Back
Science

Study examines fermentation's effects on bioactive lipids in plant-based dairy alternatives

Generated on: Last updated: 1 sources
View source

Fermentation's Impact on Lipids in Oat and Soy Dairy Alternatives

A study published in the journal Nutrients examined how fermentation affects bioactive lipids in commercial oat- and soy-based dairy alternatives.

Fermentation increased total lipid content in the beverages and was associated with shifts in fatty acid profiles and antiplatelet activity.

Key Findings on Lipid Content and Composition

Researchers investigated lipids' ability to prevent platelet aggregation in response to inflammatory molecules like platelet-activating factor (PAF) and adenosine-5'-diphosphate (ADP).

  • Unfermented oat and soy beverages had comparable total lipid content, with amphiphilic compounds (phospholipids and glycolipids) predominating in both.
  • Total amphiphilic lipid content in the unfermented oat beverage was 3.3 g/100 g, compared to 0.3 g/100 g of total lipophilic content.
  • Fermentation increased total lipids in beverages. Fermented soy yogurt-type drinks averaged 4.5 g of total lipids per 100 g, compared to 3.8 g per 100 g in nonfermented drinks.

Changes in Bioactive Compounds

Antioxidant activity varied by assay and was often highest in specific fractions, including the lipophilic fraction of unfermented beverages, especially oat beverages.

  • Phenolic content in the lipophilic fraction of soy yogurt increased following fermentation, while it decreased in oat yogurt.
  • Carotenoids were concentrated within the amphiphilic fraction across all beverages. Fermentation increased carotenoid concentrations in both soy and oat products, particularly in yogurt-type samples.

Anti-Inflammatory and Antiplatelet Effects

Unfermented soy drinks have an anti-inflammatory unsaturated fatty acid ratio, while oat drinks have a more pro-inflammatory ratio. Fermentation was associated with a more favorable ratio in both.

  • The amphiphilic fraction showed strong antiplatelet activity in tested models, irrespective of fermentation and drink type. Soy yogurt had the highest activity among all samples.
  • Platelet responses via the ADP pathway showed mixed results with fermentation: soy yogurt showed enhanced antiplatelet activity, while oat yogurt showed reduced activity compared to its non-fermented counterpart.
  • Fermentation-associated differences in activity are linked to structural changes across multiple molecules, including changes in phosphatidylcholine structure and shifts in fatty acid composition.

Study Limitations

The authors note the study is preliminary, based on in vitro and ex vivo assays of commercial products rather than controlled human or clinical studies.

Future studies are required to confirm whether fermentation-driven changes are associated with meaningful health benefits in humans and to clarify underlying mechanisms.