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 Bacteroides sp. bacterium, wherein said oligosaccharide selectively stimulates the growth of said probiotic Bacteroides sp. bacterium, and wherein the Bacteroides sp. bacterium is a Bacteroides fragilis, Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron , or Bacteroides vulgatus bacterium.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said 2′-FL, said 3-FL, or said LDFT is at least 90%, 95%, 98%, or 99% pure.

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

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

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

6. The method of claim 5 , 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 6 , wherein said pathogenic bacterium is selected from the group consisting of Enterobacter aerogenes, Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella enterica , and Yersinia enterocolitica.

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

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

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

11. 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.

12. 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 subject comprises an exogenously administered probiotic Bacteroides sp. bacterium, wherein said composition stimulates the growth of said exogenously administered probiotic Bacteroides sp. bacterium, and wherein the Bacteroides sp. bacterium is a Bacteroides fragilis, Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron , or Bacteroides vulgatus bacterium.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein said composition comprises yogurt or a probiotic beverage.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein said composition comprises a weaning food.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein said mammalian subject is not an infant.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein said mammalian subject is a child.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein said mammalian subject is an adult.

18. The method of claim 12 , wherein said mammalian subject is afflicted with infectious diarrhea, antibiotic-associated diarrhea, traveler's diarrhea, necrotizing enterocolitis, or a Helicobacter pylori infection.

19. The method of claim 12 , wherein said mammalian subject is afflicted with inflammatory bowel disease.

20. The method of claim 12 , wherein said composition comprises 2′-FL.

21. The method of claim 1 , wherein the Bacteroides sp. bacterium is derived from healthy human microflora.

22. The method of claim 1 , wherein said oligosaccharides stimulate the growth of an endogenous Bacteroides sp. bacterium present in human intestinal microflora.

23. 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 comprises (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 Bacteroides sp. bacterium, wherein said oligosaccharide selectively stimulates the growth of said probiotic Bacteroides sp. bacterium, and wherein the Bacteroides sp. bacterium is a Bacteroides fragilis, Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron , or Bacteroides vulgatus bacterium.