ISOLATION, CHARACTERIZATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF Lactobacillus fermentum EIPW5A ISOLATED FROM WHEY

The probiotic organisms are now used widely for different clinical indications. In an attempt to isolate a good probiotic strain for therapeutic applications, we have screened several isolates having probiotic attributes. The essential probiotic characters such as lactic acid production, antimicrobial activity, acid and bile tolerance, vitamin B12 production and antibiotic resistance pattern were considered as parameters for screening of probiotic bacteria from its natural habitats. Considering the said probiotic properties the strain EIPW5A was selected for the present study. The organism was identified as Lactobacillus fermentum based on its morphological, biochemical, physiological characters and 16S rRNA gene sequencing results.