Galactooligosaccharide in combination with Bifidobacterium and Bacteroides affects the population of Clostridium perfringens in the intestine of gnotobiotic mice

Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of 5% galactooligosaccharide (GOS) on the population of Clostridium perfringens during the development of primary intestinal microflora in gnotobiotic mice. Bifidobacterium breve markedly increased and C. perfringens markedly decreased in populations in the feces of the GOS-fed animals, but not in the controls. Bacteroides vulgatus in association with B. breve depressed the C. perfringens growth with the aid of dietary GOS. The depression of C. perfringens growth, however, depended on the timing of its colonization. This study indicates that Lactobacillus salivarius colonization is stimulated by dietary GOS and that growth of C. perfringens is suppressed by dietary GOS in the combination with anaerobic bacteria such as Bifidobacterium and Bacteroides and facultative anaerobic species during the early development of the bowel microflora, provided bacterial species colonize the gut in appropriate timing.