A method for producing butyric acid and/or a butyrate is provided, wherein the method comprises fermenting a saccharide-containing substrate in the presence of a first strain and a second strain, wherein the first strain is a butyric acid bacterium and the second strain is at least one of a homofermentative lactic acid bacterium and a facultative heterofermentative lactic acid bacterium.

A single vessel multi-zone bioreactor for simultaneously culturing multiple microbial strains comprising multiple culturing zones arranged sequentially, each culturing zone comprising a porous hydrogel, and the use thereof for producing optionally encapsulated probiotics.

Disclosed are microbial compositions having unique combinations of microbial species which are used in plant material recycling and retting. Also disclosed microbial inoculants which contains such a microbial composition, water, and an optional carbon source. The microbial compositions and microbial inoculants are particularly useful in recycling high lignin-content plant material. Methods of making and methods of using the microbial compositions and the microbial inoculants are also described.

A lactic acid bacterium-containing composition including a lactic acid bacterium having a human papillomavirus (HPV) E7 protein-derived polypeptide on a surface thereof, wherein the HPV E7 protein-derived polypeptide is included in an amount of 0.03 g to 1.0 g per 110.sup.8 lactic acid bacteria; a therapeutic oral pharmaceutical composition for at least one of an HPV infectious disease and an HPV-associated tumor which includes the lactic acid bacterium-containing composition; and a mucosal immunity-inducing agent which includes the lactic acid bacterium-containing composition.

The present invention relates to a method of producing a fermented milk product comprising adding lactic acid bacteria to milk, wherein the bacteria comprise Lactobacillus casei and at least one further strain of lactic acid bacteria of a species other than Lactobacillus casei, wherein the further strain has a deficiency in lactose metabolism but is capable of metabolizing one or several carbohydrates other than lactose present in the milk.

A method for detecting live lactic acid bacteria with carbohydrate metabolism activity contained in a lactic acid bacteria-containing beverage or food includes adding a reagent that exhibits fluorescence when degraded by an esterase and a reagent for determining cell membrane damage to a lactic acid bacteria-containing beverage or food; adjusting a hexose having an aldehyde group contained in the lactic acid bacteria-containing beverage or food to 0.01 mM or more; and detecting lactic acid bacteria that excrete a fluorescent substance and have no cell membrane damage from the lactic acid bacteria-containing beverage or food.

The strain Lactobacillus casei AH077 (NCIMB12019) produces a polysaccharide and increases energy excretion. The strain acts to block fat absorption and is used in the prevention or treatment of obesity and obesity-related metabolic syndrome.

The present invention provides an anti-cancer vaccine composition and method of vaccination using the same, which can effectively inhibit the development and growth of various cancers including colorectal cancer, by inducing vaccination through the expression of PD-L1 or PD-L1-T epitope proteins on the surface of strains of the genus Lactobacillus.

A method of generating a biofilm of nomadic bacteria. The method comprises: (a) culturing the nomadic bacteria in an acidic environment under conditions that promote generation of a V-type structure of the nomadic bacteria; and subsequently (b) culturing said nomadic bacteria having a V-type structure on an adherent surface, thereby generating the biofilm comprising the nomadic bacteria. Conditioned media of nomadic bacteria are also disclosed and uses thereof.

A use of a Lactobacillus paracasei strain to prepare a composition for resisting bone loss is provided. The Lactobacillus paracasei strain GMNL-653 is capable of promoting the expression of TGF- and IL-10, while inhibiting the expression of osteoclast related genes and reducing the content of IL-17A in serum, so that the bone loss is slowed down.