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The purpose of the study was to identify the influence of reactive mixture concentration (23–48 g/100 mL), pH (6.5–9.0), presence of NaCl (0.05–0.25 mol/L) and enzyme dose (2850–28,500 LAU/100 g of lactose) on the synthesis of galactosyl mannitol derivative using β-galactosidase from Kluyveromyces lactis. The use of the enzyme dose ranging from 2850 to 11,400 LAU/100 g lactose allowed obtaining gal-mannitol at the level of 21.8% total saccharides; higher doses intensified product decomposition. An increase in the concentration of the reactive mixture had a positive impact on the quantity of gal-mannitol obtained every single time, i.e. 4.39 g were obtained from 100 mL of a 23 g/100 mL solution and over 10 g were obtained from a 48 g/100 mL solution. A relatively low increase in product quantity (by ca. 5%) occurred after the pH was increased from 6.5 to 9.0. The use of NaCl rendered better results. An increase in the maximum content of gal-mannitol in the total sugar by 12.8% was observed at the concentration of 0.25 mol/L.

The aim of this study was to obtain drinking yogurts enriched with ACTICOA cocoa powder (ACTICOA), its extract (EACTICOA) and pure phenolics, as well as their inclusion complexes with cyclodextrins and alginate-chitosan (A-Ch) capsules, and to evaluate the effects of these additives on the viability of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and antioxidant properties of fresh yogurts and yogurts stored for 14 days at 4 °C. The application of cocoa phenolic compounds in free form and in the form of EACTICOA to yogurts resulted in the greatest increase in the concentration of phenolic compounds and a significant improvement in the antioxidant properties of the fortified products. The highest TPC was found in yogurts enriched with free quercetin (107.98 mg CE/g). Yogurt fortified with free gallic acid showed the highest ability to neutralize free radicals (EC50 = 2.74 mg/mg DPPH, EC50 = 5.40 mg/mg ABTS) and reduce ferric ions (183.48 µM Trolox/g). The enrichment of yogurts with the tested phenolic compounds preparations, especially in the form of encapsulates, did not affect the viability of LAB during storage.

The encapsulation of insoluble compounds can help improve their solubility and activity. The effects of cyclodextrin encapsulation on hesperetin's derivatives (HHSB, HIN, and HTSC) and the physicochemical properties of the formed complexes were determined using various analytical techniques. The antioxidant (DPPH • , ABTS •+ scavenging, and Fe 2+ -chelating ability), cytotoxic, and antibacterial activities were also investigated. The inclusion systems were prepared using mechanical and co-evaporation methods using a molar ratio compound: HP-β-CD = 1:1. The identification of solid systems confirmed the formation of two inclusion complexes at hesperetin (CV) and HHSB (mech). The identification of systems of hesperetin and its derivatives with HP-β-CD in solutions at pHs 3.6, 6.5, and 8.5 and at various temperatures (25, 37 and 60 °C) confirmed the effect of cyclodextrin on their solubility. In the DPPH • and ABTS •+ assay, pure compounds were characterized by higher antioxidant activity than the complexes. In the FRAP study, all hesperetin and HHSB complexes and HTSC-HP-β-CD (mech) were characterized by higher values of antioxidant activity than pure compounds. The results obtained from cytotoxic activity tests show that for most of the systems tested, cytotoxicity increased with the concentration of the chemical, with the exception of HP-β-CD. All systems inhibited Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus .

Microorganisms are able to give rise to biofilm formation on food matrixes and along food industry infrastructures or medical equipment. This growth may be reduced by the application of molecules preventing bacterial adhesion on these surfaces. A new Schiff base ligand, derivative of hesperetin, HABH (2-amino-N'-(2,3-dihydro-5,7-dihydroxy-2-(3-hydroxy-4-methoxyphenyl)chromen-4-ylidene)benzohydrazide), and its copper complex, CuHABH [CuLH 2 (OAc)], were designed, synthesized and analyzed in terms of their structure and physicochemical properties, and tested as antibacterial agents. Their structures both in a solid state and in solution were established using several methods: FT-IR, 1 H NMR, 13 C NMR, UV-Vis, FAB MS, EPR, ESI-MS and potentiometry. Coordination binding of the copper(II) complex dominating at the physiological pH region in the solution was found to be the same as that detected in the solid state. Furthermore, the interaction between the HABH and CuHABH with calf-thymus DNA (CT-DNA) were investigated. These interactions were tracked by UV-Vis, CD (circular dichroism) and spectrofluorimetry. The results indicate a stronger interaction of the CuHABH with the CT-DNA than the HABH. It can be assumed that the nature of the interactions is of the intercalating type, but in the high concentration range, the complex can bind to the DNA externally to phosphate residues or to a minor/major groove. The prepared compounds possess antibacterial and antibiofilm activities against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Their antagonistic activity depends on the factor-strain test system. The glass was selected as a model surface for the experiments on antibiofilm activity. The adhesion of bacterial cells to the glass surface in the presence of the compounds was traced by luminometry and the best antiadhesive action against both bacterial strains was detected for the CuHABH complex. This molecule may play a crucial role in disrupting exopolymers (DNA/proteins) in biofilm formation and can be used to prevent bacterial adhesion especially on glass equipment.

In this study, the blueberries (BLUB), raspberries (RASB), blackberries (BLCB), pomegranates pomace (POME) and beetroots (BEET) freeze-dried powders were used as the sources of phenolic compounds to enrich different types of chocolates, substituting a part of the sweetener. It was found that 1% addition of fruit or vegetable powders to chocolates increased the content of total phenolic compounds (flavan-3-ols, phenolic acids and anthocyanins) of enriched dark and milk chocolates compared to the control ones dependent on the powder used. Among the enriched chocolates, the chocolates with the addition of BLUB powder were characterized by the highest total polyphenol content. The highest percentage increase (approximately 80%) in the total polyphenol content was observed in MCH chocolate enriched with BLUB powder. Chocolates incorporated with BLUB, RASB, BLCB and POME powders presented a richer phenolic compound profile than control counterparts. The highest DPPH radical-scavenging capacity was exhibited by the DCH98S chocolate enriched with BEET powder. However, the DCH98ESt chocolates enriched with POME and BEET powders demonstrated the highest FRAP values. An electronic nose analysis confirmed the existence of differences between the profiles of volatile compounds of various types of chocolates enriched with fruit or vegetable powders. Thus, the enrichment of dark and milk chocolates with BLUB, RASB, BLCB, POME and BEET powders seemed to be an interesting approach to enhance bioactivity and to enrich the sensory features of various chocolate types.

Due to their richness of bioactive substances, rose hips are a valuable raw material for obtaining extracts with potential antimicrobial activity. The aim of the study was to determine the antagonistic potential of whole pseudo-fruit and flesh extracts of three Rosa sp. varieties against Staphylococcus spp. bacteria isolated as food contaminants. The biological material in this study consisted of seven strains of bacteria from the genus Staphylococcus . Two strains- Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 and Staphylococcus epidermidis DSMZ 3270-were used as reference strains. The other five strains were food-derived isolates- S. epidermidis A5, S. xylosus M5, S. haemolyticus M6, S. capitis KR6, and S. warneri KR2A. The material was the pseudo-fruits of Rosa canina , Rosa pomifera Karpatia, and Rosa rugosa . The polyphenols were extracted from the fleshy part and the whole pseudo-fruit for all rose varieties. The tested preparations differed significantly in their polyphenol composition. The sum of polyphenols ranged from 28 862 to 35 358 mg/100 g of lyophilisate. The main groups of polyphenols found in the preparations were flavanols and ellagitannins. All of the tested extracts inhibited the growth of staphylococci at a concentration of 500 mg/mL. Rosa rugosa fruit extract showed the strongest antimicrobial properties among the studied extracts. For all the strains, the growth inhibition had a diameter of 20.3-29.0 mm. Moreover, six out of the seven tested strains showed the highest inhibition with the use of this extract. The MIC of rose extracts was in the range of 3.125-500 mg/mL and was strictly dependent on the bacterial species, the species of the rose, and the part of the fruit from which the extract was obtained. Correlations were assessed between the main groups of polyphenols in the extracts and their inhibition of bacterial growth. In the case of pseudo-fruit extracts, the inhibitory effect on bacterial growth positively correlated with the content of ellagitannins, and this effect was observed for almost all the tested strains. The results presented herein follow the current trend of minimising the use of chemical preservatives in food; from this point of view, rose extracts are very promising.

Yeasts have a substantial impact on the contamination and loss of food. In this study, we applied bacteria of the genus Lactobacillus as natural biopreservatives. Anticandidal strains of bacteria were selected from among 60 strains of bacteria grown which were each with nine polyols or galactosyl polyols. Polyols and galactosyl polyols can act as prebiotics for lactic acid bacteria and can enhance the antifungal properties of bacteria by affecting their metabolism. The galactosyl polyols significantly improved the anticandidal activity of most of the bacteria we tested. Based on the screening, the most promising strains of bacteria were selected, and their metabolites (both primary and secondary) and enzymatic activity were characterized in the presence of polyols and galactosyl polyols. The qualitative and quantitative content of bacterial metabolites depended both on the bacterial strain and the type of culture medium. A wide variety of antifungals produced by bacteria, such as fatty acids, hydroxy fatty acids, and other acidic products with potential antagonistic activity (phenyllactic acid or hydroxyphenyllactic acid) were detected. The bacteria produced a high concentration of phenyllactic acid in the presence of galactosyl polyols (up to 84.3 mg/L). This finding could suggest that this metabolite may have a significant impact on the antifungal properties of lactobacilli against yeast. Galactosyl polyols influenced the enzymes involved in the synthesis of fatty acids and hydroxylated fatty acids (esterase lipase, acid phosphatase, and α-glucosidase). The mechanism of the antifungal effect of lactobacilli may be based on the synergistic effect of their primary and secondary metabolites, in particular phenyllactic acid., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the algae Chlorella vulgaris on the growth, acidifying activity, proportion of lactic acid isomers, and enzymatic profile of Lactobacillus brevis (ŁOCK 0944, ŁOCK 0980, ŁOCK 0992, and MG451814) isolated from vegetable silages. The results indicated that adding algae at concentrations of 0.1% ( w / v ) and 1.5% ( w / v ) to the Lactobacillus spp. growth medium accelerated the growth of bacteria and thus shortened their phase of logarithmic growth. The acidifying activity of the tested Lactobacillus brevis increased with an increased concentration of algae. Lactobacillus spp. cultured in the presence of Chlorella vulgaris showed higher production of l-lactic acid and lower d-lactic acid production. Moreover, the addition of algae changed the enzymatic activity of lactic acid bacteria; for instance, Lactobacillus brevis ŁOCK 0980 demonstrated more enzymatic activity of valine arylamidase, α-galactosidase, and α-glucosidase. Combining Lactobacillus brevis with the algae Chlorella vulgaris allows for the creation of innovative, functional products which confer favorable properties to the final product and open new horizons for the food industry.

Bionic acids are bioactive compounds demonstrating numerous interesting properties. They are widely produced by chemical or enzymatic oxidation of disaccharides. This paper focuses on the galactosyl derivative of gluconic acid as a result of a new method of bionic acid synthesis which utilises the transglycosylation properties of β-galactosidase and introduces lactose as a substrate. Products obtained in such a process are characterised by different structures (and, potentially, properties) than those resulting from traditional oxidation of disaccharides. The aim of this study is to determine the effect of selected parameters (concentration and ratio of substrates, dose of the enzyme, time, pH, presence of salts) on the course of the reaction carried out with the enzymatic preparation Lactozym, containing β-galactosidase from Kluyveromyces lactis . Research has shown that increased dry matter content in the baseline solution (up to 50%, by mass per volume) and an addition of NaCl contribute to higher yield. On the other hand, reduced content of the derivative is a result of increased pH from 7.0 to 9.0 and an addition of magnesium and manganese salts. Moreover, exceeding the β-galactosidase dose over approx. 35 000 U per 100 g of lactose also leads to reduced yield of the process. The most favourable molar ratio of sodium gluconate to lactose is 2.225:0.675. Depending on the conditions of the synthesis, the product concentration ranged between 17.3 and 118.3 g/L of the reaction mixture, which corresponded to the mass fraction of 6.64-23.7% of dry matter. The data obtained as a result of the present study may be useful for designing an industrial process.

The paper presents the chemical characteristics of ellagitannins isolated from raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.) fruit and their in vitro and in situ antifungal activity against Geotrichum candidum ŁOCK 0511. The study investigated a complex preparation containing various raspberry ellagitannins at a concentration of 86% w/w, as well as pure lambertianin C and sanguiin H-6. The ellagitannin preparation was obtained by extracting raspberry press cake and purifying the extract using Amberlite XAD resin, while individual compounds were isolated by means of preparative HPLC. The complex preparation was analyzed for the content of ellagitannins, anthocyanins, and flavan-3-ols using HPLC and LC-MS. The antifungal activity of the complex ellagitannin preparation and the isolated ellagitannins was determined for the strain Geotrichum candidum. The MIC and MFC values (10.0 mg/mL and 30.0 mg/mL, respectively) were found to be the same for lambertianin C, sanguiin H-6, and the complex ellagitannin preparation. The fungistatic activity of the studied ellagitannin preparation at a concentration of 10 mg/mL, as determined by the poisoned medium method, was 65.2% following 6 day incubation of Geotrichum candidum, with the linear growth rate of only 16.2 mm/day. The corresponding parameters for the control sample were 0% and 56 mm/day, respectively. The study demonstrated both in vitro and in situ antifungal activity of raspberry ellagitannins against Geotrichum candidum.

Lactic acid fermentation is a natural method of antimicrobial food protection. Antagonistic activity of Lactobacillus sp. bacteria, taking part in this process, is directed mainly against the same or other microorganisms. In this work we determine the impact of the presence of xylitol and galactosyl-xylitol on the antagonistic activity of 60 Lactobacillus sp. strains against indicator molds (Alternaria alternata, Alternaria brassicicola, Aspergillus niger, Fusarium latenicum, Geotrichum candidum, and Mucor hiemalis) and yeasts (Candida vini). We used double-layer method to select antifungal strains of Lactobacillus bacteria and poisoned medium method to confirm their fungistatic properties. Additionally, we examined the inhibition of Alternaria brassicicola by Lactobacillus paracasei ŁOCK 0921 cultivated with xylitol or galactosyl-xylitol directly on wild cherries. The presence of xylitol and its galactosyl derivative led to increase of spectrum of antifungal activity in most of the studied plant-associated lactobacilli strains. However, no single strain exhibited activity against all the indicator microorganisms. The antifungal activity of Lactobacillus bacteria against molds varied considerably and depended on both the indicator strain and the composition of the medium. The presence of xylitol and galactosyl-xylitol in the growth medium is correlated with the antifungal activity of the studied Lactobacillus sp. bacteria against selected indicator molds.

An objective of this work was to assess the biological activity of beetroot juice (Chrobry variety, Beta vulgaris L. ssp. vulgaris), which was lactofermented by probiotic bacteria Lactobacillus brevis 0944 and Lactobacillus paracasei 0920. The oxidative status of blood serum, kidneys, and liver of rats consuming the fermented beetroot juice were determined. The experimental rats were divided into four groups on diet type: Basal diet, basal diet supplemented with fermented beetroot juice, basal diet and N-nitroso-N-methylurea treatment, and basal diet supplemented with fermented beetroot juice and N-nitroso-N-methylurea treatment. Mutagen N-nitroso-N-methylurea, which was added to diet in order to induce aberrant oxidative and biochemical processes and disadvantageous changes in the count and metabolic activity of the gut epithelium microbiota. The nutritional in vivo study showed that supplementing the diet of the rats with the lactofermented beetroot juice reduced the level of ammonia by 17% in the group treated with N-nitroso-N-methylurea. Furthermore, the positive modulation of the gut microflora and its metabolic activity was observed in groups of rats fed with the diet supplemented with the fermented beetroot juice. A concomitant decrease in the b-glucuronidase activity was a consequence of the gut epithelium microbiota modulation. The antioxidant capacity of blood serum aqueous fraction was increased by about 69% in the group of rats treated N-nitroso-N-methylurea mixed with the fermented beetroot juice and N-nitroso-N-methylurea versus to the N-nitroso-N-methylurea treatment, whereas the antioxidant parameters of the blood serum lipid fraction, kidneys, and liver remained unchanged.

The objective of the study is to assess the influence of temperature, time and enzymatic pretreatment on the osmotic concentration of gooseberry fruits (cultivar Biały Triumf). The fruits were osmotically concentrated in a sucrose solution at 65 °Brix and 40 to 70 °C for 5 to 240 min. Two experimental procedures were employed. In the first procedure, prior to concentration the fruits were immersed in the solution containing lipolytic enzymes, and then in the solution containing pectinolytic enzymes. In the second procedure, pectinolytic enzymes were added to the sucrose solution. The kinetics of the osmotic concentration was studied based on the changes in dry matter content, water loss, and solid gain. Higher temperature and longer process time led to higher values of the mentioned parameters. After 1 h of concentration at 40 °C, dry matter content was 13.9%, while at 70 °C it was 20.4%. The use of pectinolytic enzymes during osmotic concentration resulted in higher effectiveness of the process. After 2 h of concentration with the use of pectinolytic enzymes, solid gain was seven times higher than that in the control sample. Enzymatic treatment with lipase and pectinase before concentration also increased solid gain during osmotic concentration (up to twelve times after 2 h at 40 °C). The lower processing temperature, the higher retention of phenolic compounds in fruits was observed. The retention of phenolics was the highest at 40 °C (92.2% at 2 h). Among organic acids (malic, shikimic and citric), the highest retention was exhibited by citric acid; at 1 h of concentration, its fraction in the obtained fruit syrup content was from 95.9 to 83.1% as compared to the starting material.

The present paper deals with the structure, occurrence and biological activity of ellagitannins. Ellagitannins belong to the class of hydrolysable tannins, they are esters of hexahydroxydiphenoic acid and monosaccharide (most commonly glucose). Ellagitannins are slowly hydrolysed in the digestive tract, releasing the ellagic acid molecule. Their chemical structure determines physical and chemical properties and biological activity. Ellagitannins occur naturally in some fruits (pomegranate, strawberry, blackberry, raspberry), nuts (walnuts, almonds), and seeds. They form a diverse group of bioactive polyphenols with anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antioxidant and antimicrobial (antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral) activity. Furthermore, they improve the health of blood vessels. The paper discusses the metabolism and bioavailability of ellagitannins and ellagic acid. Ellagitannins are metabolized in the gastrointestinal tract by intestinal microbiota. They are stable in the stomach and undergo neither hydrolysis to free ellagic acid nor degradation. In turn, ellagic acid can be absorbed in the stomach. This paper shows the role of cancer cell lines in the studies of ellagitannins and ellagic acid metabolism. The biological activity of these compounds is broad and thus the focus is on their antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and antitumor properties. Ellagitannins exhibit antimicrobial activity against fungi, viruses, and importantly, bacteria, including antibiotic-resistant strains such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Background: Osmotic dehydration is a process of the partial removal of water which is based on immersion of material having cellular structure in a hypertonic solution. Osmotic dehydration is used as a pretreatment for the dehydration of foods before they are subjected to further processing such as freezing, freeze drying, vacuum drying. Management of spent syrup is one of the most important problems related to osmotic dewatering. Osmotic solutions are heavily polluted with of carbohydrates, remains of the dehydrated material and microorganisms. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of thermal treatment on the content of phenolic compounds and the microbiological quality of sucrose solution used in 15 cycles of osmotic dehydration of highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) fruits., Material and Methods: The tested material was 65.0 ±0.5°Brix sucrose solution used for 15 cycles of osmotic dehydration of highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.). Osmotic dehydration was conducted at 40°C for 120 min using fruits previously subjected to enzymatic pretreatment. The thermal treatment of sucrose solution was conducted at 70, 80, 90, 100 and 115°C for 20, 40 and 60 s. The sucrose solution was analysed in terms of total polyphenols, particular polyphenols using high performance liquid chromatography and microbiological analysis was subjected., Results: Thermal treatment at 70-115°C for 20 s caused degradation of 8.5% to 12.7% of polyphenols, while as much as 23.1% of polyphenols were degraded at 115°C after 60 s. The present paper proposes heating parameters that are optimal from the point of view of phenolic compound retention and microbiological quality: thermal treatment of syrup at 100°C for 40 s. Under these conditions, total polyphenols retention was 94.5%, while the retention of individual phenolic compounds varied from 89.2% to 37.2%, and that of flavan-3-ols amounted to 89.5%. The studied manner of syrup treatment eliminated the problem of syrup contamination with yeasts and molds (reducing their levels to less than 1 CFU/mL).

Red cabbage is, among different vegetables, one of the major sources of anthocyanins. In the present study an in vitro digestion method has been used to assay the influence of the physiological conditions in the stomach and small intestine, as well as faecal microflora on anthocyanins stability in red cabbage and anthocyanin-rich extract. The recovery of anthocyanins during in vitro gastrointestinal digestion was strongly influenced by food matrix. The results showed that other constituents present in cabbage enhanced the stability of anthocyanins during the digestion. The amount of anthocyanins (HPLC method) and antioxidant capacity (ABTS and FRAP assays) strongly decreased after pancreatic-bile digestion in both matrices but total phenolics content (Folin-Ciocalteu assay) in these digestions was higher than in initial samples. Incubation with human faecal microflora caused further decline in anthocyanins content. The results obtained suggest that intact anthocyanins in gastric and products of their decomposition in small and large intestine may be mainly responsible for the antioxidant activity and other physiological effects after consumption of red cabbage.

The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of beetroot juice fermented by Lactobacillus brevis 0944 and Lactobacillus paracasei 0920 (FBJ) on carcinogen induction of aberrant crypt foci (ACF) in rat colon. 2-Amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b] pyridine (PhIP) was used as carcinogen, which was administrated intragastrically at a dose of 10 μg/day, every day of the experiment. Additionally, we investigated the cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of fecal water from experimental animals in the Caco-2 cell line, evaluated by MTT test and the comet assay, respectively, as well as by the count of bacteria adhered to colon epithelium assessed by fluorescence in situ hybridization. Oxidative stress in rats was expressed by measuring serum antioxidant status and the level of malondialdehyde in the kidneys and liver. The experimental rats were divided into four groups based on diet type: basal diet, basal diet supplemented with FBJ, basal diet and PhIP treatment, and basal diet supplemented with FBJ and PhIP treatment. FBJ significantly reduced the number of ACF in PhIP-treated rats (from 59 ± 18 to 26 ± 4). Moreover, the number of extensive aberrations (more than 4 crypts in a focus) decreased from 52 ± 18 to 18 ± 4. Fecal water obtained from rats fed with a PhIP-containing diet induced pronounced cytotoxic and genotoxic effects in Caco-2 cells, but FBJ supplementation of the diet abolished these effects. In groups fed dietary PhP and FBJ the latter was found to increase the antioxidant status of serum from 40% to 66% depending on the fraction. Reduced concentration of malondialdehyde was found only in the kidneys of rats fed with PhIP and FBJ. FBJ present in the diet of rats causes a reduction of MDA in the kidneys from 118.7 nmol/g tissue to 100 nmol/g tissue. The presence of FBJ in the diet of rats significantly increased the count of bacteria, including Lactobacillus/Enterococcus and Bacteroides-Prevotella group adhered to colonic epithelium. In conclusion, supplementation of the diet with lactofermented beetroot juice may provide protection against precancerous aberrant crypt formation and reduce the cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of fecal water and improve the oxidative status of the organism., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Gut microbiota was analyzed in children, aged 6-18 months and suffering from atopic dermatitis before and after 3 month supplementation of their diet with Lactobacillus casei DN--114001 in a dose of 109 cells daily. On completion of this period the total number of fecal Lactobacillus sp. cells decreased from 7.86 Log10 CFU/g to 6.40 Log10 CFU/g. After the next 5 months (without dietary supplementation with the probiotic bacteria) the level of Lactobacillus sp. cells was maintained at the latter value. During the dietary supplementation with the probiotic strain, the level of Bifidobacterium cells was maintained at 6.15-6.89 Log10 CFU/g while after 5 months it decreased to 5.57 Log10 CFU/g. The population of Clostridium sp. was reduced after 3 months of dietary supplementation from 6.49 to 5.83 Log10 CFU/g and was maintained at the latter level during the next 5 months. The dietary supplementation had no effect on populations of Bacteroides sp., Enterococcus sp. and Enterobacteriaceae. Supplementation of children who developed atopic dermatitis with the preparation of Lactobacillus casei DN - 114001 positively affected their gut microbiota in terms of bifidobacteria and clostridia populations.

Probiotic lactic acid bacteria were grown on erythritol, xylitol, sorbitol or lactitol and produced various derivatives: gal-erythritol, gal-xylitol, and gal-sorbitol as prebiotics. Galactosyl derivatives of erythritol, xylitol and sorbitol were metabolised by Lactobacillus spp. This resulted in their antagonistic activity against the test microflora. No activity was observed in the presence of xylitol and erythritol. Gal-sorbitol obtained by enzymatic transglycosylation from lactose had the same abilities of inducing the antagonistic activity of lactic acid bacteria that lactitol had.