Honey can enhance the growth and acid production of human Bifidobacterium ssp.

Honey can enhance the growth and acid production of human Bifidobacterium ssp.

Journal of Food Protection
2002;65(1):214-8
The study examined the potential for honey to act as a pre-biotic, i.e., enhance the growth of and promoting lactic and acetic acid production by human intestinal Bifidobacteria. Five human intestinal Bifidobacterium spp., (B. longum, B. adolescentis, B. breve, B. bifidum, and B. infantis), were cultured in reinforced clostridial medium (control) and in reinforced clostridial medium supplemented with 5% (wt/vol) clover honey, fructooligosaccharide (FOS), galactooligosaccharide (GOS), or inulin. Inoculated samples were incubated anaerobically at 37degrees C for 48 h. Samples were collected at 12-h intervals (i.e., 12, 36, and 48 hr) and examined for specific growth rate. Levels of fermentation end products (lactic and acetic acids) were measured by high-pressure liquid chromatography. Honey, FOS, GOS, and inulin showed similar effectiveness in supporting Bifidobacterium spp growth and were significantly more effective than the control at 36 and 48 hr (P < 0.05).