Investigation of the Probiotic Properties of Bacterial Strains from Two Probiotic Drinks and Their Survivability in Artificial Gastric Juice
Investigation of the probiotic properties of bacterial strains from two probiotic drinks and their survivability in artificial gastric juice
ABSTRACT: Two probiotic drinks were investigated in vitro to test their ability to survive acidic conditions and their probiotic factors. Both the products: Actimel and Yakult contain gram-positive bacteria, but Actimel also has a gram-negative bacteria. The ability to survive was investigated by adding artificial gastric juice to the products and incubating at different times. Actimel and Yakult were both able to survive the gastric juice. Actimel produced more colonies than Yakult but they both lost the same percentage of viability. The longer the time incubated the more the loss of viability.
Introduction:
In recent years health promoting functional foods has entered the global market as a result of increased prevalence of lifestyle related diseases (A. A. Aramide et al, 2009). People use functional foods and diet to maintain optimal health. Consumption of probiotics is one of the ways someone could reach and maintain their optimal health. A probiotic is “living microorganisms, which upon ingestion in certain numbers, exert health benefits beyond inherent basic nutrition” (Todd R. Klaenhammer, 2000). According to the WHO/FAO report 2001 these probiotics can help prevent disorders associated with the gastrointestinal tract, diarrhoea caused by certain pathogenic bacteria and viruses, inflammatory diseases, allergies and a lot more. Actimel and Yakult is a couple of the said probiotic drinks. They claim to increase your body’s natural defences by fighting off the “bad” bacteria.
Actimel is a yogurt-type drink produced by a company called Danone™. It has three strains of bacteria, two traditional yoghurt cultures: Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophiles and a third one called L. casei Imunitass® (http://www.actimel.co.uk/About/-WhatIsActimel.aspx, Accessed Feb, 28, 2010). Lactobacillus is a genus of
ABSTRACT: Two probiotic drinks were investigated in vitro to test their ability to survive acidic conditions and their probiotic factors. Both the products: Actimel and Yakult contain gram-positive bacteria, but Actimel also has a gram-negative bacteria. The ability to survive was investigated by adding artificial gastric juice to the products and incubating at different times. Actimel and Yakult were both able to survive the gastric juice. Actimel produced more colonies than Yakult but they both lost the same percentage of viability. The longer the time incubated the more the loss of viability.
Introduction:
In recent years health promoting functional foods has entered the global market as a result of increased prevalence of lifestyle related diseases (A. A. Aramide et al, 2009). People use functional foods and diet to maintain optimal health. Consumption of probiotics is one of the ways someone could reach and maintain their optimal health. A probiotic is “living microorganisms, which upon ingestion in certain numbers, exert health benefits beyond inherent basic nutrition” (Todd R. Klaenhammer, 2000). According to the WHO/FAO report 2001 these probiotics can help prevent disorders associated with the gastrointestinal tract, diarrhoea caused by certain pathogenic bacteria and viruses, inflammatory diseases, allergies and a lot more. Actimel and Yakult is a couple of the said probiotic drinks. They claim to increase your body’s natural defences by fighting off the “bad” bacteria.
Actimel is a yogurt-type drink produced by a company called Danone™. It has three strains of bacteria, two traditional yoghurt cultures: Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophiles and a third one called L. casei Imunitass® (http://www.actimel.co.uk/About/-WhatIsActimel.aspx, Accessed Feb, 28, 2010). Lactobacillus is a genus of