Method for increasing survival rate, storage stability, acid resistance or bile resistance of lactic acid bacterium

The present invention provides: a method for increasing the survival rate, storage stability, acid resistance and bile resistance of a lactic acid bacterium after freeze drying of the lactic acid bacterium by adding proline during culturing of the lactic acid bacterium or after culturing the lactic acid bacterium; and a lactic acid bacterium produced by means of the method. In the method of the present invention, a protective agent such as proline is incorporated in high concentration in a lactic acid bacterial body, thereby not only increasing the stability of the lactic acid bacteria themselves to external environmental stresses such as freeze-drying stability and storage stability but also markedly improving the acid resistance and bile resistance which are markers of stability in the environment of the intestinal tract during lactic acid bacterium ingestion. Prior art techniques are poorly economically competitive and have limited industrial use since these techniques involve the use of complex methods of constructing a physical protective barrier on the outside of the lactic acid bacterial body by multi-step coating such as double coating, triple coating and quadruple coating of proteins, polysaccharides, porous polymers, edible oils and fats or the like thereon, whereas the present invention involves an economical method which greatly increases the resistance of the lactic acid bacterial body itself to external physicochemical stresses and increases the survival rate of same during gastrointestinal transit, and allows the inherent functionality of the lactic acid bacterium to be exhibited in the intestines and can overcome the problem of elevated cost that results from existing multi-step coating processes.