Utilization of prebiotic carbohydrates by yeasts of therapeutic relevance.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate 17 strains of therapeutically relevant strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (including 10 strains of so-called S. boulardii) isolated from various pharmaceutical products, feed supplements and brewer's yeast for their capability of utilizing selected carbohydrates of prebiotic importance.


RESULTS
Automated turbidimetric measurements and conventional test combinations were used to examine the basic sugar assimilation profiles of the test strains. It was shown that none of the so-called S. boulardii strains utilized galactose and palatinose. Among the prebiotic substrates, the yeasts indicated a pronounced preference for metabolizing the fructo-oligosaccharides.


CONCLUSIONS
Yeast strains of therapeutic relevance can be successfully combined with certain prebiotics in symbiotic formulations.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study may serve as a basis for the development of new pharmaceutical preparations for medical therapy and a better understanding of intestinal micro-ecology.
Mitterdorfer
G
G
Department of Dairy Research and Bacteriology, University of Agricultural Sciences, Gregor Mendel-Strasse 33, A-1180 Vienna, Austria.
Kneifel
W
W
Viernstein
H
H
D050260:Carbohydrate Metabolism; D007422:Intestines / Q000382:microbiology; D009391:Nephelometry and Turbidimetry; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000145:classification / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*