Influence of oligosaccharides on the growth and tolerance capacity of lactobacilli to simulated stress environment

Lactobacilli should resist stress environments in industry process and gastrointestinal tract before exerting their beneficial effects. To explore the possible stabilizers in probiotic products, prebiotic oligosaccharides were investigated. We investigated the effect of four selected oligosaccharides on the survival of probiotic Lactobacillus plantarum and L. acidophilus to simulated stress conditions. It was found that the tolerance of lactobacilli to simulated artificial gastrointestinal juice, heat treatment and phenol solution was obviously enhanced in fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) and xylo-oligosaccharides (XOS) group. In addition, chito-oligosaccharides (COS), manno-oligosaccharides (MOS) and glucose also had positive effect compared with control group (without sugar). Prebiotic oligosaccharides, especially XOS and FOS added in medium have protection function to lactobacilli in stress environments. The protection function of oligosaccharides may correlate with the bacteria growth, which was stimulated by these oligosaccharides. Prebiotic oligosaccharides may be used as stabilizers in probiotic products.