This research intended to examine the health-promoting potential of probiotics isolated and preserved from local dairy and non-dairy products. Eight isolates were identified, with four selected for further analysis based on colony morphology and genotypic identification. The detected isolates were found gram-positive, catalase-negative, and had distinct colony morphologies. Their growing conditions in MRS broth were optimized. All of the bacterial species showed robust growth at a temperature of 37°C, with the exception of Vagococcus fluvialis, which displayed optimal growth at 45°C. Lactobacillus furfuricola exhibited anti-acne potential against Propionibacterium acnes, resulting in a 17.4 mm growth inhibition zone. Yogurt formation varied with bacterial inoculation and milk type. Additionally, antibiotic susceptibility patterns also varied across the isolates. Enterococcus faecium and L. furfuricola exhibited the highest proteolytic activity, yielding casein hydrolysis zones up to 34.66 mm and 40.50 mm, respectively, in their cell-free culture fluids. L. furfuricola showed the greatest survivability in simulated salivary fluid (SSF) at 0 and 2 minutes, while V. fluvialis showed the greatest survivability in simulated gastric fluid (SGF) and simulated intestinal fluid (SIF) at 0 minutes and 2 hours. Inoculum size optimization for fruit peel extracts showed variable growth preferences; all the isolates also grew well in the extracts of different fruits and dry fruit peels. The probiotics also expressed free radical-scavenging activity in MRS as well as in biowaste-based media. These findings can be exploited for the potential of probiotic strains from fruit peels in enhancing health-promoting properties.

Keywords: Antioxidant; Anti Propionibacterium acnes; Fruit peel extracts: GIT simulation; Probiotics.