Effects of Administration of TOS and Bifidobacterium breve 4006 on the Human Fecal Flora

We studied the effects of administration of TOS, a new growth factor derived from lactose for Bifidobacterium, and Bifidobacterium breve 4006 on the fecal flora of normal subjects. All of the Bifidobacterium species tested, eight reference strains and B. breve 4006 were capable of fermenting TOS in vitro, while others, 2 Bacteroides strains and 4 Lactobacillus and Enterobacteriaceae strains, showed an appreciable growth among 55 cultures tested. It was evident that TOS is not intestinally absorbed by the recipient subjects, from hydrogen breath test. In vivo, TOS (3g or 10g/day) was observed to promote the growth of both administered B. breve 4006 and resident Bifidobacterium strains. Simultaneous administration of B. breve 4006 and TOS caused the suppression of gram negative anaerobes and aerobes, Bacteroidaceae nd Enterobacteriaceae , and the reduction of fecal ammonia and urinary indican excretion. It is concluded that TOS is a typical bifidus factor.