Gurvinder Singh Kocher

Heavy metals are obnoxious pollutants that are detrimental to humans and other species and constitute a menace to the ecosystem’s stability. The pres

The present study investigates the techno‐functional and biosafety potential of Meyerozyma guilliermondii YB1 (OQ832654) as a novel starter culture for functional foods. M. guilliermondii YB1 exhibited xylanase and phytase activity, with an activity index (AI) of 0.66 and 0.21, respectively. Antimicrobial assays demonstrated inhibition against Escherichia coli MTCC 3222, Salmonella typhimurium MTCC 3224, and Aspergillus sp. CTS1, confirming its potential in food preservation. Furthermore, the yeast efficiently fermented a broad range of carbohydrates required for food fermentations. Auto‐aggregation increased from 25% at 2 h to 96.04% at 72 h, while hydrophobicity ranged from 38.54% to 66.16%, indicating strong gut adhesion properties. Growth at 37°C followed a normal sigmoidal curve, with optimal proliferation up to 48 h. Bile salt tolerance (0.3%) and acid resistance (pH 2.5–3.5) further confirmed its survival under gastrointestinal conditions. The non‐pathogenicity of M. guilliermondii YB1 was confirmed through antifungal susceptibility testing, absence of gelatinase, DNase activity, and a negative Congo red binding test, thereby supporting its use as a reliable functional food starter. Collectively, these attributes establish M. guilliermondii YB1 as a promising candidate for functional food applications, offering improved digestibility, food safety, and health benefits.

The present study was carried out with the objective of exploiting a yeast culture YB1, characterised as Meyerozyma guilliermondii, to produce type II sourdough using all-purpose wheat flour. After optimisation using Face-centered Central Composite Design (FCCD), the fermentation parameters viz. inoculum size (%) and fermentation time (h) were found to be 11% (v/v) and 48 h, respectively, for minimum total sugars concentration and pH. Further, the type II sourdough was characterized under optimized conditions for biochemical, rheological, microbiological and volatilome profile. The results revealed reduction of fermentable carbohydrates (30–95%); viscosity (60%); phytic acid (64%) alongwith enhancement of total antioxidant activity (113%) after type II sourdough fermentation. Further, a total of 34 volatile compounds were detected with maximum concentration of butanoic acid which enhances aroma and aids to improve the shelf life of the sourdough.