Growth of various bacteria and yeast in a peptide and an element diet.

Solutions of a peptide and an elemental diet were artificially contaminated with several bacterial and yeast strains. Their growth was measured after eight and 24 h incubation at 4 degrees and 22 degrees C. At 4 degrees C no increase in colony count could be observed in either diet within 24 h. At 22 degrees a significant increase of all but the campylobacter strains was obtained after 24 h in the peptide diet. In the elemental diet only the pseudomonas and the yeast strains showed a small increase, the campylobacters were reduced and the colony count of all the other test strains remained constant. As such diets are administered continuously for up to 24 h via a tube into the duodenum for severe intestinal disorders it is suggested (i) that they should be prepared under sterile conditions (ii) that peptide diets should be given for no longer than 8 h and (iii) that solutions of both diets should not be stored for longer than 24 h in the refrigerator.