DIFFERENTIATING STUDIES ON BETA-GALACTOSIDASE ACTIVITY OF HOST AND MICROFLORA AFTER YOGURT INTAKE

Former investigations proved that intestinal hydrolysis of lactose cou ld be enhanced by ingestion of fermented dairy products with native mi crobial beta-galactosidases. In order to measure this additional activ ity directly and to distinguish accurately between host and microbial beta-galactosidase activity In the rat small intestinal contents an im munological procedure was developed. Antibodies against the rat small intestinal beta-galactosidase were bound to CNBr-activated Sepharose. This gel was than used to separate the rat intestinal beta-galactosida ses from processed samples of the rat intestinal contents by affinity- chromatography. The microbial beta-galactosidase activity can be measu red separately in the effluate. There was no elution of the host enzym e.