Lactic Acid Bacteria Strains Isolated from Jerusalem Artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.) Tubers as Potential Probiotic Candidates.

The search for probiotic candidates is an area that accompanies the world trend of development of novel probiotic strains and new products. In recent years, unconventional sources of potential probiotic bacteria have been studied. Furthermore, there has been an increasing interest in non-dairy and plant-based probiotic foods, currently being considered as a priority for the food industry. The aim of this study was to evaluate the probiotic potential of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from Jerusalem artichoke tubers. These strains were characterized by in vitro tests for their biochemical and probiotic properties and safety aspects. The results demonstrated that the LAB strains isolated exhibited a survival rate after acid exposure exceeding 90%, maintained viability above 88% under simulated gastrointestinal conditions, and the autoaggregation capacity ranged from 61 to 81%. Additionally, the strains showed no hemolytic activity and were sensitive to antibiotics. The isolates also downregulated the proinflammatory responses and showed antimicrobial activity against E. coli and B. cereus. The bacilli strains showed a high similarity with Lentilactobacillus kosonis and Lentilactobacillus curieae. Hence, these strains revealed potential probiotic in vitro characteristics that position them to be used in plant-based functional food. This strategic exploration of probiotic bacteria sourced from vegetables not only enhances the diversity of available strains-both taxonomically and functionally-but also fosters the development of sustainable, plant-based probiotic applications.