Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41369876›Full record

ArticleProbiotics and antimicrobial proteins2026

Thermal Versus Ultrasound Inactivation of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB-12: Functional Implications for Postbiotics.

Nimet Marsak, Ecem Akan, Adem Yavaş, Zafer Erbay

Abstract readComparative Study
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Probiotics and antimicrobial proteins, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Paraprobiotics Derived FromFood science & nutrition · 2026
    Article
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Nimet MarsakDepartment of Food Engineering, Institute of Graduate School, Adana Alparslan Turkes Science and Technology University, Adana, 01250, Turkey.
Ecem AkanDepartment of Dairy Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, Aydın Adnan Menderes University, Aydın, Turkey. ecem.akan@adu.edu.tr.
Adem YavaşDepartment of Food Processing, Food Quality Control and Analysis Programme, Çine Vocational School, Aydın Adnan Menderes University, Aydın, Turkey.
Zafer ErbayDepartment of Food Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Adana Alparslan Turkes Science and Technology University, Adana, 01250, Turkey.

Funding

The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK) 122Z351
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

This study evaluated the viability and functional properties of postbiotics derived from Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB-12 following thermal and ultrasound processing. Sixteen processing conditions were tested, including heat treatments (65-95 °C for 5-90 min) and ultrasound amplitudes (98-320 μm for 15-60 min). Postbiotics were assessed for antimicrobial activity, probiotic-stimulating effects on Lacticaseibacillus casei 431 and Bifidobacterium spp. cultures, and their capacity to enhance short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production. Complete inactivation was achieved under all heat treatment conditions, whereas only 11 ultrasound conditions resulted in total loss of culturability, indicating greater microbial resistance at lower intensities or shorter exposures. Discrepancies between flow cytometry and colony counting in ultrasound-treated samples suggest the presence of viable but non-culturable cells (VBNC), highlighting the limitations of culture-based viability assessments, especially when assessing VBNC states. Postbiotics from heat-treatment showed significantly stronger probiotic-enhancing effects, with growth increases up to 2.9-fold for L. casei and 37.7-fold for Bifidobacterium spp. compared to controls, alongside greater antimicrobial activity, especially against Enterococcus faecalis. Both processing methods significantly increased SCFA levels (p < 0.05). In conclusion, it can be said that heat treatment was more effective than ultrasound in producing biologically active postbiotics from B. lactis BB-12. The enhanced functional properties observed in heat-inactivated preparations underscore thermal processing as a robust method for postbiotic production. These findings highlight the potential of heat-derived postbiotics as active bioingredients for microbiota-targeted functional foods and nutraceuticals. Further in vivo validation and standardization efforts are needed to fully demonstrate their therapeutic potential and support regulatory approval.

Indexed as

BifidobacteriumBifidobacterium animalisProbioticsFatty Acids, VolatileHot TemperatureLacticaseibacillus caseiMicrobial ViabilityUltrasonic WavesFatty Acids, VolatileHeat treatmentParaprobioticPostbioticProbioticShort chain fatty acidUltrasound

Identifiers

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.