Metabolic disorders caused by the imbalance of gut microbiota have been associated with the consumption of processed foods. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of antimicrobial food additives (benzoate, sorbate, nitrite, and bisulfite) and sweeteners (saccharin, stevia, sucralose, aspartame, and cyclamate) on the growth and metabolism of some gut and potentially probiotic bacterial species. The effects on the growth of Bifidobacterium longum, Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus acidophilus, and Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis cultures were investigated using a turbidimetric test and by determining the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC). To evaluate the metabolic activity, the cultures were exposed to compounds with the highest antimicrobial activity, subjected to cultivation with inulin (1.5%), and analyzed by liquid chromatography for the production of short-chain fatty acids (acetate, propionate, and butyrate). The results showed that potassium sorbate (25 mg/mL), sodium bisulfite (0.7 mg/mL), sodium benzoate, and saccharin (5 mg/mL) presented greater antimicrobial activity against the studied species. L. lactis and L. acidophilus bacteria had reduced short-chain fatty acid production after exposure to saccharin and sorbate, and B. longum after exposure to sorbate, in comparison to controls (acetic acid reduction 1387 μg/mL and propionic 23 μg/mL p < 0.05).
