Prajapati and Senan

The first step

There is more than an ounce of wisdom in the words that “Ideas can no

moreȱflowȱbackwardȱthanȱcanȱaȱriver”.ȱWe,ȱatȱtheȱDepartmentȱofȱDairyȱ

Microbiology are riding the waves of this vast river of functional probiotic

dairy based foods since the last 25 years and through this communication

would like to showcase our research and developments in this promising

area of interest.

The journey began with the combination of keen observation and sharp

acumen of Dr JM Dave, Former Principal of the college and a renowned

microbiologist in 1980’s. He was inspired by the work of Dr Marvin

Speck who proclaimed that the genus Lactobacillus are indigenous to the

intestinal tract of men and animals to establish and stabilize the intestinal

microfloraȱofȱhealthyȱindividuals.ȱTheȱ“acidophilusȱtechnology”ȱgainedȱ

momentum thereon. Research was channelized at the department to

prepare acidophilus products with increased viability, storage ability

and sensory appeal (Prajapati et al., 1983, 1986). Acknowledging the fact

thatȱprobioticȱeffectsȱwereȱstrainȱspecific,ȱfurtherȱeffortsȱwereȱputȱinȱtheȱ

isolation of novel strains of lactobacilli from milk and milk products as

well as body niches of healthy individuals like intestines and vagina.

Preliminaryȱidentificationȱofȱtheȱisolatesȱwasȱdoneȱbyȱmorphologicalȱandȱ

biochemical tests. Their usefulness in fermenting milk was also studied

by checking their rate of acid production and growth curve in milk. The

promising strains were also tested for their antimicrobial activity against

human pathogens and for their ability to pass through and reside in the

intestinal tract by tests such as adhesion, tolerance to acid, phenol, bile and

so forth.

Isolation of indigenous probiotics

It was in 1988 that two strains LBKV3 and LBKI4 were isolated from

vaginalȱmucosaȱofȱadultȱhealthyȱhumanȱfemaleȱandȱfaecalȱmatterȱofȱbottleȱ

fedȱ healthyȱ childȱ respectively.ȱ Itȱ wasȱ identifiedȱ asȱ L.acidophilus using

morphological, physiological and biochemical characteristics. Both isolates

showed resistance to phenol (0.4%), bile salt (4%) and low pH (pH3).

Acidophilus milk prepared by using both these strains was fed to two

groups of subjects to check their curative ability against gastrointestinal

complaints and implantation ability. Surprisingly, the vaginal isolate had

superioradhesionabilityandtheproductgavecompletecureofcomplaints

within nine days of consumption (Khedkar et al., 1990a, 1990b). It is worthy

ofȱmentionȱthatȱtheȱcoliformȱcountsȱinȱfaecesȱdecreasedȱsignificantlyȱinȱ

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