Chive-Fortified Fermentation Enhances Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid Production by Levilactobacillus brevis PL9014

This study presents a novel approach for significantly enhancing gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) production by supplementing glutamate-containing media with chive (Allium tuberosum) during fermentation with Levilactobacillus brevis PL9014. L. brevis PL9014 demonstrated superior GABA conversion efficiency within two days. In the presence of 1% chive (w/v), the strain produced 13.22 g/L GABA with 5% glutamate (w/v) and some residual substrate, and 10.65 g/L (w/v) GABA with 2% (w/v) glutamate with no detectable residual glutamate. The fermentation was performed at 37 °C without aeration. The resulting product contained high GABA concentration alongside bioactive components from fermented chives, making it suitable for functional foods, dietary supplements, animal feed additives, and cosmetic formulations. This chive-fortified process is cost-effective, environmentally compatible, and readily scalable, providing a practical platform for industrial GABA production without additional post-fermentation glutamate removal. The findings offer a novel approach for optimizing microbial GABA production using plant-based substrates.

Keywords : chive; GABA; glutamate; Levilactobacillus brevis; psychobiotic;