Delivery system and probiotic composition for animals and plants

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10653729-B2
Application number	US-201414524858-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 27, 2014
Priority date	Oct 25, 2013
Publication date	May 19, 2020
Grant date	May 19, 2020

Abstract

Probiotic compositions that comprise one or more bacteria species in spore form, a thickener to form a stabilized suspension and to preferably act as a prebiotic, one or more acids or salts of acids, and optionally a water activity reducer. A system for delivering probiotic compositions by gravity feed or non-contact pump to a point of consumption by a plant or animal, preferably in conjunction with acidified drinking water, comprising a collapsible container with attachable tubing that prevent contamination of the probiotic composition within the container. Delivery may be actuated in response to a timer, motion detector, fluid level sensor, RFID tag, or other mechanism to periodically or continuously dispense a dosage of probiotic composition directly to the soil surrounding a plant or to the water or feed for an animal. A method for increasing beneficial bacteria in an animal's GIT comprises adding probiotics to acidified drinking water.

First claim

We claim:

1. An orally ingestible probiotic suspension composition for treating animals, the composition comprising:
water;
one or more of Bacillus pumilus, Bacillus licheniformis, Bacillus amylophilus, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus clausii, Bacillus firmus, Bacillus megaterium, Bacillus mesentericus, Bacillus subtilis var. natto , or Bacillus toyonensis in spore form;
one or more of citric, benzoic, sorbic, fumaric, or propionic acids or salts of these acids; and
a thickener;
wherein the composition comprises less than 1% total of the one or more acids or salts of acids by weight of the composition;
wherein the composition has a pH between 4.5 and 5.5; and
wherein all ingredients in the composition meet U.S. federal GRAS standards and the composition is storage stable with the bacteria remaining in spore form during storage for at least one month.

2. The probiotic composition according to claim 1 wherein the composition has a pH of 4.5 to 4.7.

3. The probiotic composition of claim 1 wherein the thickener is one or more of xanthan gum, acacia gum, locust bean gum, guar gum or gum arabic.

4. The probiotic composition of claim 1 wherein the composition is a liquid comprising bacteria spore counts of around 1.0×10 8 to 1.0×10 10 cfu/mL of composition, about 0.1 to 5.0% by weight thickener, and 0.05 to 0.5% by weight total of the one or more acids or salts of acids.

5. The probiotic composition of claim 4 comprising two or more of citric, benzoic, sorbic, fumaric, or propionic acids or salts of these acids.

6. The probiotic composition of claim 5 wherein the bacteria are in a bacteria spore blend comprising 40% to 60% sodium chloride and 60%-40% of the one or more Bacillus species in spore form, the percentages being by total weight of the bacteria spore blend.

7. The probiotic composition of claim 1 further comprising a surfactant.

8. The probiotic composition of claim 7 wherein the surfactant is polysorbate 80.

9. The probiotic composition of claim 4 further comprising a water activity reducer.

10. The probiotic composition of claim 9 wherein the water activity reducer is one or more of sodium chloride, potassium chloride, or a 70% corn syrup solution.

11. The probiotic composition of claim 1 further comprising around 0.1 to 0.3% by weight potassium chloride.

12. The probiotic composition according to claim 1 wherein the thickener is a prebiotic.

13. The probiotic composition of claim 1 wherein the bacteria are in a bacteria spore blend comprising 40%-60% sodium chloride and 60%-40% of the one or more Bacillus species in spore form, the percentages being by total weight of the bacteria spore blend.

14. The probiotic composition according to claim 7 wherein all ingredients in the composition are homogenously mixed and the bacteria spores are suspended in the composition.

15. The probiotic composition according to claim 1 wherein the bacteria comprises one or more of Bacillus amylophilus, Bacillus mesentericus , or Bacillus toyonensis in spore form.

16. The probiotic composition according to claim 1 wherein the acids or salts of acids comprise:
citric acid;
benzoic acid or sodium benzoate; and
sorbic acid or potassium sorbate.

17. The probiotic composition according to claim 13 comprising:
around 0.01% to 10% of the bacteria spore blend
around 0.1-0.33% sorbic acid, its salt, or a combination thereof;
around 0.1-0.34% citric acid, its salt, or a combination thereof;
around 0.1-0.33% benzoic acid, its salt, or a combination thereof;
around 0.2-0.5% xanthan gum;
around 0.00005% to 3.0% of a surfactant; and
around 0.1-0.3% sodium chloride, potassium chloride, or a combination thereof, all percentages by weight of the composition.

18. The probiotic composition according to claim 17 wherein the total of the acids or their salts is 0.5% or less.

19. The probiotic composition according to claim 13 wherein the spore blend comprises around 2×10 8 to 2×10 11 spores per gram of Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus licheniformis strains in spore form.

20. The probiotic composition according to claim 13 wherein the composition comprises around 0.01% to 10% of the bacteria spore blend.

21. The probiotic composition according to claim 20 wherein the spores are spray dried from a liquid fermentation concentrate and wherein the composition further comprises a surfactant.

22. An orally ingestible probiotic suspension composition for treating animals, the composition consisting of:
1% to 10% of a bacteria spore blend containing salt and one or more of Bacillus pumilus, Bacillus licheniformis, Bacillus amylophilus, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus clausii, Bacillus firmus, Bacillus megaterium, Bacillus mesentericus, Bacillus subtilis var. natto , or Bacillus toyonensis in spore form;
0.3% to 1% total of one or more acids or salts of acids; and
0.2% to 0.5% of a thickener;
0.1-0.3% sodium chloride, potassium chloride, or a combination thereof;
0.00005% to 3.0% of a surfactant; and
86.2% to 98.4% water;
wherein the composition has a pH between 4.5 and 5.5;
wherein all ingredients in the composition meet federal GRAS standards; and
wherein all percentages are by weight of the composition.

23. The orally ingestible probiotic suspension of claim 22 wherein the acids or salts of acids are two or more of citric, benzoic, sorbic, fumaric, or propionic acids or salts of these acids.

24. The orally ingestible probiotic suspension of claim 22 wherein the composition comprises 0.1-0.33% sorbic acid, its salt, or a combination thereof; 0.1-0.34% citric acid, its salt, or a combination thereof; and 0.1-0.33% benzoic acid, its salt, or a combination thereof;
wherein the thickener is xanthan gum; and
wherein the surfactant is polysorbate 80.

25. The orally ingestible probiotic suspension of claim 22 wherein the bacteria spore blend contains salt, one or more strains of Bacillus licheniformis in spore form, and one or more strains of Bacillus subtilis in spore form.

26. The probiotic composition according to claim 22 wherein the composition has a pH of 4.5 to 4.7.

27. The probiotic composition of claim 1 wherein the composition comprises at least two acids or salts of acids and wherein at least one of those acids or salts of acids is sorbic acid or a salt of sorbic acid or benzoic acid or a salt of benzoic acid.

28. The probiotic composition of claim 22 wherein at least some of the bacteria remain in a spore state until the composition is ingested by an animal.

29. The probiotic composition of claim 1 wherein at least some of the bacteria remain viable as spores or in a vegetative state in feces of the animal after the composition is ingested.

30. The probiotic composition of claim 1 wherein the composition is storable for up to two months at a temperature between 39° F.-95° F. without any settling or layering of ingredients and with spore counts that are comparable to the counts when the composition is initially made.

31. The probiotic composition of claim 30 wherein the composition is storable for up to two months at a temperature between 39° F.-46° F. without any settling or layering of ingredients and with spore counts that are comparable to the counts when the composition is initially made.

32. The probiotic composition of claim

Assignees

• Nch Corp

Inventors

• Boyette Scott Martell
• Pruitt Judith Gayle
• Knope John
• Denvir Adrian
• Greenwald Charles
• Erdman Alex

Classifications

• A01K7/02

  Automatic devices · CPC title

• A61D7/00

  Devices or methods for introducing solid, liquid, or gaseous remedies or other materials into or onto the bodies of animals (for reproduction or fertilisation A61D19/00 {; devices for implanting pellets, radon seeds or the like A61M37/0069}) · CPC title

• A61K35/745 Primary

  Bifidobacteria · CPC title

• A61K35/744

  Lactic acid bacteria, e.g. enterococci, pediococci, lactococci, streptococci or leuconostocs · CPC title

• A23K10/18

  of live microorganisms · CPC title