• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.226-236
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• 2012

In the present work, the influence of prebiotic fructooligosaccharide (FOS) on adhesion to Caco-2 cells, viability, acid and bile tolerance, antibacterial, antioxidant, enzymatic, and metabolic activities of the probiotic starters Lactobacillus acidophilus GK20 and Lactobacillus paracasei GK74, has been explored. Experiments were conducted with fermented yoghurt over a period of 7 days at $4^{\circ}C$. When compared to control fermentations without prebiotic, the addition of FOS was seen to significantly (p<0.05) increase the viable cell counts of the probiotics, overall viscosity, and concurrently reduce the pH of the fermented yoghurts. Both Escherichia coli ATCC 11229 and Salmonella enteritidis ATCC 13076 were inhibited by the probiotics' antibacterial activities, while the synbiotic yoghurt containing mixed probiotics and FOS was noted to highly improve antagonistic action. When fermented with mixed starters, the addition of FOS (1.0%) resulted in the highest proteolytic ($1.06{\pm}0.06$ unit) and ${\beta}$-galactosidase activities ($20.14{\pm}0.31$ unit). However, FOS did not affect acid and bile tolerance, adhesion to Caco-2 cells or the antioxidant activity of the probiotics, although both L. acidophilus GK20 and L. paracasei GK74 had functionality as probiotic strains. Hence, a significant synbiotic effect was observed in fermented yoghurt after 7 days of storage at $4^{\circ}C$, and as a result, such synbiotic yoghurt can be said to possess synergistic actions which improve the gastrointestinal environment and promote of health.