STIMULATION OF GAS PRODUCTION AND GROWTH OF CLOSTRIDIUM PERFRINGENS TYPE-A (NO-3624) BY LEGUMES

SUMMARY: Dry beans and other legumes contain an unidentified factor which stimulates rapid growth and gas production by Clostridium perfringens, Type A. This factor may be related to the flatus‐inducing properties of dry beans. it is suggested that flatus gases are the product of accelerated gas production by the intestinal anaerobe. Gas production and growth of C. perfringens were inhibited by some of the same antibiotics that are known to block flatulence in higher animals. Hydrogen and carbon dioxide, the major constituents in flatus gases, were also found to be the primary gases collected over cultures of the anaerobe grown in a synthetic medium. Bland foods, such as rice and barley, evoked minimal responses. Pure carbohydrates including lactose, raffinose, stachyose and starch had no effect on gas production when the organism was grown in a complete basal medium containing glucose. An assay procedure has been developed for measuring the response of the microorganism to various substrates. This procedure should facilitate isolation, purification and characterization of the unknown factor. If a direct relationship can be established between this factor and the flatulence factor in dry beans, the assay procedure should find applications in establishing a flatus index for foods and aid in the development of nonflatulent food products. Copyright © 1969, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved