title: Labeling quality and molecular characterization studies of products containing Lactobacillus spp. strains.
abstract: The objective of the study was to characterize at species level by phenotypic and different molecular methods the strains of Lactobacillus spp. used as constituents of five oral and four vaginal products. Susceptibilities to representative antibiotics were evaluated. In addition, total viable counts at mid and 3 months to deadline of shelf life, in the different formulations and the presence of eventual contaminant microorganisms were investigated.In all oral products the molecular characterization at species level of the strains of Lactobacillus spp. confirmed the strains stated on the label, except for one strain cited on the label as Lactobacillus casei, that our study characterized as Lactobacillus paracasei. In oral products total viable cell content complied with content claimed on the label. In three out four vaginal products (one product claimed "bacillo di Döderlein"), molecular characterization complied with the bacterial name stated on the label. Two vaginal products reported viable counts on the label that were confirmed by our study. The other vaginal products, which did not report bacterial counts on the label, showed a similar decrease of viable counts at different dates to deadline compared to the others. From all the tested products, contaminant microorganisms and acquired resistance to representative antibiotics by the probiotic strains were not detected.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche e Biotecnologiche, Sezione di Microbiologia, Università degli Studi di Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Blandino
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche e Biotecnologiche, Sezione di Microbiologia, Università degli Studi di Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fazio
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche e Biotecnologiche, Sezione di Microbiologia, Università degli Studi di Catania, Catania, Italy IRCCS San Raffaele Pisana, BioBIM - Multidisciplinary Interinstitutional BioBank, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Giulio Petronio
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Petronio
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche e Biotecnologiche, Sezione di Microbiologia, Università degli Studi di Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Rosanna
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Inturri
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche e Biotecnologiche, Sezione di Microbiologia, Università degli Studi di Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Gianna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tempera
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche e Biotecnologiche, Sezione di Microbiologia, Università degli Studi di Catania, Catania, Italy furneri@unict.it.
authors.forename: Pio Maria
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Furneri
mesh_terms: D058491:Bacterial Load; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D005516:Food Microbiology; D007778:Lactobacillus / Q000187:drug effects*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D019936:Probiotics
keywords: Lactobacillus spp.; label quality; molecular characterization; oral and vaginal products