Effect of oligosaccharides on the growth of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus strains isolated from dairy products.

Eighteen lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains isolated from dairy products, all identified as Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus, were tested for their ability to grow on three different oligosaccharides: fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS), gluco-oligosaccharides (GOS) and galacto-oligosaccharides (GalOS). The growth of LAB on different oligosaccharides was very different. Study of the antimicrobial activities of these LAB indicated that the system of uptake of unusual sugars influenced in a specific way the production of antimicrobial substances (bacteriocins) specific against gram-negative bacteria. The added oligosaccharides induced LAB to form end-products of a typical mixed acid fermentation. The utilization of different types of oligosaccharides may help to explain the ability of Lactobacillus strains to compete with other bacteria in the ecosystem of the human gastro-intestinal tract.