Novel Fermented Plant-Based Functional Beverage: Biological Potential and Impact on the Human Gut Microbiota †

Abstract

Controlled fermentation carried out by selected starters might enhance the safety, nutritional, and biological profiles of non-dairy fermented products. This research aims to study the biological potential and impact on the human gut microbiota of a novel fermented finger millet-based product. Finger millet (Eleusine coracana), suspended in an aqueous sucrose-based solution, was fermented by Weissella confusa 2LABPT05 and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum 299v (1%, 1:1 ratio (v/v)), at 30 °C/200 rpm in an orbital incubator until pH ≈ 4.5–5.0. Microbial growth, phenolic compounds, antioxidant, and antidiabetic activities were evaluated. In vitro digestion followed by in vitro faecal fermentation were used to study the impact of the fermented plant-based functional beverage (PBFB) on the human gut microbiota. Antidiabetic activity (21% vs. 14%) and total phenolics (244 vs. 181 mg of gallic acid equivalents/kg PBFB) increased with fermentation. The digested fermented PBFB contributed to the increase, over the first 6 h, of the Bifidobacterium’s 16S rRNA gene copy numbers, concomitant with significant release of the acetic, propionic, and butyric short chain fatty acids, and also lactic acid. The novel PBFB has been shown to have antidiabetic potential and bifidogenic effects, and consequently its consumption might positively impact blood glucose levels and the human gut microbiota. © 2025 by the authors.