Specific probiotics have several clinically proven health effects. Adhesion
to the intestinal mucosa is considered important for many of these effects
. In the current study, the effect of digestive enzymes and bile on the adh
esion to intestinal mucus of 5 selected probiotics was studied. AR of the d
igestive enzymes affected the adhesion of at least some of the tested strai
ns. Bile was observed to reduce the adhesion of all strains tested. When th
e strains were sequentially exposed to 3 enzyme preparations and bile, the
level of adhesion was reduced for all strains. The results suggest that the
selection criterion "adhesion" for probiotics should be further refined.