Integration of In Vitro Approaches With Whole‐Genome Sequencing to Evaluate the Probiotic Potential of Lactic Acid Bacteria Isolated From <i>Thit Chua</i> : A Traditional Fermented Sour Meat in Northwest Vietnam

Human demand for safe and high‐quality fermented meat products has been increasing, emphasizing the need to develop innovative production approaches that incorporate functional starter cultures. This study investigated the biodiversity of culturable lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in thit chua , a traditional fermented pork meat locally produced by the Muong ethnic group in northwest Vietnam, and screened for potential autochthonous LAB strains with desirable probiotic, technological, and safety characteristics that can be formulated as starter cultures for thit chua production. Of nine thit chua samples collected, 89 LAB strains were isolated and identified into 24 species across eight genera. Latilactobacillus plantarum and Pediococcus pentosaceus were the predominant species, followed by L . brevis , L . curvatus , L . sakei , and Weissella paramesenteroides . These strains were evaluated in vitro for tolerance to simulated gastrointestinal conditions, adhesion to HT‐29 cells, antagonistic activity against enteric pathogenic bacteria, purine degradation, growth at different temperatures, lactic acid production, absence of gas production, absence of biogenic amine formation, and antibiotic susceptibility. Two strains, designated L . plantarum TPM 14.2 and P . pentosaceus TPM 16.9, demonstrated greater probiotic, functional, technological, and safety profiles. Integration with whole‐genome sequencing analysis confirmed accurate species identification, clarified their genetic relationship with other L . plantarum and P . pentosaceus strains originating from fermented meats worldwide, and revealed genes associated with probiotic properties. These findings indicate that the two selected strains are promising candidates for use as functional starter cultures to improve the quality and safety of thit chua fermentation.