Mutant bifidobacteria strains with acid, bile salt and oxygen tolerance

Abstract

Bifidobacteria strains and mutants thereof having tolerance in the gastrointestinal environments and to a method for culturing the same. Strains of the invention include Bifidobacterium longum ATCC No.(s) 55815, 55816, 55817 and 55818. All of which have tolerances against bile salt, acid and oxygen and which have been obtained through mutagenesis and screening for tolerances against bile salt, acid and oxygen by using acid tolerant using acid-tolerant Bifidobacterium longum Y1 and Y2 strains (ATCC 55813 and 55814). These strains can be isolated from healthy infant feces as the parent strains. Further, an isolated Bifidobacterium mutant strain which grows aerobically, is ten times more tolerant to hydrochloric acid at a pH of 1.5 to 4.5 and is also tolerant to oxgall at 0.3% in a culture medium is disclosed. The strains show excellent growth under aerobic condition in the presence of skim milk without supplement of other growth promoting substances. The oxygen-tolerant property of the strains makes them useful for industrial production. In addition, food products containing the strains are also disclosed.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.