EFFECT OF YOGURT CULTURES ON THE SURVIVAL OF BIFIDOBACTERIA IN FERMENTED MILKS

Three species of Bifidobacterium, Bif bifidum, Bif longum and Bif adol escentis were grown in reconstituted skim milk (12 % total solids) eit her individually or in combination with one of three commerical yogurt cultures. Total colony counts were recorded for the bifidobacteria ov er a growth period of 24 hours and, for samples with the fermentation halted at pH 4.6, during storage at 5-degrees-C for up to 21 days. The results indicated that, while co-inoculation with the yogurt organism s tended to suppress the growth of the bifidobacteria, subsequent stor age in the presence of the yogurt cultures did not lead to any signifi cant decline in numbers.