Anotace:
The most commonly used probiotic bacteria belong to the genus Lactobacillus, being regarded as beneficial for poultry health and production. However, commercial probiotics do not always ensure both expected effects. In order to improve the utility properties of new preparations, the selection of new probiotic candidates should be made on the basis of the performance of the species within the poultry digestive tract. The aim of this study was to isolate and identify lactobacilli from poultry intestines, and to select probiotic candidates for subsequent in vivo trials. Digesta from 18 poultry specimens were collected, serially diluted, plated onto Wilkins-Chalgren anaerobe agar supplemented with 30% of rumen fluid and onto De Man, Rogosa and Sharpe agar plates, and incubated at 37 °C for 48 h under anaerobic conditions. Isolated colonies were subjected to Gram staining and catalase reaction. They were then pre-identified using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) time of flight (TOF) mass spectrometry (MS). Forty-four Lactobacillus strains belonging to 16 species were identified and subjected to evaluations of survival under simulated gastrointestinal conditions, autoaggregation and hydrophobicity. Most of the screened Lactobacillus reuteri strains as well as individual strains of L. acidophilus, L. salivarius, L. saerimneri, and L. vaginalis showed high survival rates under gastrointestinal tract conditions and good surface properties. The results suggest their potential for further testing as probiotic candidates in in vivo trials.