Contribution of Streptococcus thermophilus to growth-stimulating effect of yogurt on rats

The origin of the growth-stimulating factor in yogurt was studied in rats fed liquid or freeze-dried diets of milk, yogurt, milks fermented individually by Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus, milks to which cells of Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus were added. Diets containing sonicated cells, cell supernatant, and cell fractions also were fed. Milk fermented by Streptococcus thermophilus and milk plus Streptococcus thermophilus cells stimulated growth as effectively as did yogurt. That finding and the absence of stimulation in rats fed Lactobacillus bulgaricus showed that Streptococcus thermophilus is responsible for stimulation of growth by yogurt. Growth was stimulated by an intracellular factor and not by fermentative changes in the milk.