Identification of Bioactive Compounds Produced by Probiotic Bacillus coagulans Using Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry

Metabolites from probiotic bacteria are gaining wider recognition as bioactive compounds having possible applications in the food, pharmaceutical, and healthcare sectors. Of these, Bacillus coagulans is one of the spore-producing probiotics recognized for its robustness and physiological benefits; however, there is a lack of information regarding the chemical diversity of these bacteria. This study aims to identify the bioactive compounds produced by B. coagulans (MTCC 9872) through the process of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Ethyl acetate, benzene, chloroform, hexane, and methanol were used to obtain the extracts of 4-day-old cultures. A total of 32 metabolites have been identified from diverse classes of chemicals including organic acids, hydrocarbons, carbohydrates, amino acid derivatives, phenols, and esters. Glycerol, azelaic acid, deoxyspergualin, and 2,4-di-tert-butylphenol are some of the important chemicals with antimicrobial, antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulating, and antitumor activities. The current findings confirm that B. coagulans has potential applications in producing functional foods, nutraceuticals, and therapeutic products.