Thin layer chromatography for rapid detection of carbohydrate utilization by Bacteroides strains

19 weakly saccharolytic Bacteroides strains of different species were tested by thin-layer chromatography (TLC) for their fermentative abilities for fructose, sucrose, lactose, galactose, and raffinose. Conventional fermentation tests were run parallel. In general, a good agreement between both methods was recorded. Two strains, however, showed a degradation in the TLC test without an acidification. With some strains, sucrose as a substrate yielded a fructose spot, lactose a galactose spot, and raffinose a melibiose spot, indicating an incomplete degradation of these carbohydates.