Digested bacterial cell powder (DBCP) as a source of reduced-form folates for pigs: use of a trimethoprim-resistant strain and the bioavailability of folates in DBCP.

The production of digested bacterial cell powder (DBCP) as a source of reduced-form folates for pigs was studied. Trimethoprim-resistant mutants of Brevibacterium lactofermentum ATCC 13869 accumulated a significantly higher amount of the reduced form of folate in the cells than the wild-type strain. DBCPs were prepared from the resistant mutant strain and the wild-type strain. The utilization of the reduced-form of folate in DBCP was evaluated by measuring the plasma folate level after orally administering DBCP to Göttingen minipigs. The folates in both DBCPs proved to have equally high bioavailability in the pigs.