EFFECT OF MILK PROTEIN PREPARATIONS ON GROWTH OF BIFIDOBACTERIUM

Probiotic strains of the Bifidobacterium genus multiply poorly in milk. The objective of this study was to modify the Garches medium through replacing a nitrogen source by some selected milk protein preparations and to verify their ability to stimulate the growth of probiotic strains of the Bifidobacterium genus. The Bi30 and KD14 strains were characterized by the highest proteolytic activity; slightly lower values were determined for other strains of the Bifidobacterium genus. For the growth of Bb-12 (1.2x10(8)cfu/ml), the most favourable medium was that containing a whey protein isolate (WPI). Based on the results obtained after the incubation of KN29, it was found that the WPI and alpha- lactalbumin (alpha-la), the compounds of the culture medium that was designed using a Plackett-Burman model, were those to stimulate the growth of that strain to the highest degree. The highest density of cells of Bb-12 and KN29 bacteria was reported during the incubation of those strains on the media supplemented with a sodium caseinate (KNa) and calcium caseinate (KCa), and in the case of the whey protein preparations, this effect was reported for the media with WPI and alpha-la.