ABSTRACT
194Although bifidobacteria has been suggested to be beneficial for the host and is component of many probiotics and competitive exclusion mixtures, the knowledge on abundance and their probiotic characteristic such as survivability in simulated intestinal fluids in isolates from local breast-fed and formulated infant feces is still limited. The present study was aimed to isolate Bifidobacterium strains from breast-fed and formulated infant feces and characterized the isolates based on their morphology, catalase activity, and survivability in acidic as well as simulated gastric (SGF)/ simulated intestinal fluid (SIF). About 25 fecal samples were collected and all isolates were grown for 48 hours, anaerobically in Man Rogosa and Sharp (MRS) with L-cystein (pH 6.4). Only isolates with rod and Y-shape morphology and catalase negative were selected for survivability test in acidic environments (pH 1, 2, and 3) as well as for survivability in intestinal and gastrointestinal fluids (SGF and SIF). From 68 isolates, 35 isolates were chosen based on their microscopic morphology. Out of 35 isolates, 33 isolates were found to be catalase negative. Among all 33 isolates selected, 17 isolates were shown a promising survivability in acidic environment as well as in SGF and SIF. Those 17 isolates were selected for further work on probiotic characteristics and molecular identification.
