Lactobacillus plantarum P2R3FA isolated from traditional cereal-based fermented food increase folate status in deficient rats Tamene, A. Baye, K. Kariluoto, S. Edelmann, M. Bationo, F. Leconte, N. /Humblot, Christèle bioavailability cereal fermentation folate lactic acid bacteria rats Folate deficiencies are widespread around the world. Promoting consumption of folate-rich foods could be a sustainable option to alleviate this problem. However, these foods are not always available. Cereals, being a staple food, could contribute to folate intake. They are fermented prior to consumption in many African countries, and fermentation can modify the folate content. In Ethiopia, injera is a widely consumed fermented flat bread. The main drivers of its fermentation are lactic acid bacteria (LAB). The aim of this work was to isolate and identify folate-producing LAB from injera fermented dough and to evaluate their ability to increase folate status after depletion in a rat model. Among the 162 strains isolated from 60 different fermentations, 19 were able to grow on a folate-free culture medium and produced 1 to 43 mu g/L (24 h, 30 degrees C incubation). The four highest folate producers belonged to the Lactobacillus plantarum species. The most productive strain was able to enhance folate status after depletion in a rat model, despite the relatively low folate content of the feed supplemented with the strain. Folate-producing L. plantarum strain has potential use as a commercial starter in injera production. 2019 text https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010077469 fdi:010077469 Tamene A., Baye K., Kariluoto S., Edelmann M., Bationo F., Leconte N., Humblot Christèle. Lactobacillus plantarum P2R3FA isolated from traditional cereal-based fermented food increase folate status in deficient rats. 2019, 11 (11), art. 2819 [11 p.] EN ETHIOPIE