Delivery System and Probiotic Composition for Animals and Plants

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018140647-A1
Application number	US-201815862201-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 4, 2018
Priority date	Oct 25, 2013
Publication date	May 24, 2018
Grant date	—

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 . A method for increasing beneficial bacterial populations in the gastrointestinal tracts of animals, the method comprising:
providing drinking water; adding an amount of a shelf-stable, orally ingestible probiotic composition comprising one or more bacteria species, one or more acids or salts of acids, a thickener, and water to the drinking water prior to or during a time when one or more animals will drink the water; and wherein all ingredients in the probiotic composition meet U.S. federal GRAS standards.

2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more bacteria species in the probiotic composition comprises one or more Bacillus species in spore form; and
wherein the one or more acids or salts of acids in the probiotic composition is one or more of acetic acid, propionic acid, sorbic acid, lactic acid, citric acid, benzoic acid, fumaric acid or salts of these acids.

3 . The method of claim 2 wherein the probiotic composition has a pH of between 4.5 and 5.5.

4 . The method of claim 3 wherein the probiotic composition comprises less than 1% total of the one or more acids or salts of acids by weight of the composition.

5 . The method of claim 1 wherein the probiotic composition comprises less than 1% total of the one or more acids or salts of acids by weight of the composition;
wherein the acids or salts of acids in the probiotic composition are one or more of citric, benzoic, sorbic, fumaric, or propionic acids or salts of these acids;
wherein the probiotic composition has a pH of between 4.5 and 5.5; and
wherein the one or more bacteria species in the probiotic composition comprises one or more Bacillus species in spore form.

6 . The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more bacteria species in the probiotic composition comprises one or more of Bacillus pumilus, Bacillus licheniformis, Bacillus amylophilus, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus clausii, Bacillus firmus, Bacillus megaterium, Bacillus mesentericus, Bacillus subtilis var. natto, or Bacillus toyonensis in spore form.

7 . The method of claim 1 wherein the probiotic composition comprises 0.1% to 5.0% by weight of a thickener; and
wherein the thickener in the probiotic composition is one or more of xanthan gum, acacia gum, locust bean gum, guar gum or gum arabic.

8 . The method of claim 7 wherein the probiotic composition further comprises 0.00005% to 3.0% by weight of a surfactant.

9 . The method of claim 8 wherein the probiotic composition further comprises 0.1 to 0.3% by weight sodium chloride, potassium chloride, or a combination thereof.

10 . The method of claim 9 wherein the probiotic composition comprises around 1% to 10% by weight of a bacteria spore blend;
wherein the bacteria spore blend comprises 40%-60% of the one or more bacteria species in spore form and 60%-40% salt by weight of the bacteria spore blend, such salt being in addition to the one or more salts of acids, if any, and in addition to the sodium chloride, potassium chloride, or combination thereof in the probiotic composition.

11 . The method of claim 1 further comprising acidifying the drinking water by adding an amount of one or more acids or salts of acids, in addition to the one or more acids or salts of acids contained in the probiotic composition, to the drinking water.

12 . The method of claim 11 wherein the acidifying step comprises adding an amount of two or more organic acids or salts of acids, in addition to the one or more acids or salts of acids contained in the probiotic composition, to the drinking water.

13 . The method of claim 11 wherein the bacterial species in the probiotic composition comprise one or more of: Bacillus genus, Bacteriodes genus, Bifidobacterium genus, Pediococcus genus, Enterococcus genus, Lactobacillus genus, Propionibacterium genus, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, or Megasphaera elsdennii

14 . The method of claim 11 wherein the bacterial species in the probiotic composition comprises one or more of Bacillus pumilus, Bacillus licheniformis, Bacillus amylophilus, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, Bacillus clausii, Bacillus firmus, Bacillus megaterium, Bacillus mesentericus, Bacillus subtilis var. natto, or Bacillus toyonensis Bacteriodes ruminocola, Bacteriodes ruminocola, Bacterioides suis, Bifidobacterium adolescentis, Bifidobacterium animalis, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Bifidobacterium infantis, Bifidobacterium longum, Bifidobacterium thermophilum, Pediococcus acidilacticii, Pediococcus cerevisiae, Pediococcus pentosaceus, Enterococcus cremoris, Enterococcus diacetylactis, Enterococcus faecium, Enterococcus intermedius, Enterococcus lactis, Enterococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus delbruekii, Lactobacillus fermentum, Lactobacillus helveticus, Lactobacillus lactis, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus reuteri, Lactobacillus brevis, Lactobacillus buchneri, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus farciminis, Lactobacillus cellobiosus, Lactobacillus curvatus, Propionibacterium acidipropionici, or Propionibacterium freudenreichii, Propionibacterium shermanii

15 . The method of claim 11 wherein the bacterial species in the probiotic composition comprises one or more of Bacillus pumilus, Bacillus licheniformis, Bacillus amylophilus, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, Bacillus clausii, Bacillus firmus, Bacillus megaterium, Bacillus mesentericus, Bacillus subtilis var. natto, or Bacillus toyonensis in spore form.

16 . The method of claim 11 further comprising:
measuring the pH of the drinking water prior to the acidifying step; and
wherein the acidifying step comprises adding an amount of acids or salts of acids sufficient to alter the pH of the drinking water to a pH in the range of 4.5 to 6.5 based on the pH measurement obtained in the measuring step.

17 . The method of claim 16 wherein the one or more acids or salts of acids in the acidifying step are one or more of acetic acid, propionic acid, sorbic acid, lactic acid, citric acid, benzoic acid, fumaric acid or salts of these acids.

18 . The method of claim 16 wherein the amount of acids or salts of acids added in the acidifying step is sufficient to alter the pH of the drinking water to a pH in the range of 4.5 to 5.0.

19 . The method of claim 11 wherein the one or more bacteria species in the probiotic composition comprises one or more Bacillus species in spore form; and
wherein the one or more acids or salts of acids in the probiotic composition is one or more of acetic acid, propionic acid, sorbic acid, lactic acid, citric acid, benzoic acid, fumaric acid or salts of these acids.

20 . The method of claim 19 wherein the probiotic composition has a pH of between 4.5 and 5.5.

21 . The method of claim 20 wherein the probiotic composition comprises less than 1% total of the one or more acids or salts of acids by weight of the com position.

22 . The method of claim 19 wherein the probiotic composition comprises less than 1% total of the one or more acids or salts of acids by weight of the composition;
wherein the acids or salts of acids in the probiotic composition are one or more of citric, benzoic, sorbic, fumaric, or propionic acids or salts of these acids;
wherein the probiotic composition has a pH of between 4.5 and 5.5; and
wherein the one or more bacteria species in the probiotic composition comprises one or more Bacillus species in spore form.

Assignees

• Nch Corp

Inventors

• Boyette Scott M
• Pruitt Judith G
• Knope John
• Denvir Adrian
• Greenwald Charles
• Erdman Alex

Classifications

• A61K35/742

  Spore-forming bacteria, e.g. Bacillus coagulans, Bacillus subtilis, clostridium or Lactobacillus sporogenes · CPC title

• A23K10/18

  of live microorganisms · CPC title

• A01K7/00

  Watering equipment for stock or game · CPC title

• A61K35/745 Primary

  Bifidobacteria · CPC title

• A61K35/744

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