Folate Biofortification of Fermented Foods by Using Lactic Acid Bacteria

Folate, an essential vitamin and an important factor takes part in human life for the synthesis of nucleotides, vitamins and some amino acids. This vitamin cannot be synthesized in humans' metabolism and must be taken exog enously to prevent folate deficiency, neural tube defects (NTDs) and other related diseases. The chemically synthesized form of folate is folic acid used for fortification and supplementation of foods, but it can cause some problems such as vitamin B - 12 de ficiency in high intake. Milk and fermented dairy products represent a good source of natural folate and folate binding proteins, which increase the bioavailability and stability of folate. Many plants, fungi and bacteria synthesize and produce folate. Ho wever, folate concentrations in fermented dairy products are higher than in non - fermented dairy products. Some bacteria and yeasts are used as co - culture for natural folate bio - enrichment of fermented milk in the last years. The selection and use of folate - producing microorganisms is an interesting approach to supplement "natural" folate levels in foods. The certain bacteria can contribute to the folate intake directly with foods such as fermented dairy products, or in the int estine as probiotic microorganisms or part of the natural microbiota.