A sweetener composition comprising xylose, a sugar alcohol and brown seaweed extract in solid form, preferably powdered or crystalline form. The sugar alcohol is preferably an erythritol and the brown seaweed extract is preferably obtained from Laminaria japonica. The sweetener composition can further comprise one or a combination of additional vitamins, minerals, probiotic cultures, and other plant-based extracts.

The present invention is a yogurt product that may be consumed by dogs and other mammalian pets. The yogurt product is in an unflavored form comprising as essential constituents: (A) 0% to 88% by weight water; (B) 0.2% to 25% by weight of a no-fat protein component selected from the group consisting of skim milk and cultured skim milk; (C1) 0.001% to 6% by weight sugar component comprising: (C1) 0.001% to 6% polydextrose and (C2) 0.001% to 6% Glycoses and Galactoses; (D) 2% to 8% by weight milk derived solids; (E) 0.2% to 2.5% by weight stabilizers and emulsifiers; and (F) at least one probiotic microorganism. The yogurt product may be refrigerated and served as a mousse, frozen dessert, or as a fermented yogurt drink similar to Ayran or Kefir. A method for producing the yogurt product is also disclosed herein.

This invention relates to new uses of Bifidobacteria (particularly, although not exclusively, probiotic Bifidobacteria), and to food products, feed products, dietary supplements and pharmaceutical formulations containing them. The bacteria are suitable for the treatment of myocardial infarction, dilated cardiomyopathy, inflammatory heart disease (including endocarditis, inflammatory cardiomegaly and myocarditis), and congestive heart failure.

This invention relates to new uses of Bifidobacteria (particularly, although not exclusively, probiotic Bifidobacteria), and to food products, feed products, dietary supplements and pharmaceutical formulations containing them. The bacteria are suitable for the treatment of myocardial infarction, dilated cardiomyopathy, inflammatory heart disease (including endocarditis, inflammatory cardiomegaly and myocarditis), and congestive heart failure.

A composition for promoting defecation includes a cell culture of at least one lactic acid bacterial strain which is substantially free of cells. The least one lactic acid bacterial strain is selected from the group consisting of Lactobacillus salivarius subsp. salicinius AP-32, Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis CP-9, and Lactobacillus acidophilus TYCA06, which are respectively deposited at the Bioresource Collection and Research Center (BCRC) under accession numbers BCRC 910437, BCRC 910645 and BCRC 910813. Also disclosed is a method for promoting defecation, including administering to a subject in need thereof an effective amount of the composition.

Disclosed herein are methods for improving gastrointestinal barrier function, alleviating a gastrointestinal barrier dysfunction-associated disorder, and inhibiting growth of enteric pathogenic bacteria using a composition containing Lactobacillus rhamnosus MP108, Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis BLI-02, and Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB-115, which are deposited at the China General Microbiological Culture Collection Center (CGMCC) respectively under accession numbers CGMCC 21225, CGMCC 15212, and CGMCC 21840. A number ratio of Lactobacillus rhamnosus MP108, Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis BLI-02, and Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB-115 ranges from 1:0.2:0.67 to 1:9:9.

This invention relates to the use of a bacterium of the genus Bifidobacterium, particularly, but not exclusively, a bacterium of the Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. lactis strain 420 (B420) for use in reducing food, energy and/or fat intake.

The present invention is intended for the use of a probiotic composition comprising Bifidobacterium animalis subs. lactis (B. lactis), Bifidobacterium longum and Lactobacillus rhamnosus, in particular the strains B. lactis CECT 8145, B. longum ES1 CECT 7347 and/or L. rhamnosus CECT 8361, in the treatment and/or prevention of psoriasis outbreaks or psoriasis.

A composition for the treatment and/or nutrition of poultry such as broiler chickens is disclosed as comprising (i) one more probiotics which are commensal selected from one or more of Bifidobacterium animalis, Collinsella tanakaei, Lactobacillus reuteri, Anaerostipes, Lactobacillus crispatus, Pediococcus acidilactici, Lactobacillus pontis, Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, Coprococcus catus, Roseburia intestinalis, Anaerostipes butyraticus, Butyricicoccus, Lactobacillus johnsonii, and Ruminococcus sp.; and (ii) a prebiotic material. The application also discloses the use of such a composition for the treatment of enteric disease in poultry, such as necrotic enteritis.

Disclosed are date palm compositions and methods of use of such compositions. Such compositions may be used as part of a growth medium for culture of microorganisms. In certain embodiments, date palm extracts of the disclosure are used as part a culture medium to grow Lactobacilli.