The Probiotic Content of Commercial Yogurts in West Virginia

Abstract

Probiotics are live microorganisms that can confer health benefits. Current recommendations for probiotic dosing in pediatrics for acute gastroenteritis range from 109 to 1011 colony forming units (CFUs)/day. In the present study, commercial yogurts were investigated for probiotic content and concentration. A total of 10 yogurts and 1 probiotic supplement were tested. Culture and enumeration were performed on Lactobacillus specific agar, and presence of gram positive rods were confirmed with gram staining. Various PCR techniques were also used to identify different Lactobacillus species. Good colony growth was noted on all cultures, with enumeration results ranging from 4.8 x 109 to 9.5 x 1010 CFU in a single 100mL serving. A wide variety of bacterial species was noted, including unidentified bacteria. All yogurt samples had enough probiotic content to meet current recommendations for treatment of acute gastroenteritis. Physicians should use yogurts with caution in this setting until full bacterial repertoires are available for commercial yogurts.

Effects of Consuming Calcium-Rich Foods on the Incidence of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

“…Although we adjusted for multiple confounding factors that could affect T2DM risk, the results could have been affected by other residual confounding factors that we could not measure or were unaware of. Additionally, we could not perform a more detailed analysis based on contents such as fat and probiotics, as dairy products are sold without distinction of fat content in the Korean market, and even if the contents and concentrations of probiotics are different across various brands and products, the relevant data are insufficient [41]. Lastly, as the study participants were limited to residents of the Ansung and Ansan area in South Korea, it may be difficult to generalize the study’s results for other populations.…”