ABSTRACT: The growth rate of two probiotic strains with documented health effects was studied in ultra-high temperature treated milk separately and beside each other. The probiotic strains were Lactobacillus acidophilus (La-5) and Bifidobacterium lactis (Bb-12). Fermentation was followed for 12 h at 37 ˚C and the samples were analyzed for pH, titratable acidity and viable counts of probiotic ba...

Almond pudding is a common traditional Iranian complementary food for infants after starting solid foods. Escherichia coli O157:H7 is one of the leading pathogenic microorganisms that cause serious foodborne disease in different populations including infants. The large intestine of breast-fed infants is colonized predominantly by bifidobacteria, which have a protective effect against acute diar...

The presence of the genes engBF (endo-alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminidase) and afcA (1,2-alpha-L-fucosidase) was detected in several intestinal Bifidobacterium isolates. Two strains of Bifidobacterium bifidum contained both genes, and they were able to degrade high-molecular weight porcine mucin in vitro. The expression of both genes was highly induced in the presence of mucin.

Strains of Bifidobacterium longum, Bifidobacterium breve, and Bifidobacterium animalis are widely used as probiotics in the food industry. Although numerous studies have revealed the properties and functionality of these strains, it is uncertain whether these characteristics are species common or strain specific. To address this issue, we performed a comparative genomic analysis of 49 strains b...

Faecal and serum samples were collected over a period of 6 months from 55 institutionalized elderly subjects, who were enrolled in a double-blind placebo-controlled study. Participants were randomized in one of the three treatment groups: intervention (two probiotic Bifidobacterium longum strains: 2C and 46), placebo and commercial control (Bifidobacterium lactis Bb-12). The faecal Bifidobacter...

OBJECTIVES The tet(W) gene provides tetracycline resistance to a wide range of anaerobic intestinal and ruminal bacteria, but little is known about the molecular organization of the tet(W) gene. The aim of this study was to gain new insights into the molecular organization of the tet(W) gene in bifidobacteria strains from humans. METHODS A segment of DNA encompassing the whole tet(W) gene and...

Various foods may be used to deliver probiotic bacteria into the gastrointestinal tract; one such example is Requeijão, a Portuguese whey cheese. Survival and stability of Bifidobacterium animalis strains BLC-1, Bb-12, and Bo, Lactobacillus acidophilus strains LAC-1 and Ki, L. paracasei ssp. paracasei strain LCS-1 and L. brevis strain LMG 6906 inoculated into Requeijão, when exposed to simulate...

The intestinal overgrowth of Clostridium difficile, often after disturbance of the gut microbiota by antibiotic treatment, leads to C. difficile infection (CDI) which manifestation ranges from mild diarrhea to life-threatening conditions. The increasing CDI incidence, not only in compromised subjects but also in traditionally considered low-risk populations, together with the frequent relapses ...

Lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria were screened of their ability to ferment fructooligosaccharides (FOS) on MRS agar. Of 28 strains of lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria examined, 12 of 16 Lactobacillus strains and 7 of 8 Bifidobacterium strains fermented FOS. Only strains that gave a positive reaction by the agar method reached high cell densities in broth containing FOS.