Ability of lactoferrin to promote the growth of Bifidobacterium spp. in vitro is independent of receptor binding capacity and iron saturation level.

Lactoferrin (Lf) is an iron-binding protein which has been shown to inhibit the growth of various bacterial pathogens and promote the growth of anaerobic bacteria of the genus Bifidobacterium in vitro. The present study was designed to investigate whether the bifidobacteria growth promotion activity of Lf is correlated with either the binding of Lf to bifidobacterial cells or the iron saturation of Lf. Bovine Lf (bLf) from mature milk increased the growth of B.