Naturally occurring prebiotic oligosaccharides in poultry feed mixtures.

The presence of raffinose series oligosaccharides (RSO) was determined by an enzymic method in three commercially available chicken feed mixtures. All feed mixtures contained RSO at a concentration of 2.1-2.

Activity and cellular localization of amylases of rabbit cecal bacteria.

Five 11-week-old rabbits, fed a commercial granulated feed, were slaughtered and cecal starch-degrading bacteria enumerated; total concentration of cultivable bacteria utilizing starch averaged 5.5 x 10(10) CFU/g. The activity and cellular localization of amylases was determined in 9 bacteria identified as Actinomyces israeli (strains AA2 and AD4), Bacteroides spp.

Fermentation of pectin and glucose, and activity of pectin-degrading enzymes in the rabbit caecal bacterium Bacteroides caccae.

Aims: To compare fermentation pattern in cultures of Bacteroides caccae supplied with pectin and glucose, and identify enzymes involved in metabolism of pectin.

Methods And Results: A strain KWN isolated from the rabbit caecum was used. Fermentation pattern, changes of viscosity and enzyme reactions products were determined.

Isolation and characterization of rabbit caecal pectinolytic bacteria.

Two hundred and thirty colonies from the caecal contents of six rabbits were picked up and, after a 2-d incubation, were microscopically characterized using Gram staining. Large Gram-negative (34%) and small Gram-negative (30%) irregular rods, Gram-negative (27%) and Gram-positive (8%) cocci were found. Eleven isolates (Bacteroides ovatus (6 strains), B.

Evaluation of selective media for bifidobacteria in poultry and rabbit caecal samples.

Five media were evaluated to determine their selectivity for Bifidobacterium sp. in hen and rabbit caecal samples. The colonies arising on the plates inoculated with the caecal samples were Gram stained and screened for the presence of fructose-6-phosphate phosphoketolase activity.