Technical note: High-throughput method for antifungal activity screening in a cheese-mimicking model
Abstract
In this study, we developed a high-throughput antifungalactivity screening method using a cheese-mimicking
matrix distributed in 24-well plates. This method allowed rapid screening of a large variety of antifungal
agent candidates: bacterial fermented ingredients, bacterial isolates, and preservatives. Using the proposed
method, we characterized the antifungal activity of 44 lactic acid bacteria (LAB) fermented milk-based ingredients and 23 LAB isolates used as protective cultures against 4 fungal targets (Mucor racemosus, Penicillium commune, Galactomyces geotrichum, and Yarrowia lipolytica). We also used this method to determine the
minimum inhibitory concentration of a preservative, natamycin, against 9 fungal targets. The results underlined
the strain-dependency of LAB antifungal activity, the strong effect of fermentation substrate on this activity,
and the effect of the screening medium on natamycin minimum inhibitory concentration. Our method
could achieved a screening rate of 1,600 assays per week and can be implemented to evaluate antifungal activity
of microorganisms, fermentation products, or purified compounds compatible with dairy technology.