Probiotic fermented food mixtures: possible applications in clinical anti-diarrhoea usage.

A probiotic fermented PCMT food mixture was developed by fermentation of an autoclaved and cooled slurry of pearl millet flour, chickpea flour, skim milk powder and fresh tomato pulp (PCMT 2:1:1:1, w/w) with Lactobacillus acidophilus (10(5) cells/ml), a probiotic organism at 37 degrees C for 24 h. Such a fermented mixture inhibited the growth of pathogenic organisms, namely Shigella dysenteriae, Salmonella typhosa and E. coli. A significant decline in pH with a corresponding increase in titratable acidity due to probiotic fermentation occurred in the developed food mixture. Feeding of the freshly developed fermented mixture to mice suffering from E. coli induced diarrhoea, could help to arrest diarrhoea, reduce moisture, protein and ash contents in their faeces. The counts of lactobacilli increased whereas those of E. coli decreased remarkably in the faeces of mice from the 3rd day of the feeding trial till the end of experimental period. The beneficial effect of probiotic feeding may be due to antimicrobial substances produced by L. acidophilus, which might have neutralized the enterotoxins from E. coli. The cost of one 200 ml glass full of this probiotic drink is no more than one rupee.