What's up with Yakult?

[Mighty Mouse]

Anyone know anything about a probiotic called "yakult"?
The bottle says it contains their uber magical super secret and special strain: "L. casei shirota". It is from Japan originally but the bottles I have seen here in the US are evidently manufactured in Mexico.

The stuff is expensive. I do not recall how much off the top of my head but each bottle (here in the US) contains about 2.7 oz at somewhere around $1 a bottle (sold in packs of 5). Anyone know if it is stable under multiple generations of re-culturing? Should I bother?

Picture:

[linuxboy]

Yes, it's stable. This is strain YIT 9029. Been around for almost a century now. Do you want to know how to do it at home, or just curious?

[Mighty Mouse]

A little of each I suppose. I saw the stuff in the store and wondered what it was and if it was worth buying and attempting to re-culture.

[Mighty Mouse]

Where did you learn of that strain number by the way. Suddenly since knowing that number it is much easier to find data on the strain. Did you look up a patent or something?

[linuxboy]

Oh, it's a strain of lactobacillus paracasei that has a track record of being beneficial for gut ecology, like the many other strains of probiotics out there. Pure strain in Yakult, nothing else. Don't think this strain was ever tested as an adjunct in cheese for either coliform control (it does produce bacteriocins) or for flavor enhancement. Decent studies were done showing health benefits.

If you reculture at home, use skim milk in a typical yogurt process, except keep the temp at 99F, as that is the optimal growth temperature for this strain. Ability to keep successive generations going depends on your handling technique and cleanliness. If you make yogurt, you can also add this strain in and keep it as part of the overall blend.

[linuxboy]

Where did you learn of that strain number by the way.

Where did I originally learn it? I think a paper I read, probably in journal club, probably in journal of applied microbio, something about comparative genomics.

[Mighty Mouse]

Thanks!

[StinkyCheese]

I am very happy to find this thread!  Mighty Mouse, did you ever try reculturing it?  I am going to try it...

LinuxBoy, thanks so much for the reculturing info.  Is there a reason not to make it with raw goat milk instead of skim?  Guess I could buy a gallon of cow milk from the farmer up the road and make something yummy with the cream.

Thanks,
Michelle

[linuxboy]

There are many media suitable for propagating lactobacilli. Goat milk works well.

[StinkyCheese]

Excellent - thank you.  I found some yakult at the store, and will try culturing with it after goat milking chores tomorrow.  :)  Going to be verrry happy if this works...

Cheers,
Michelle

[StinkyCheese]

Tried my first batch at about 100 deg. and I don't think it cultured (really hard to tell because Yakult is sooo runny to begin with).  Trying a second batch today at ~115 deg.   :)

[linuxboy]

Taste it. Is it sour?  Texture is a poor way to tell with this strain.