Gouda is a semi-hard, high fat cheese and was investigated here as a food vehicle for probiotic bacteria. The purpose of this study was to incorporate non-microencapsulated and microencapsulated probiotic cultures (L. helveticus and B. longum) into Gouda cheese. Lactococcus lactis, Lactococcus cremoris, Lactococcus lactis subsp. diacetylactis and Streptococcus thermophilus were used as starter cultures. Each batch was evaluated for its chemical, microbial, textural, and also sensorial properties after 3 and 4 months of aging. The experimental Gouda cheeses with the addition of probiotic cultures did not alter the chemical properties of the aged cheese. Furthermore, the final levels of both probiotic strains incorporated were meeting the recommendation level suggested by health organizations which is higher than 107 cfu/g. Moreover, the addition of probiotic strains and maturation time did not alter the texture of the cheese. Overall, the result from the sensory test also did not show any differences.

Gouda is a semi-hard, high fat cheese and was investigated here as a food vehicle for probiotic bacteria. The purpose of this study was to incorporate non-microencapsulated and microencapsulated probiotic cultures (L. helveticus and B. longum) into Gouda cheese. Lactococcus lactis, Lactococcus cremoris, Lactococcus lactis subsp. diacetylactis and Streptococcus thermophilus were used as starter cultures. Each batch was evaluated for its chemical, microbial, textural, and also sensorial properties after 3 and 4 months of aging. The experimental Gouda cheeses with the addition of probiotic cultures did not alter the chemical properties of the aged cheese. Furthermore, the final levels of both probiotic strains incorporated were meeting the recommendation level suggested by health organizations which is higher than 107 cfu/g. Moreover, the addition of probiotic strains and maturation time did not alter the texture of the cheese. Overall, the result from the sensory test also did not show any differences.

Thesis (Master, Microbiology & Immunology) -- Queen's University, 2013-10-03 15:17:19.167

Lactobacillus plantarum is known to reduce the inflammatory response of macrophages in vitro and decrease inflammation in vivo during colitis. A predominance of M2, anti-inflammatory, macrophages correlates with a reduced severity of colitis. The purpose of this study was to determine if L. plantarum-conditioned media is able to produce an anti-inflammatory macrophage response during Salmonella-induced colitis while also reducing inflammation. Female C57BL/6 mice were infected with Salmonella after streptomycin pretreatment, then gavaged with L. plantarum-conditioned media (or a control) four hours prior to infection and twenty-four hours post-infection, they were sacrificed forty-eight hours post-infection. Samples of the intestines, blood, peritoneal exudate macrophages, spleen derived macrophages, and bone marrow-derived macrophages were collected. L. plantarum-conditioned media was found to limit inflammation in a dose related manner. Inflammation was measured by cecum histology, myeloperoxidase activity in the intestine, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 levels in the blood. IκB-α levels in the intestinal epithelium were measured by Western blot and degradation was reduced by L. plantarum-conditioned media treatment of Salmonella infected mice. Macrophages from L. plantarum-conditioned media treated Salmonella infected mice were found to have an M2 phenotype that was not found in any other treatment group. The phenotype markers arginase-1 and Ym-1 were found to be elevated in L. plantarum-conditioned media treated Salmonella infected mice by Western blot, while Src homology 2-containing inositol phosphatase-1 was reduced. Flow cytometry for the M2 markers CD206 and CD14 along with the M1 markers CD16 and CCR7 showed a similar M2 phenotype shift of macrophages from L. plantarum-conditioned media treated Salmonella infected mice. The cytokine profile of macrophages from L. plantarum-conditioned media treated Salmonella infected mice was anti-inflammatory with elevated IL-10 and decreased IL-6, IL-12, and TNF-α supporting the M2 phenotype. The protective effects of L. plantarum-conditioned media were found to be at least partially macrophage dependent in a macrophage transfer experiment. In vitro, L. plantarum-conditioned media was also found to produce M2 phenotype macrophages but have no effect on phagocytic or bactericidal function. In conclusion, L. plantarum-conditioned media provides a novel means of producing an anti-inflammatory immune response during Salmonella infection without compromising the host’s ability to combat infection. / Thesis (Master, Microbiology & Immunology) -- Queen's University, 2011-09-29 10:07:20.666

The principal objective of this investigation was to evaluate coccidiosis vaccination, with or without probiotic administration, for effects on broiler performance and clinical indices of infection due to field strain Eimeria challenge during pen trials of commercially applicable durations. During trials 1 and 2, body weights of vaccinated broilers were reduced (P<0.05) compared to other experimental groups during rearing through the grower phase. Final body weights, however, were not different among experimental groups at the termination of each trial. Similarly, feed conversion in trials 1 and 2 was increased (P<0.05) in vaccinated broilers during rearing through the grower phase when compared to non-vaccinated broilers. Significant improvements (P<0.05) in feed conversion were measured in trials 1 and 2 in vaccinated broilers during the withdrawal phase of grow-out. Probiotic administration significantly reduced (P<0.05) feed conversion during the withdrawal phase of trial 2. During trial 3, body weights of broilers in the vaccine with probiotic (water) group were higher (P<0.05) at termination (d 44) than all other experimental groups and equivalent to the ionophore alone and ionophore with probiotic groups. Similarly, cumulative mortality corrected feed conversion ratio (FCR) was lower (P<0.05) in broilers from the vaccine with probiotic (water) group compared to negative controls, and not different from FCR in ionophore administered broilers. Trial 2 observations revealed body weight gains among vaccinated broilers that were significantly increased (P<0.05) during a seven day clinical field strain Eimeria challenge period compared to non-vaccinated broilers. Both probiotic and vaccine significantly decreased (P<0.05) gross lesion scores in upper and mid-intestinal regions. A significant reduction (P<0.05) in gross lower intestinal lesion score was also observed in the vaccine alone group. In Trial 3 general observations showed, broilers in the ionophore alone group were associated with higher (P<0.05) microscopic mid and lower intestine lesion scores when compared to broilers receiving vaccine or vaccine + probiotic. These data suggest that co-administration of probiotic during coccidiosis vaccination results in performance parameters that are improved when compared to vaccination alone and indistinguishable from protection conferred by feeding an ionophore in the presence of field strain Eimeria.

No description available.

Improving growth, lowering mortality rates, and having a faster turnaround to harvest is essential for the future of commercial aquaculture. The primary goal of this study was to determine if introducing a single strain probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus IMC 501 into the feed regimen of a commercially important aquaculture freshwater fish, Mozambique tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus), would decrease mortality; change metabolic rates; and increase tissue wet mass (MW), standard length, growth rate and feed conversion rate (FCRs). IMC501 was added to the fishmeal in four increasing concentrations and compared to a control without probiotics. Results from two-way ANOVAs showed that both treatment levels and elapsed time had a significant effect on both mean standard length and wet mass; in the latter case, time points and treatments interacted with one another, showing that tilapia grew best with a moderate level of probiotics present. The growth benefits of probiotics continued for months after the initial treatments. Oxygen consumption (metabolic rate) was measured using closed respirometry and resulted in recording the first values for juvenile tilapia treated with probiotics. For oxygen consumption, there were significant treatment and time effects with significant interactions, indicating that metabolism increased with probiotics once the dosage exceeded three times the industry level. These results are consistent with the observed increases in mass, length and growth rates. These results demonstrate the importance of conducting dose-response experiments in order to determine the most effective concentration of probiotics in juvenile freshwater fish. Importantly, probiotics at the right concentration increase metabolic rates and can positively influence tilapia growth, which is of interest for the optimization of Mozambique tilapia production in aquaculture.

Four experiments evaluated the impact of probiotic administration on the immune response of broilers vaccinated with a live coccidiosis vaccine. Experiment one showed that probiotic administration increased heterophil and monocyte oxidative burst, and lymphocyte proliferation at multiple time points. In experiment two, probiotic + vaccine increased heterophil and monocyte oxidative burst on d 15 when compared with the negative controls. Overall, vaccine administration alone showed the highest response when compared to all other treatments. In the second trial, all birds were exposed to Eimeria oocysts in the litter and oral gavaged. The results showed that probiotic + vaccine resulted in greater heterophil and monocyte oxidative burst levels on d 14 and 28 when compared to the negative controls. Increases in lymphocyte proliferation were also seen in the probiotic + vaccine and probiotic alone broilers on d 14 among other treatments. In experiment three, heterophil oxidative burst was increased (p <= 0.05) in the vaccine alone group, vaccine with probiotic group, and the ionophore with probiotic group, when compared to the negative control. Monocyte oxidative burst was increased (p <= 0.05) in the vaccine with probiotic group on d 36 and 43, compared to the negative control. Lymphocyte proliferation was greater (p <= 0.05) on d 22 and 36 in the ionophore with probiotic group, when compared to the negative control. Experiment four showed that liver AVBD 2 gene expression elevated (p <= 0.05) in the probiotic + vaccine group relative to the probiotic alone group. Ileum AVBD 2 gene expression was not affected among any of the treatments was evaluated. Liver AVBD 9 was demonstrated to have higher (p <= 0.05) gene expression in the vaccine group when compared to controls. When AVBD 9 gene expression was evaluated in the ileum, a decrease (p <= 0.05) was observed in all treatments compared to the control group. These data suggest that simultaneous administration of probiotics during coccidiosis vaccination or ionophore treatment has the ability to modulate the immune response at varying time points.

Probiotics and lactoferrin are currently being used in neonatal intensive care units in the hopes of reducing rates of sepsis and necrotizing enterocolitis. While studies have shown that these measures can be clinically beneficial to premature babies, little is known about their effect at the level of the intestinal microbiome. We performed a prospective study describing the composition and evolution of the microbiota of premature babies receiving probiotics with and without lactoferrin supplementation. Furthermore, we compared our findings to a piglet model. We found that the addition of lactoferrin did not lead to a distinct microbiome using UniFrac analysis, nor increased diversity or richness as compared to probiotics alone. The relative abundance of probiotic bacterial strains was approximately 3%. At the phylum level Firmicutes and Proteobacteria predominated, while overall Enterobacteriaceae was the most abundant family. We remain the first to describe the microbiome of premature infants receiving lactoferrin.

The environment of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract is an extremely complex system made up of not only host cells, but also many beneficial microbes. Disruption of this environment can often lead to disorders and health issues. To help balance this system, probiotics have often been administered to both humans and animals, such as livestock. This study aimed to determine what beneficial effects a novel strain of Enterobacter cloacae, strain JD6301, could offer to a host in the presence of an enteric infection with E. coli O157:H7. Upon administration of JD6301, supplemented animals had overall less E. coli present in the colon and caecum. Moreover, these animals shed more E. coli than control groups. Supplemented animals also had increased concentrations of serum triglycerides one day prior to challenge. Together, these data suggest that Enterobacter cloacae JD6301 could perform as a novel probiotic providing energy and protection to the host.