ANTIMUTAGENICITY OF MILK CULTURED WITH LACTIC-ACID BACTERIA AGAINST N-METHYL-N'-NITRO-N-NITROSOGUANIDINE

The antimutagenic effect of cultured milk using 71 strains of lactic acid bacteria belonging to the genus Lactobacillus, Streptococcus, Lactococcus, and Bifidobacterium on the mutagenicity of N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine was investigated in vitro using Salmonella typhimurium TA 100 as an indicator bacterium. Each cultured milk sample displayed its characteristic antimutagenic effect on the mutagenicity of N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine. The milk cultured with Lactobacillus acidophilus LA 106 (LA2) showed the highest inhibition of 77% against the mutagenicity of N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine among the strains tested. Changes in the antimutagenic effect of the milk cultured by Lb. acidophilus LA 106 (LA2) during incubation were also examined using N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine as a mutagen.