Application of an in vitro test system for the selection of probiotic bacterial strains

Abstract

The aim of our studies was to evaluate in vitro methods for the simple and efficient selection of putative probiotic bacterial strains. Of the possible methods, the following were tested: culturing on selective media, Gram staining, catalase assay, hemolytic, clonality and aggregation ability, gastric acid tolerance and bile acid tolerance. A total of 217 bacterial strains isolated from raw sheep’s milk, curdled milk and sheep’s cheese samples produced in Transylvania were included in our experiments. Isolates with hemolytic activity, as well as those exhibiting Gram-negative or catalase-positive phenotypes not characteristic of probiotics were excluded from our studies. Based on the results of RAPD-PCR studies suitable for the detection of individual-level polymorphisms, a total of 34 clone classes and 57 strains with unique RAPD patterns were identified. From each of the 34 clone classes thus narrowed, one strain was selected and tested for its aggregation ability, as well as its gastric acid and bile acid tolerance. High aggregation values above 70%, typical of probiotic strains, were measured in the case of a total of six isolates. In the course of the presence-absence studies conducted on the surface of solid media supplemented with acid or bile acid, it was possible to select several strains specifically tolerant to acid or bile acid. Based on our results, isolates to be included in further tests, e.g., in antibiotic resistance and antimicrobial activity assays, were selected.