BackgroundIndividuals with inactive alleles of the fucosyltransferase 2 gene (FUT2; termed the ‘secretor’ gene) are common in many populations. Some members of the genus Bifidobacterium, common infant gut commensals, are known to consume 2′-fucosylated glycans found in the breast milk of secretor mothers. We investigated the effects of maternal secretor status on the developing infant microbiota with a special emphasis on bifidobacterial species abundance.ResultsOn average, bifidobacteria were established earlier and more often in infants fed by secretor mothers than in infants fed by non-secretor mothers. In secretor-fed infants, the relative abundance of the Bifidobacterium longum group was most strongly correlated with high percentages of the order Bifidobacteriales. Conversely, in non-secretor-fed infants, Bifidobacterium breve was positively correlated with Bifidobacteriales, while the B. longum group was negatively correlated. A higher percentage of bifidobacteria isolated from secretor-fed infants consumed 2′-fucosyllactose. Infant feces with high levels of bifidobacteria had lower milk oligosaccharide levels in the feces and higher amounts of lactate. Furthermore, feces containing different bifidobacterial species possessed differing amounts of oligosaccharides, suggesting differential consumption in situ.ConclusionsInfants fed by non-secretor mothers are delayed in the establishment of a bifidobacteria-laden microbiota. This delay may be due to difficulties in the infant acquiring a species of bifidobacteria able to consume the specific milk oligosaccharides delivered by the mother. This work provides mechanistic insight into how milk glycans enrich specific beneficial bacterial populations in infants and reveals clues for enhancing enrichment of bifidobacterial populations in at risk populations - such as premature infants.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s40168-015-0071-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Background The ingestion of probiotics to attempt to improve health is increasingly common, however quality control of some commercial products can be limited. Clinical practice is shifting toward the routine use of probiotics to aid in prevention of necrotizing enterocolitis in premature infants, and probiotic administration to term infants is increasingly common to treat colic and/or prevent atopic disease. Since bifidobacteria dominate the feces of healthy breast-fed infants, they are often included in infant-targeted probiotics. Methods We evaluated sixteen probiotic products to determine how well their label claims describe the species of detectable bifidobacteria in the product. Recently-developed DNA-based methods were used as a primary means of identification, and were confirmed using culture-based techniques. Results We found that the contents of many bifidobacterial probiotic products differ from the ingredient list, sometimes at a subspecies level. Only one of the sixteen probiotics perfectly matched its bifidobacterial label claims in all samples tested, and both pill-to-pill and lot-to-lot variation were observed. Conclusion Given the known differences between various bifidobacterial species and subspecies in metabolic capacity and colonization abilities, the prevalence of misidentified bifidobacteria in these products is cause for concern for those involved in clinical trials and consumers of probiotic products.

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As a renewable resource, starch is considered to be fully biodegradable and nonpolluting to the environment but the hygroscopicity of starch is the main disadvantage for wider applicability in the production of a polymer-based material. Hydrophobically modified starch prepared using natural-based plasticizers/modifiers in a first step ([−]-diisopropyl D-tartrate [DiPT], ricinoleic acid [RA] and epoxidized soybean oil [ESO]), and maleated polypropylene (MAPP) in a second step contributed to better compatibility, and thus reinforcing of composites. Tailored processing conditions, structural/morphological properties, hydrophobicity, and water-resistance of the modified starch were established. In addition, the Charpy impact and tensile strength of composites, based on poly(ethylene-co-acrylic acid) (EAA) and modified starches, were determined. Increased tensile strength and Young modulus of the composite using starch-modified with DiPT-MAPP, that is, 3 and 83%, respectively, indicated the possible applicability of obtained materials.