| Summary: | Viability and colonisation of a probiotic yeast in the digestive tract of piglets
Probiotics have been defined as « live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host» (WHO, 2001). This definition implies that viability is an important factor and that the probiotic needs to reach its target site alive and in significant number in order to confer beneficial properties. Therefore, we investigated the survival and the level of the probiotic yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae CNCM I-1079 (SB) along the gut of pigs and in faeces. For this purpose, 3 piglets from SB supplemented sows were orally dosed with SB for a week before sacrifice at 21 days of age. Faecal samples were collected as well as intestinal tract compartment content for yeast count and characterization. We have used advanced techniques to be able to identify and enumerate accurately SB from other yeasts according to morphology and biomolecular profile criteria. We have demonstrated that SB remains viable and in proportionally high number along the gut of pigs and in faeces, suggesting that both sites of main actions for probiotics (small intestine and hindgut) can benefit from the presence of live yeast cells at a biologically significant level.
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