title: Probiotic and cultural characteristic of strainLactobacillus gasseri4/13 of human origin.
abstract: Lactobacillus gasseriwithin theLactobacillus acidophilusgroup is a major species in the human microflora. The potential probiotic properties of aL. gasseristrain of human origin were evaluated. Out of 17 studiedL. gasseristrains,L. gasseri4/13 showed the highest immunomodulatory effect (induction of interferon gamma measured by sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) in Balb/c mouse splenocytesin vitroand the highest rate of adhesion to Caco-2 human epithelial cells. The strain also reduced the concentration of cholesterol in the growth medium by 65% as compared with the initial concentration (measured spectrophotometrically). These probiotic properties indicate thatL. gasseri4/13 could prove an attractive concentrated adjunct monoculture in the production of new functional foods. To obtain a freeze-dried bacterial concentrate fromL. gasseri4/13, the influence of different culture media, temperatures and pH values on the accumulation of cell biomass was studied. Yoghurt samples were produced using a classical fermentation technology. Freeze-dried concentrated monoculture ofL. gasseri4/13 with over 1 × 1010CFU/g viable cells was added as an adjunct culture together with a starter. The viableL. gasseri4/13 cells remained above the critical value of 106CFU/g during storage at 5 °C for the entire 20-day period. Organoleptic tests did not reveal any adverse change in the product taste and aroma of yoghurt samples at the 20th day. In conclusion,L. gasseri4/13 was selected as having suitable probiotic and cultural characteristics for production of fermented milk products with high nutritional and biological value.
authors.affiliation: R & D Center, LB-Bulgaricum PLC , Sofia , Bulgaria.
authors.forename: Kalinka
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Baltova
authors.affiliation: R & D Center, LB-Bulgaricum PLC , Sofia , Bulgaria.
authors.forename: Zhechko
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Dimitrov
keywords: Lactobacillus gasseri; cultural characteristic; probiotic properties; yoghurt