Probiotic Potential of Phytase-Producing Yeasts Isolated from Palm Wine

Phytic acid is a major antinutritional factor that limits mineral bioavailability in plant-derived foods. The identification of microorganisms combining phytate-degrading capacity and probiotic properties is therefore of considerable interest for food and nutritional applications. In this study, the probiotic potential of thirteen phytase-producing yeast strains isolated from palm wine was evaluated. All isolates exhibited phytase activity, with hydrolysis halo diameters ranging from 0.18 ± 0.04 to 2.45 ± 0.07 cm. The highest phytase activities were recorded for Hanseniaspora guilliermondii RD31 (2.45 ± 0.07 cm), Hanseniaspora jakobsenii ADR3E1 (1.88 ± 0.04 cm) and Saccharomyces cerevisiae ADR1B1 (1.58 ± 0.04 cm). The strains were further assessed for tolerance to pH, temperature, sodium chloride, bile salts, pepsin and pancreatin, as well as for autoaggregation, coaggregation and cell surface hydrophobicity. All isolates survived simulated gastrointestinal conditions, with survival rates exceeding 87%, while ADR3E1 exhibited the highest resistance to pancreatin (96.15 ± 1.16%). Autoaggregation capacities after 24 h ranged from 78.40 ± 7.35% to 90.95 ± 8.56%, indicating strong adhesion-related potential. Hierarchical clustering analysis identified ADR1B1, ADR3E1 and RD31 as the most promising probiotic candidates, combining superior phytase activity with high tolerance to gastrointestinal stresses and favorable adhesion-related properties. These findings demonstrate that palm wine constitutes a valuable reservoir of multifunctional yeasts and highlight the potential of S. cerevisiae ADR1B1, H. jakobsenii ADR3E1 and H. guilliermondii RD31 for the development of probiotic cultures with phytate-degrading capacity for food and nutritional applications.