Lactobacillus

Lactic acid bacteria is a functional group of bacteria. The term is used by food microbiologists as a collective term for bacteria able to ferment carbohydrates in foods to lactic acid. They typically occur spontaneously in fermented foods and consist of several different bacterial families and genus such as the family Lactobacillaceae and the genus Lactobacillus. Lactobacillus is a genus of bacteria consisting of more than 90 defined species, all able to ferment carbohydrates into carboxylic acids, mainly lactic acid. The Lactobacillus species have been divided into three functional groups based on fermentation function; Group I (obligate homofermentative) which ferments hexoses to lactic acid but cannot ferment gluconate or pentoses, Group II (facultative heterofermentative) which in addition to hexose also ferments pentoses and/or gluconate and finally Group III (obligate heterofermentative) which ferments hexoses to lactic acid, acetic acid and or ethanol and carbon dioxide.

Bifidobacterium

Bifidobacteria are gram-positive, nonmotile anaerobic bacteria. They are one of the major genera of bacteria that make up microbiota in mammals. The genus possesses a unique ability to pathway to ferment carbohydrates and are able to ferment
human milk oligosaccharides as well as plant oligosaccharides.

Latobacillus rhamnosus

Lactobacillus plantarum

Bifidobacterium animalis spp animalis and Bifidobacterium animalis spp lactis

Lactobacillus rhamnosus is a species within the Lactobacillus
genus with a wide variety of strains isolated from different
environments including the human gastrointestinal tract. It
belongs to group II of Lactobacillus and as such exclusively ferments hexoses into lactid acid but can also ferment pentoses and/or gluconates into lactic and acetic acid. Its pan-genome contains 4711 genes of which 2164 constitute its core genome. The accessory genome allows for wide strain specific
functionalities and contains strain specific genes encoding for
carbohydrate transport, extracellular polysaccharides,
biosynthesis and pili production.

Lactobacillus plantarum has one of the largest genomes, the type organism WCSF1 contains 3052 genes, known among lactic acid bacteria which makes it highly versatile for instance
helping it to grow between pH 3.4-8.8 and in temperatures from 12 to 40 degrees C. L. plantarum belongs to group II of Lactobacillus and is facultative heterofermentative which in
addition to hexose also ferments pentoses and/or gluconate to
Lactic acid. The organism is used commercially as silage
inoculant where they quickly become dominant in culture and
produce both lactic and acetic acid. It is commonly found in
food products such as milk products and fermented foods suchas kimchi, sauerkraut, and sourdough.

Previously Bifidobacterium animalis and Bifidobacterium lactis
were described as two separate species but are now both
considered B. animalis with subspecies animalis and lactis
respectively. The species grow well in milk and is resistant to
acid and oxidative stress. Research has identified a number of species abilities such as immune modulation, epithelial
adherence and enhancement of gut barrier function thus
making it clinically relevant.

Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG ATCC 53103 – >800 scientific studies, >200 clinical trials, 7 ongoing clinical trials

Lactobacillus plantarum DSM 9843 – >100 studies and >50 clinical studies, 6 ongoing studies.
.

Bifidobacterium animalis spp lactis DSM 15954, >300 studies, > 100 clinical studies, 16 ongoing
.