Demonstration of the cellular viability and safety of Enterococcus faecium CRL 183 in long-term experiments

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This article has an erratum: [erratum]

Issue		Lait Volume 87, Number 1, January-February 2007


Page(s)		59 - 69
DOI		http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/lait:2007002
Published online		22 March 2007

Lait 87 (2007) 59-69
DOI: 10.1051/lait:2007002

Demonstration of the cellular viability and safety of Enterococcus faecium CRL 183 in long-term experiments

Veridiana P.S. Cano^a, Sandro R. Valentini^a, Katia Sivieri^b and Elizeu A. Rossi^b

^a UNESP São Paulo State University, Department of Biology, Araraquara, S.P, Brazil
^b UNESP São Paulo State University, Department of Food Nutrition, Araraquara, S.P, Brazil

(Received 17 July 2006 - Accepted 21 December 2006 - Published online 22 March 2007)

Abstract - Enterococcus faecium CRL 183, a strain isolated from NSLAB cheese starter, has been the focus of much research on its potential probiotic capacity, although its survival through the gastrointestinal tract has not been demonstrated so far. In order to determine the capacity of E. faecium CRL 183 to survive such conditions, this strain was administered daily to rats for 30 weeks. The experimental animals were divided into Group I: those that did not receive E. faecium, Group II: those that received a pure culture of E. faecium CRL 183 and Group III: animals that received E. faecium CRL 183 in the form of a fermented soy-based product. Faecal samples were collected at the beginning and at the 50%, 75% and 100% stages of the experimental period. Isolation and counts of Enterococcus were carried out on KF selective media. To distinguish the various Enterococcus species in the faeces, biochemical (API Strep 20) and molecular (PCR) tests were performed. Initially, E. faecium was absent from the intestinal flora of the rats; however, after 15 weeks of administration, E. faecium could be recovered from the faeces of Groups II and III, demonstrating that E. faecium CRL 183 was able to survive gastrointestinal transit under the study conditions. This is further evidence of the probiotic qualities of this strain. The safety of the strain was also investigated with regard to body weight and serum biochemical analysis.

Résumé - Démonstration de la viabilité cellulaire et de l'innocuité de Enterococcus faecium CRL 183 dans des expériences sur le long terme. Enterococcus faecium CRL 183, souche isolée à partir de bactéries lactiques non levain en transformation fromagère, a été l'objet de nombreuses recherches sur sa capacité à être un probiotique potentiel, bien que sa survie dans le tractus digestif ne soit pas encore bien démontrée à ce jour. Afin de déterminer la capacité de E. faecium CRL 183 à survivre dans de telles conditions, cette souche a été administrée quotidiennement à des rats pendant 30 semaines. Les animaux ont été divisés en 3 groupes expérimentaux : le groupe I ne recevant pas E. faecium, le groupe II recevant une culture pure de E. faecium CRL 183, et le groupe III recevant E. faecium CRL 183 sous la forme d'un produit fermenté à base de soja. Les échantillons de fécès ont été collectés au début et à 50 %, 75 % et 100 % de la période d'expérimentation. L'isolement et la numération des Enterococcus ont été réalisés sur milieu sélectif KF. Des tests biochimiques (API Strep 20) et moléculaires (PCR) ont été réalisés pour distinguer les espèces isolées des fécès. Initialement, E. faecium était absent de la flore intestinale des rats ; cependant, après 15 semaines d'administration, E. faecium a pu être retrouvé dans les fécès des groupes II et III, démontrant que E. faecium CRL 183 était capable de survivre dans les conditions du transit gastrointestinal. L'innocuité de la souche a également été étudiée au regard du poid

Key words: probiotic / Enterococcus faecium / rat / survival

Mots clés : probiotique / Enterococcus faecium / rat / survie

Corresponding author: Katia Sivieri katiasiv@hotmail.com

© INRA, EDP Sciences 2007

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