Unraveling the safety and probiotic potential of a novel Pediococcus pentosaceus TMR-WJG from air-dried beef: Insights from whole-genome sequencing and functional characterization

TMR-WJG, a novel Pediococcus pentosaceus strain isolated from air-dried beef by our team, showed potential for use as a new probiotic. To clarify its genomic features, functional properties, and safety profile, whole-genome sequencing and phenotypic assays were performed in this study. Compared with ten other P. pentosaceus strains, the TMR-WJG genome (1,792,427 bp) contained 3,027 pan-genomic genes and 1,270 core genomic genes. Safety evaluation indicated no production of toxic or harmful metabolites and no hemolytic activity. Functional annotation showed major metabolic capacities related to carbohydrate, lipid, and amino acid metabolism. In addition, this strain exhibited a high CAZyme content, supporting efficient substrate utilization. Moreover, the enrichment of lipid metabolism pathways suggested a possible contribution to improving the flavor of fermented products. Probiotic property analysis showed strong gastrointestinal tolerance, antioxidant activity, antibacterial ability, and clear self-aggregation capacity. In the fermented chicken model, TMR-WJG increased LAB counts and significantly decreased pH, indicating its suitability for application in real food systems. These findings suggest that TMR-WJG has good probiotic potential and may be developed as a new probiotic strain.