Binding properties of lactic acid bacteria from 'Idly' towards food-borne mutagens.

Lactic acid bacteria from the fermented non-dairy food 'Idly' were examined in vitro for their ability to bind food-borne mutagens. They were subjected to high pressures and temperatures to investigate alterations in their binding potential. All the isolates tested exhibited good binding activity towards the amino acid pyrolysates 3-amino-1-4-dimethyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole and 3-amino-1-methyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-d]indole and a moderate level of binding of 2-amino-6-methyl-dipyrido[1,2-3',2'-d]imidazole. No significant binding activity was observed with other mutagens, such as aflatoxins. High-pressure and heat treatment did not substantially alter the binding activity of the bacteria.