Effect of Fermented Milks on Humoral Immune Response in Mice

Eight groups of 20 CD-l mice were fed for eight days with UHT milk fermented by one of the following bacteria: Bifidobacterium longum, Lactobacillus acidophilus, L. delbrueckii spp. bulgaricus, L. casei spp. rhamnosus, L. helveticus, Lactococcus lactis spp. cremoris, Lactococcus lactis spp. lactis, Streptococcus salivarius spp. thermophilus. No significant differences were observed in the serum IgG and IgA level, nor in the bronchoalveolar IgG level. Only mice fed milk fermented with L. delbrueckii spp. bulgaricus showed a significant increase (P < 0.05) in their bronchoalveolar IgA level after eight days. The extent of proteolysis of the fermented milks was not correlated with the bronchoalveolar IgA level.