Isolation and MALDI-TOF Characterization of a Potential Probiotic Yeast from Cow Colostrum and Sweet Potato for Gut Health

Abstract

The increasing demand for functional foods has encouraged the development of synbiotic formulations that combine probiotics and prebiotics to support gut health. Cow colostrum is rich in bioactive proteins, immunoglobulins, and growth factors, whereas sweet potato serves as a valuable prebiotic source due to its dietary fiber, resistant starch, and antioxidant content. The present study aimed to isolate and characterize beneficial microorganisms from a powdered mixture of cow colostrum and sweet potato for potential synbiotic applications. Microbial isolation was performed using serial dilution and culture-based techniques, followed by morphological and biochemical characterization. The isolate was evaluated for synbiotic properties including acid tolerance, salt tolerance, antimicrobial activity, and antibiotic susceptibility. Identification was carried out using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. Although lactic acid bacteria were initially expected, the predominant isolate was identified as Wickerhamomyces anomalus with MALDI score values indicating probable genus-level identification. The isolate demonstrated tolerance to acidic and saline conditions and showed antimicrobial activity against selected test organisms. These findings indicate that the cow colostrum sweet potato matrix supports beneficial yeast with potential synbiotic characteristics, warranting further molecular and functional validation.