Investigating the probiotic characteristics of Lactobacillus strains for commercial exploitation

The awareness of consumers regarding meals that promote health beyond just flavour and nutrition has led to a rise in the popularity of probiotic products. Although probiotics are frequently recommended without considering their efficacy. Probiotics are not all the same and their effects on the host might vary significantly. Probiotic characteristics should be determined in vitro before clinical investigations to understand a microbe's basic characteristics which is an essential step for choosing the best bacteriotherapy for every individual. In the present investigation, seven strains (L. acidophilus NCDC 15, L. plantarum NCIM 2083, L. casei NCIM 5752, L. rhamnosus NCDC 296, L. helviticus NCIM 2126, L. delbreuckii NCIM 2025, L. fermentum NCIM 2165) were evaluated for their ability to tolerate simulated intestinal conditions, cell surface hydrophobicity, auto aggregation assay, co-aggregation assay and various biochemical tests. All the bacterial strains survived in the simulated intestinal conditions. L. rhmanosus NCDC 296 and L. planatarum NCIM 2083 showed comparatively highest adhesion to intestinal lining. While the capacity of each bacterial strain to interact with different pathogens varied, the highest auto aggregation assay was found to be exhibited by L. planatrum NCIM 2083 and L. rhamnosus NCDC 296. All strains exhibited a negative reaction to catalase and a positive reaction to the hydrolysis of esculin. The results showed that the strains under analysis had distinct in vitro biological characteristics, underscoring the value of in vitro experiments as a bridge to clinical research. This research lays the groundwork for a deeper understanding of the specific attributes of these strains, informing future clinical applications and product development in the realm of probiotic supplementation.