Screening, isolation, and identification of Latilactobacillus sakei strains from kimchi with potential probiotic properties.

UNLABELLED: The study aimed to screen 40 lactic acid bacterial isolates from kimchi types to isolate Latilactobacillus (L.) sakei strains for their probiotic potential. Based on random amplified polymorphic DNA-based initial screening, 16 S rRNA-based phylogeny, and species-specific PCR, three sakei strains (RKA, RKC, and TAB) were selected for evaluating their probiotic and functional attributes. The selected strains demonstrated probiotic characteristics, including acid tolerance (33-85%), bile salt tolerance (49-68%), cell surface hydrophobicity with ethyl acetate (11.5-25.6%) and hexane (21.0-47.4%), and auto-aggregation (12.6-44.0%). The safety of strains was assessed by γ-hemolytic activity and susceptibility to most tested antibiotics, including carbenicillin, clindamycin, chloramphenicol, ampicillin, erythromycin, and tetracycline, with resistance to cefoxitin and metronidazole. Both crude and cell-free supernatants (CFSs) of selected strains were tested for antimicrobial and antioxidant activities, as well as for cytotoxic effects against human colon adenocarcinoma (Caco-2) cells. CFSs displayed DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities of 34.1-37.9% and 41.6-43.1%, whereas the crude ranged from 3.9 to 8.7% and 11.0-17.3%, respectively, supported by the presence of the sod and katA genes. All strains showed good resistance to hydrogen peroxide at various concentrations. Notably, RKC showed superior antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Candida albicans, compared to RKA and TAB. No significant cytotoxicity was observed in Caco-2 cells. In summary, these findings indicate the probiotic potential of L. sakei isolates and the preliminary functional properties of their CFSs; further genome-based characterization of selected strains is warranted. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at https://doi.org/10.1007/s13205-026-04978-7.