotics are dead (non-viable) microbial cells or fractions, which can still positively influence the body and provide health benefits to those who consume it.
Probiotics are present in the human diet in various products such as cheese and dairy products. However, with a large portion of the population restricting the consumption of dairy foods, inactivated versions of these health-benefiting bacteria have great potential for the food industry. One of these technologies is in Unicamp's Patent and Software Portfolio waiting for companies interested in developing more complete products that go beyond nutrition, such as paraprobiotic pasta.
The technology was developed by researchers from the Faculty of Food Engineering (FEA) at Unicamp. The method consists of transforming specific bacteria. Paraprobiotics are dead (non-viable) microbial cells or fractions, which can still positively influence the body and provide health benefits to those who consume them. Furthermore, they are more stable for application to foods that go through drastic processing steps.
“Pasta is a product that everyone consumes and has a long shelf life. With this technology, the industry would not have to worry about major changes in the manufacturing and storage process, as the viability of the bacteria would not be influenced, as it is dead. Still, the benefits are significant”, says researcher, Caroline Nunes de Almada, highlighting some of the advantages of the technology.
Technological advantages of paraprobiotic pasta
With changing eating habits, foods with paraprobiotics can reach expanding markets such as vegetarian and vegan. People with severe dietary restrictions could also consume pasta with these bacteria, since, when inactivated, they lose their ability to replicate, reducing risks for immunocompromised people.
The application of paraprobiotics is a recent scientific strategy to incorporate the benefits of these microorganisms into products where probiotics cannot be applied, as they would not remain in adequate concentrations to provide benefits. Using the new method, the researchers developed a specific paraprobiotic for the formulation of processed foods, especially those subjected to large temperature variations, such as hard-grain pasta.
“This type of dough goes through several production stages, from mixing, modeling, cutting and drying in ovens. And even after it's ready, it still needs to be cooked before it reaches the table. These processes would probably cause a reduction in the concentration of probiotics if they were added without technological treatment. As they do not depend on refrigeration, paraprobiotics inactivated by irradiation can be added to foods that are stored for long periods”, explains professor and researcher, Anderson Sant'Ana, who supervised the research.
Benefits of consuming paraprobiotics
The compound was added to the dough in liquid form and did not change the chemical composition of the food. Experimental tests showed that a diet with the food influenced the microbiota of healthy animals after 15 days of consumption, in relation to the control group. The researchers identified that the consumption of paraprobiotic pasta modulated the rodents' intestinal microbiota, promoting changes in composition and functionality, increasing beneficial bacteria.
The functional food diet also reduced glucose levels by 11,3% and cholesterol levels by 10,6%. The researchers believe that the result will also be positive in the human body, but to be sure, it is necessary to subject the food to new studies.
For now, the method of obtaining this functional food, paraprobiotic pasta, is not being commercialized. The technology had a patent application filed with the National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI), but the path between innovative research at the University and the launch of a new product on the market depends on steps developed by the industry. The licensing process begins with companies contacting Inova Unicamp. Unicamp's Innovation Agency negotiates partnership contracts.
original article published on the Unicamp Innovation Agency website.
