Probiotic Properties of Bifidobacteria Isolated from Feces of Infants

Abstract

Bifidobacteria are a prototype probiotic, which normally inhabit the intestinal tract of humans. In the present study, four species of Bifidobacterium isolated from the feces of infants were characterized. The tolerance for acid or bile salt, autoaggregation, and antibiotic resistance of the bacteria were examined. The four species were resistant to low pH, bile salts, and up to 3% bile acid. Autoaggregation rates were as high as 90%. The bacteria were consistently resistant to gentamicin, kanamycin, streptomycin, ciprofloxacin, and nalidixic acid. Due to their tolerance to environmental factors like acid and bile salts, B. longum MG723, B. breve MG729, B. bifidum MG731, and B. animalis subsp. lactis MG741 are potentially valuable as probiotics and may be useful for industrial application.