Growth of Bifidobacterium bifidum in whey-based media

Abstract

Bifidobacteria play an important role in human health including the enhancement of resistance against infection in infants. To develop an inexpensive whey-based medium for Bifidobacterium bifidum, potential growth promoters - yeast extract, casein, bovine casein digest, tryptone, peptone and glucosamine - singly or in combinations, were evaluated for their bifidus growth-promoting activity. The effect of environmental conditions on growth in cheese whey was also evaluated. A whey-based medium for B. bifidum was formulated. Cheese whey supplemented with N-acetylglucosamine (1 mg/ml) and yeast extract (10 mg/ml) in the presence of sodium thioglycomate (0.1%) at pH 6.8 promoted the growth of B. bifidum at 37°C.