Scientists discovered a new way to grow beneficial bacteria and yeast together using a special plant called halophyte. When they combined certain types of bacteria with specific yeasts, they created more probiotics (good bacteria for your gut) and postbiotics (helpful substances bacteria produce). The best combination produced lots of protein and vitamin B12. This method could help create affordable, natural health supplements in the future. The research shows that bacteria and yeast work better together than alone, especially when conditions are just right.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Whether growing beneficial bacteria and yeast together in a special plant-based liquid could produce more probiotics and healthy compounds than growing them separately.
  • Who participated: Laboratory experiments testing six different yeast strains and two types of beneficial bacteria. No human participants were involved—this was basic science research.
  • Key finding: When Bacillus coagulans bacteria were grown with Kluyveromyces marxianus yeast, they produced 17.5 grams of cell material, 6.9 grams of protein, and 42.2 milligrams of vitamin B12 per liter. This was significantly better than growing them separately.
  • What it means for you: This research suggests future probiotic supplements might be made more efficiently and affordably using this bacteria-yeast combination method. However, this is early-stage research—it hasn’t been tested in humans yet, so don’t expect new products immediately.

The Research Details

Scientists conducted laboratory experiments to test how different combinations of beneficial bacteria and yeast could grow together. They started by testing six different yeast strains to see which ones grew best and used nutrients most efficiently. Then they paired the best-performing yeasts with two types of beneficial bacteria (Bacillus coagulans and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum) to see how they worked together.

The researchers tested different conditions, like how much bacteria and yeast to add at the start and how long to let them grow. They measured the amount of cells produced, protein created, and vitamin B12 made. They also analyzed what was happening chemically in the growth medium to understand why some combinations worked better than others.

The study used a special plant-based liquid called halophyte hydrolysate as the growth medium. This is important because it’s a sustainable, plant-based alternative to traditional growth materials, making the process more environmentally friendly.

Understanding how bacteria and yeast interact when grown together is crucial for developing better, cheaper ways to make probiotics and health supplements. Most current methods grow bacteria or yeast separately, which is less efficient. This research shows that combining them can improve production, which could eventually lead to more affordable health products for consumers.

This is laboratory-based research published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal (Bioresource Technology), which means other experts reviewed it before publication. The researchers used specific, identified strains of bacteria and yeast, making the work reproducible. However, this is early-stage research conducted in controlled lab conditions—it hasn’t been tested in real-world manufacturing or in humans yet. The study doesn’t specify exact sample sizes for all experiments, which is typical for this type of laboratory research but means some results should be considered preliminary.

What the Results Show

The best combination was Bacillus coagulans bacteria paired with Kluyveromyces marxianus yeast. This pairing produced impressive amounts of useful materials: 17.5 grams of dried cell material, 6.9 grams of protein, and 42.2 milligrams of vitamin B12 per liter of growth medium. These numbers were significantly higher than when bacteria or yeast were grown alone.

The researchers found that timing and starting amounts mattered a lot. When they increased the initial amount of bacteria and yeast to 10% of the total liquid and let them grow for 72 hours (3 days), they got the best results. This longer growth period allowed the microorganisms to use up all the available nutrients in the plant-based liquid.

Interestingly, not all bacteria-yeast combinations worked well. When Lactiplantibacillus plantarum bacteria were paired with yeasts, the results were actually worse than growing them separately. This shows that not all bacteria and yeast work well together—the specific combination matters greatly.

The researchers discovered that the yeast played an important role by reducing acidity in the growth medium. This created better conditions for the bacteria to grow and reduced stress on the microorganisms. Essentially, the yeast was acting like a protective helper, making the environment more suitable for bacterial growth.

The study identified three yeast strains that were particularly good at consuming different types of nutrients and producing lots of cells: Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Kluyveromyces marxianus, and Cyberlindnera jadinii. These findings could help scientists choose the best yeasts for future experiments. The research also showed that the bacteria-yeast combinations worked well even without completely sterile conditions, which is important for potential industrial applications where maintaining perfect sterility is expensive and difficult.

This research builds on previous work showing that probiotics and postbiotics are beneficial for health. However, most earlier studies focused on growing bacteria alone. This work is novel because it systematically explores how bacteria and yeast can work together to produce more of these beneficial compounds. The use of halophyte (salt-loving plant) hydrolysate as a growth medium is also relatively new and represents a sustainable alternative to traditional production methods.

This study was conducted entirely in laboratory conditions with controlled bacteria and yeast strains. Real-world manufacturing is much more complex. The research hasn’t been tested in humans, so we don’t know if the probiotics and postbiotics produced this way would actually benefit people’s health. The study also didn’t specify exact sample sizes for all experiments, making it harder to assess the reliability of some findings. Additionally, the cost-effectiveness of this method compared to current industrial production hasn’t been evaluated. Finally, the long-term stability and viability of the products produced haven’t been tested.

The Bottom Line

Based on this research, scientists should pursue further development of bacteria-yeast co-cultivation methods for probiotic production. The evidence suggests this approach is promising (moderate confidence level). However, the next steps should include testing in actual manufacturing conditions and eventually in human studies to confirm health benefits. Consumers should not expect new products based on this research in the immediate future—this is foundational science that needs significant additional development.

This research is most relevant to scientists, biotechnology companies, and supplement manufacturers looking for more efficient ways to produce probiotics. People interested in sustainable, plant-based health products should find this encouraging, as it suggests future alternatives to current production methods. However, this research is not yet ready for individual consumers to act on—it’s still in the laboratory stage.

If development proceeds smoothly, it could take 3-5 years for this technology to move from laboratory to pilot manufacturing, and another 2-3 years for human testing and regulatory approval. Realistically, new consumer products based on this specific research are probably 5-10 years away, if they’re developed at all.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Once probiotic products based on this research become available, users could track their daily probiotic intake (in CFU or grams) and monitor digestive health markers like regularity, bloating, and energy levels using a simple daily checklist.
  • When new products become available, users could set a daily reminder to consume the probiotic supplement at the same time each day, which helps establish consistent habits and may improve effectiveness.
  • Users could maintain a 4-week tracking log noting any changes in digestive comfort, energy levels, or overall wellness. This personal tracking helps identify whether the product is working for their individual body, since probiotic effects vary between people.

This research is laboratory-based and has not been tested in humans. The findings are preliminary and represent early-stage scientific work. No probiotic or postbiotic products based on this specific research are currently available to consumers. Anyone considering probiotic supplements should consult with a healthcare provider, especially if they have digestive conditions, compromised immune systems, or are taking medications. This article is for educational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Always speak with a doctor before starting any new supplement regimen.