Use of purified 2′-fucosyllactose, 3-fucosyllactose and lactodifucotetraose as prebiotics

1. A method for stimulating the growth of an exogenously administered probiotic bacterium in a gastrointestinal tract of a mammalian subject, comprising:

administering to said subject a composition comprising an oligosaccharide, wherein said oligosaccharide consists of (a) purified 2′-fucosyllactose (2′-FL), (b) purified 3-fucosyllactose (3-FL), (c) purified lactodifucotetraose (LDFT), or (d) a combination thereof, wherein the composition further comprises a probiotic bacterium selected from the group consisting of Bifidobacterium bifidum, Bacteroides fragilis, Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Bacteroides vulgatus, Lactococcus lactis , and Streptococcus thermophilus , wherein said 2′-FL, said 3-FL, or said LDFT is at least 95%, 98%, or 99% pure, and wherein said oligosaccharide selectively stimulates the growth of said probiotic bacterium.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the local pH in said gastrointestinal tract is decreased following administration of said composition.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the local lactate or lactic acid concentration in said gastrointestinal tract is increased following administration of said composition.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the growth of a pathogenic bacterium in said gastrointestinal tract is inhibited following administration of said composition.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said composition comprises between 0.01 g 2′ FL and 1 g 2′-FL per gram of composition.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein said pathogenic bacterium is selected from the group consisting of Clostridium histolyticum, Clostridium difficile, Clostridium perfringens, Enterobacter aerogenes, Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella enterica, Yersinia enterocolitica , enterotoxigenic E. coli , and enteropathogenic E. coli.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said subject is an infant.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein said composition is in the form of an infant formula.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein said composition is provided in dry milk, in mashed rice, in a banana, in a porridge, or in a gruel.

10. A method for stimulating the growth of an exogenously administered probiotic bacterium in a gastrointestinal tract of a mammalian subject, comprising:

administering to said subject a composition comprising (a) purified 2′-fucosyllactose (2′-FL), (b) purified 3-fucosyllactose (3-FL), (c) purified lactodifucotetraose (LDFT), or (d) a combination thereof, wherein said 2′-FL, said 3-FL, or said LDFT is at least 95%, 98%, or 99% pure, wherein said oligosaccharide selectively stimulates the growth of said probiotic bacterium and wherein the exogenously administered probiotic bacterium comprises a probiotic bacterium selected from the group consisting of Bifidobacterium bifidum, Bacteroides fragilis, Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Bacteroides vulgatus, Lactococcus lactis , and Streptococcus thermophilus.

11. A method for stimulating the growth of an exogenously administered probiotic bacterium in a gastrointestinal tract of a mammalian subject, comprising:

administering to said subject a composition comprising 2′-fucosyllactose (2′-FL), a probiotic bacterium selected from the group consisting of Bifidobacterium bifidum, Bacteroides fragilis, Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Bacteroides vulgatus, Lactococcus lactis , and Streptococcus thermophilus , and a pharmaceutically-acceptable excipient or inactive ingredient, wherein said 2′-FL is at least 95%, 98%, or 99% pure, and wherein said 2′-FL selectively stimulates the growth of said probiotic bacterium.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein said probiotic bacterium is selected from the group consisting of Bifidobacterium bifidum BB-12, Lactobacillus acidophilus RC-14 , Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM, Lactobacillus acidophilus CL 1285, Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, and Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein said probiotic bacterium is selected from the group consisting of Bifidobacterium bifidum BB-12, Lactobacillus acidophilus RC-14 , Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM, Lactobacillus acidophilus CL 1285, Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, and Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein said probiotic bacterium further comprises Bifidobacterium infantis or Bifidobacterium longum.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein said composition comprises yogurt or a probiotic beverage.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein said probiotic bacterium is Bacteroides fragilis, Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron , or Bacteroides vulgatus.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein said composition comprises a weaning food.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein said mammalian subject is not an infant.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein said mammalian subject is a child.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein said mammalian subject is an adult.

21. The method of claim 6 , wherein said pathogenic bacterium is selected from the group consisting of Enterobacter aerogenes, Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella enterica , and Yersinia enterocolitica.