Evaluation of biocide efficacy of ECOBIOL

Professor Péter Gálfi, DVM., DSc, head of the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology of the Szent István University (Hungary), has been coordinating different research projects for NOREL S.A. Recently, his team has determined the power ECOBIOL has to inhibit the growth of several pathogenic bacteria in in-vitro tests.

ECOBIOL, a Bacillus amyloliquefaciens probiotic, exerts its beneficial effects in the host by inhibiting the colonization and growth of harmful bacteria both by steric hindrance (also called competitive exclusion) and by antibacterial metabolites.

The pathogenic bacteria strains (Salmonella enterica Enteritidis SE11 Nal, Salmonella enterica Typhimurium, Escherichia coli HNCMB30292, Escherichia coli HNCMB30037, Campylobacter jejuni 2903, Clostridium perfringens HNCMB105019, and Clostridium perfringens 5/2) were propagated under conditions suitable for the special growth requirements of the bacteria. The concentration of the bacterium suspensions were adjusted to 10⁷ colony forming units (CFU)/ml based on their optical density. Subsequently, bacteria were incubated for 18 hours in the test compounds dissolved of the appropriate growth medium adjusted to pH 6 with phosphate buffer. The following concentrations of the probiotic were used: 10⁸ CFU/ml, 10⁷ CFU/ml, 10⁶ CFU/ml, 10⁵ CFU/ml and 0 CFU/ml. At the end of the incubation period bacterial cell count (of pathogens and probiotic) was determined using selective media.

The probiotic showed a significant growth-inhibition on the pathogenic bacteria at even the lowest concentration tested. Control of pathogenic bacteria is an important added value of the use of probiotics in animal nutrition.