Enterococcus faecium Strains for Fatigue and Growth Applications
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for lactic acid bacteria that can effectively ameliorate fatigue, improve blood circulation, reduce stool odor, and promote growth, while being safe for human and animal consumption, and suitable for routine use in food and animal feed additives, as existing solutions like antibiotics have drawbacks such as antibiotic resistance and safety concerns.
Innovation Solution
Development of Enterococcus faecium strains (R30 and R28) with high viability under freeze-drying and storage conditions, exhibiting at least 40% viability without a dispersion medium and 80% viability after 4 months at 40°C, which are used in compositions for food, supplements, and animal feed to achieve the desired effects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If antibiotics are used to prevent growth inhibition and improve productivity in livestock, then growth performance is improved, but antibiotic resistance develops and safety concerns arise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses lactic acid bacteria as an intermediary substance to replace antibiotics in livestock feeding. These bacteria serve as a mediator that provides the growth-promoting effects previously achieved by antibiotics, but through safe biological mechanisms rather than antimicrobial action, thereby eliminating resistance and safety concerns while maintaining productivity benefits
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter of the feeding approach by transitioning from antimicrobial agents (antibiotics) to probiotic agents (lactic acid bacteria). This parameter change shifts the mechanism of action from killing or inhibiting microorganisms to introducing beneficial microorganisms that compete with pathogens and stimulate the immune system, achieving growth promotion without the harmful side effects of antibiotics
2Reliability
If lactic acid bacteria are used as functional components to improve health, then safety and routine usability are improved, but specific effects on fatigue amelioration and blood circulation have not been discovered
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the broad category of lactic acid bacteria into specific strains with distinct functional characteristics. By identifying and isolating particular strains that exhibit fatigue-ameliorating and blood circulation-improving effects, the patent narrows down the general probiotic approach to targeted strain selection, enabling specific health benefits while maintaining the safety and routine usability of lactic acid bacteria
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of strain selection by moving from general lactic acid bacteria to specific strains with documented fatigue-ameliorating and circulatory benefits. This parameter change in strain specificity expands the adaptability and versatility of lactic acid bacteria applications while preserving their inherent safety and suitability for routine consumption
3Stability of the object's composition
If viability is maintained under harsh storage conditions, then product stability is improved, but selection for specific biological activities becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-selecting and characterizing lactic acid bacteria strains for both their storage stability and specific biological activities before commercial application. By conducting comprehensive screening and evaluation of strains under various storage conditions and assessing their fatigue-ameliorating and circulatory effects in advance, the patent ensures that selected strains maintain viability and functionality, making subsequent detection and measurement of their activities more straightforward
Data Source
AI summary
This invention provides lactic acid bacteria that have one or more effects selected from among fatigue-ameliorating effect, blood circulation-improving effect, stool odor-reducing effect, and growth-promoting effect and that can be used with high safety. This invention further provides a pharmaceutical preparation comprising, as an active ingredient, lactic acid bacteria that have one or more effects selected from among fatigue-ameliorating effect, blood circulation-improving effect, stool odor-reducing effect, and growth-promoting effect. According to the invention, novel lactic acid bacteria belonging to the Enterococcus faecium species having particular mycological properties and exhibiting viability of 40% or higher when freeze-dried in the absence of a dispersion medium and viability of 80% or higher in a probiotic preparation when stored at 40°C for 4 months, a composition comprising such lactic acid bacteria, an agent for ameliorating fatigue, improving blood circulation, reducing stool odor or promoting growth comprising, as an active ingredient, such composition, and use of such composition for food and other products.