Detection of Bacillus Coagulans in Probiotic Products by PCR Molecular Method

Probiotics are microorganisms that if administered in adequate amounts would
have beneficial effects on the host's health. Bacillus coagulans is a probiotic bacteria which
sometimes mistakenly called Lactobacillus sporogenes. B. coagulans is a gram positive and
facultative aerobic and anaerobic, catalase positive, oxidase negative and endospore forming
bacteria. The aim of this study is the rapid molecular detection of B. coagulans in various
probiotic products. PCR test was optimized by using B. coagulans standard strain.
Limit of detection (LOD) and specificity of this test were investigated by using related species
of DNA. Samples of probiotic products which contain B. coagulans were collected from the
Iranian market and various methods of DNA extraction were optimized for these products. Amplicon with the size of 450bp was amplified by PCR test and observed by
electrophoresis method. In specificity test none were positive using DNA for intended
organisms. B. coagulans species were identified in all the samples by PCR method. According to the results of this study B. coagulans was detected in all samples.
It was concluded that PCR is a reliable and accurate method to identify these products that
might contain B. coagulans probiotics bactria.