This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of Bifidobacterium lactis and Streptococcus thermophilus, both independently and in combination, in detoxifying skim milk contaminated with aflatoxin M1 (AFM1). To achieve this, two concentrations of the bacteria (8 and 10 log CFU/mL) were inoculated into skimmed milk contaminated with three levels of AFM1 (0.1, 0.25, and 0.5 μg/mL) and incubated at two different temperatures (4 and 42 °C). High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was employed to measure the removal percentage of AFM1 at various intervals (30, 60, 120 minutes, and 24 hours). Results indicated a significant time-dependent increase in AFM1 removal from the skim milk. The removal efficiency of AFM1 by these bacterial strains ranged from 12% to 87%, influenced by bacterial concentration, incubation time, toxin concentration, and whether the bacteria were used alone or in combination. B. lactis exhibited a superior AFM1 removal capacity compared to S. thermophilus. The optimal strategy for maximum AFM1 removal (87%) involved treating contaminated milk spiked with 0.5 μg/mL of AFM1 with a mixture of B. lactis and S. thermophilus at concentrations of 10 and 8 log CFU/mL, respectively, and incubating at 42ºC for 24 hours. This study suggests a potentially effective method for reducing AFM1 concentrations in the dairy industry, thereby mitigating public health risks associated with aflatoxin contamination. The implications of these findings could contribute significantly to improving food safety standards and reducing exposure to harmful toxins in dairy products. Further research is recommended to explore the underlying mechanisms of AFM1 removal by these probiotic strains and to validate these findings under commercial dairy processing conditions.

Statement of the Problem: Dental caries is the most common disease of childhood.Using probiotics has recently been introduced to reduce the incidence of dental caries.It consists of live microbial food supplements that beneficially affect the host, and hence are considered an alternative way to eradicate the infections.Purpose: The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of consumption of probiotic yogurt on the children’s salivary cariogenic microflora.Materials and Method: A double-blind randomized study was performed recruiting 2 parallel groups; 24 healthy children in the case and 25 children in the control group. All healthy children were followed- up over 4 periods. Periods 1 and 3 were wash-out periods with duration of 1 and 2 weeks, respectively. During periods 2 and 4 (2weeks duration each), the case group consumed 200g yogurt containing Bifidobacterium lactis (1×106 per gram) once daily and the control group consumed normal yogurt. SalivaryStreptococci mutans and Lactobacilli were enumerated before and after the yogurt consumption periods. Pre- and post-treatment values within and between regimens were compared using the t-test and paired samples.Results: There was a reduction in Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus counts in the control group, but forStreptococcus mutans, the count reduction between phases 1 and 4 was statistically significant (p=0.009). In the case group, neither the Streptococcus mutanscount nor the Lactobacilli count was significantly reduced.Conclusion: Based on the findings of this study, short-term daily consumption of probiotic yogurt containingBifidobacterium lactis could not reduce the levels of salivary Streptococcus mutansand Lactobacilli in 6 to 12 year-old children, while normal yogurt could reduce theStreptococcus mutans counts significantly.

This study evaluated the antimicrobial activities of two lactic acid bacteria, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis I23 and Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis E91, against Brochothrix thermosphacta in pork meat during storage at ambient temperature (30oC) for 168 h. The LAB strains and the spoilage organism were inoculated on fresh pork samples at 1´106 CFUg-1. Results showed about 3 log reduction in the spoilage organism in LAB inoculated samples after 48 h of storage. The spoilage organism showed susceptibility to antimicrobial action of Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis I23. There was reduction in the count of Enterobacteriaceae, and no detection of Staphylococcus in the samples inoculated with Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis I23 strain. Count of Staphylococcus was between 2.04 and 3.11 log in the untreated samples, and detection was not observed until 72 h of storage. Conclusively, growth of Brochothrix thermosphacta was effectively controlled by nisin producing Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis I23 in fresh pork meat and this could enhance the shelf life of the product.

Background and Objectives: Dental caries, caused by oral microbial flora, is considered as one of the most common infectious diseases in human. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of short-term consumption of probiotic yogurt containing bifidobacterium lactis on salivary streptococcus mutans and lactobacilli in students with initial stages of dental caries.Materials and Methods: 66 students (18-30 years old) with initial stages of dental caries were selected in this single blind randomized clinical trial. The subjects were randomly assigned into two groups: intervention group received 300g/d probiotic yogurt, and control group received 300 g/d conventional yogurt for 2 weeks. Unstimulated fasting saliva sample was collected pre- and post-intervention. Bacterial counting was performed for salivary streptococcus mutans and lactobacilli. Salivarius Mitis agar and Rogosa agar were used as culture media for streptococcus mutans and lactobacilli, respectively.Results: The number of streptococcus mutans in saliva was significantly reduced in the intervention group post-intervention (P<0.001); however, it was not changed in the control group (P=0.71). Streptococcus mutans was also significantly lower in the intervention group compared with the control group post-intervention (P<0.001). Although salivary lactobacilli was reduced significantly in both groups post-intervention (P<0.001), this reduction was not significantly greater in the intervention group compared with the control group (P=0.594).Conclusions: It is suggested that consumption of probiotic yogurt may be useful to prevent the progression of dental caries.