Identification of selected probiotic bacteria in food additives

Bifidobacteria and lactobacilli are gram-positive bacteria which belong to the lactic acid bacteria group. They are ordinary constituents of gastrointestinal microflora, play a pivotal role in human nutrition and health, prevent pathogen colonization and maintain normal mucosal immunity. In present days they are used in production of functional food products and pharmaceutical additives. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is used to the detection and identification of bacteria which belong to the genus of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus. Specific primers for each genus are used in PCR reactions for in vitro amplification of definite part of DNA. In this work, total DNA was isolated from three additives (Pangamin Bifi plus, Biopron Junior and Probiodom) by the method of phenol extraction and amplified using genus-specific PCR primers giving amplicons of 523 bp (Bifidobacterium) and 250 bp (Lactobacillus). Occurrence of bacteria of both genera was proved in all of the three tested probiotic products