Preliminary Research on Lactic Acid Bacteria Isolated from Breast Milk in Oujda, Morocco: an investigation into their antimicrobial and technological properties.

Breast milk has its own microbiota. It contains beneficial bacteria that can be passed from mother to his baby’s gut, which contributes to the colonization of the child’s intestine. This milk flora changes over time (colostrum, transition and mature milk). It serves as a vaccination update and, as a result, helps the child's immunity grow. The aim of this study is to evaluate the antibacterial and technological quality of lactic acid bacteria, for the first time isolated from different types of breast milk, in the area of Oujda, North Eastern Morocco. A total of 99 lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were isolated from 22 human milk samples, using a variety of cultured media. Identification of the isolates revealed the presence of four genera: Enterococcus (55.5%), Lactococcus (18.5%), Streptococcus (14.8%) and Lactobacillus (11.1%). According to the findings, colostrum had elevated lactic acid bacteria counts (with 2,8 x 104 UFC/ml) compared to mature milk's 1,5 x 103 UFC/ml. Using an antagonistic potential analysis of 54 isolates, we were able to identify LABs at the species level that could be used to treat infections brought on by some recognized pathogens (including Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa). The best species with antimicrobial activity were: Enterococcus feacalis, Enterococcus durans, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis, Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris, Streptococcus salivarius subsp. thermophilus. Due to their potential as probiotics and safety, studies on technology have been evaluated for their use in baby food and infant formula.