Abstract
This study focuses on the effects of 5 prebiotics (low and high molecular weight dextrans, fructo-oligosaccharides, inulin and lactulose) on 6 bifidobacteria strains ( Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis , B. animalis subsp. animalis , B. bifidum , B. breve , B. longum subsp. infantis and B. longum ) in a laboratory medium. Two different assays were conducted (a growth experiment-for all the strains-and a survival assay-for B. animalis subsp. lactis and B. breve ). Glucose was used as positive control. Growth assay pinpointed that lactulose could be successfully used to promote bifidobacteria and attain a growth index for B. animalis subsp. animalis and B. longum subsp. infantis higher than with glucose. Concerning the bifidogenic effect, it is not clear if it could be observed also during the death phase, as we recovered a beneficial effect for B. breve but not for B. animalis subsp. lactis .
Highlights
According to the definition of Gibson and Roberfroid (1995) a prebiotic is a non-digestible food ingredient which beneficially affects the host by selectively stimulating the growth and/or activating the metabolism of one or limited number of health promoting bacteria in the intestinal tract, improving the host's intestinal balance
A symbiotic is defined as a mixture of prebiotics and probiotics that beneficially affects the host by improving the survival and implantation of live microbial dietary supplements in the gastrointestinal tract by selectively stimulating the growth and/or promoting the metabolism of one or of a limited number of health-promoting bacteria and improving the health of the host (Gibson and Roberfroid, 1995)
Strains: This study focused on six different strains of Bifidobacterium spp., purchased from a Public Collection (Deutsche Sammlung von Mikroorganismem und Zellkulturen’s collection-DSM, Braunschweig, Germany): B. animalis subsp. lactis (DSM 10140); B. animalis subsp. animalis (DSM 20104); B. bifidum (DSM 20456); B. breve (DSM 20213); B. longum subsp. infantis (DSM 20088); B. longum subsp. longum (DSM 20218)
Summary
Guo (2009) reported some compounds in the list of prebiotic: fructans, inulin, fiber gums, isomaltooligosaccharides, lactitol, lactosucrose, lactulose, oligofructose, pyrodextrins, soy-oligosaccharides, transgalacto-oligosacharides, xylo-oligosaccharides.The interest toward prebiotic compounds increased in the last decade, as they were proposed and used as functional compounds in the "symbiotic" products or as ingredients in different foods (dairy products, frozen desserts, table spreads, baked goods and breads, breakfast cereals, fruit preparations, meat products and chocolate) (Bottazzi, 2004; Debon et al, 2010; Gonzalez et al, 2011; Guo, 2009; Lee et al, 1999; Rodrigues et al, 2011).A symbiotic is defined as a mixture of prebiotics and probiotics that beneficially affects the host by improving the survival and implantation of live microbial dietary supplements in the gastrointestinal tract by selectively stimulating the growth and/or promoting the metabolism of one or of a limited number of health-promoting bacteria and improving the health of the host (Gibson and Roberfroid, 1995).Several oligosaccharides, like fructooligosaccharides (FOS), raffinose and galactooligosaccharides (Altieri et al, 2013; Dinoto et al, 2006a, 2006b; Rossi et al, 2005) are known to act as prebiotics towards bifidobacteria. The interest toward prebiotic compounds increased in the last decade, as they were proposed and used as functional compounds in the "symbiotic" products or as ingredients in different foods (dairy products, frozen desserts, table spreads, baked goods and breads, breakfast cereals, fruit preparations, meat products and chocolate) (Bottazzi, 2004; Debon et al, 2010; Gonzalez et al, 2011; Guo, 2009; Lee et al, 1999; Rodrigues et al, 2011). A symbiotic is defined as a mixture of prebiotics and probiotics that beneficially affects the host by improving the survival and implantation of live microbial dietary supplements in the gastrointestinal tract by selectively stimulating the growth and/or promoting the metabolism of one or of a limited number of health-promoting bacteria and improving the health of the host (Gibson and Roberfroid, 1995). Species from the genus Bifidobacterium (B. animalis subsp. lactis, B. breve and B. longum) are commonly regarded to as probiotics, for their safety record and effects on human health (Guo, 2009)
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