The mucus binding of Bifidobacterium lactis Bb12 is enhanced in the presence of Lactobacillus GG and Lact. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus.

The ability to adhere to mucosal surfaces is related to many probiotic health effects. In the presence of Lactobacillus GG or Lact. bulgaricus, the adhesion of Bifidobacterium lactis Bb12 to a mucus model was more than doubled. Other tested lactobacilli did not affect the adhesion, nor was the adhesion of the lactobacilli influenced by the bifidobacteria. Co-aggregation between Bif. lactis Bb12 and the tested lactobacilli was insignificant and does not explain the observed effect. The results suggest that combinations of probiotics strains may have synergistic adhesion effects. Such specific strain combinations should also be assessed in clinical studies.