Work

Hemp fermentation enriches acid-resilient Lacticaseibacillus paracasei psychobiotic candidates from water kefir while preserving neuroactive potential

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Water kefir represents a compelling reservoir of psychobiotic candidates, yet the capacity of individual strains to withstand gastrointestinal stress while retaining neuroactive biosynthetic potential remains poorly understood. Approaches capable of conditioning these microorganisms toward greater resilience may therefore improve their potential as psychobiotic candidates. Here, we investigated whether hemp niche could simultaneously condition kefir-derived psychobiotic candidates toward enhanced gastrointestinal resilience while preserving their neuroactive potential. Dried hemp leaves and flowers were fermented with water kefir consortia under submerged and solid-state conditions. Multi-omics and in vitro gastrointestinal assays were used to investigate hemp niche adaptation and its effects on gastrointestinal stress resilience. Submerged fermentation preferentially supported the persistence of Lacticaseibacillus paracasei despite the taxonomic diversity of the kefir consortium. Comparative genomics revealed limited divergence among pre- and post-fermentation isolates, with only subtle variation in the stress-associated chaperone clpC and enrichment of a low-abundance lineage carrying a hypothetical DNA-processing gene. Post-fermentation strains exhibited enhanced acid resilience and increased trp expression, whereas gltB and gdh expression was lineage dependent. All strains lacked plasmids and mobile antimicrobial resistance elements. Collectively, hemp functioned as a conditioning niche that enriched resilient L. paracasei strains while preserving neuroactive potential and genomic safety.

Source: Food Bioscience

DOI: 10.1016/j.fbio.2026.109918

Authors: Vincent Owusu Kyei-Baffour, Paulina Štreimikytė, Eglė Lastauskienė, Aurelijus Burokas, Eric Banan-Mwine Daliri

Institutions: Vilnius University, Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry

Language: English

Topic: Probiotics and Fermented Foods

Subfield: Food Science

Field: Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,380