Rabin Gyawali
Tanzania
Research Article
Determining β-Galactosidase Activity of Commercially Available Probiotic Supplements
Author(s): Desarae Nicole Johnson, Sulaiman Omar Aljaloud, Rabin Gyawali and Salam A IbrahimDesarae Nicole Johnson, Sulaiman Omar Aljaloud, Rabin Gyawali and Salam A Ibrahim
Consumer interest in probiotics has dramatically increased in recent years due to improved knowledge of the significant benefits imparted on human health. A specific health issue in which probiotics have been found advantageous is lactose intolerance. Probiotics have demonstrated the ability to act on ingested lactose due to the presence of lactase. The objective of this study was to assess the β-galactosidase (β -gal) activity of commercially available probiotics supplements in the market. Ten supplements were used in this study. Two capsules of each supplement were allowed to activate in MRS broth for 10-12 h. Cultures were then inoculated into TPY broth with lactose (induced) or glucose (uninduced) then incubated at 37°C. After bacterial growth reached the mid log phase (optical density 0.7-0.9; 610 nm), the procedures as outlined by Miller were followed. Activity of .. View More»
