A Novel <i>Lactobacillus strain</i> with Alcohol Degradation Capability and Its Beneficial Effects on the Alleviation of Alcohol Intolerance

Alcohol consumption has a long-standing global history, while alcohol intolerance is a metabolic disorder syndrome characterized by a range of discomfort-related symptoms. The effective strategies to alleviate alcohol intolerance remain an unmet medical need. In this study, multiple lactic acid bacteria (LAB) probiotic strains were isolated from pickles and evaluated for their alcohol degradation capacity through in vitro catabolic assays. Among them, the strain exhibiting the highest ethanol degradation capacity was identified and designated as Lactobacillus plantarum A2 (LpA2). The ethanol metabolism by LpA2 was subsequently evaluated by co-culture with mouse ileal contents and further validated in a pilot clinical study involving 9 volunteers. Results demonstrated that LpA2 strain possesses a remarkable capability to facilitate ethanol metabolism both in vitro &amp; in vivo. Combined with genomic sequencing data and an excellent safety profile, LpA2 displays promising translational potential as a novel food ingredient or product.