Abstract:[Objective]This study aimed to screen the Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis (B. lactis) strains with unique advantages and probiotic properties from the intestinal tract of children.[Method]Fifty-six strains of B. lactis isolated from the intestinal tract of children in Nanyang City, Henan Province were used for the study. The strains were evaluated for their acid tolerance, bile salt tolerance, gastrointestinal fluid tolerance, growth characteristics, surface auto-aggregation ability, surface hydrophobicity, and antioxidant capacity.[Result]B. lactis MN16631 had strong acid and bile salt tolerance. It achieved the survival rates of 87.15% and 43.64% after being incubated in the simulated gastric fluid for 2 h and the simulated intestinal fluid for 4 h, respectively. B. lactis MN16631 showed the surface hydrophobicity of (56.69±1.96)% and the surface auto-aggregation rate of (84.28±2.41)% after 24 h. Furthermore, B. lactis MN16631 exhibited strong antioxidant activity. Its DPPH radical scavenging capacity was superior to that of commercial strains, while its hydroxyl radical scavenging capacity and superoxide anion radical scavenging capacities, as well as its ferric reducing capacity, were comparable to those of commercial strains.[Conclusion]B. lactis MN16631 is a strain with excellent probiotic properties and thus can be used as a strain resource for the research and development of functional foods for children and other populations.
