Immunogen adherence inhibitor directed to lactobacillus organisms and method of making and using it

Abstract

A microbial adherence inhibitor specific to lactic acid producing microorganisms, in the form of fowl egg antibodies is disclosed, along with the method of making it and methods of using it. The inhibitor functions by substantially preventing the attachment or adherence of colony-forming immunogens in the fermentators. The inhibitor is made by inoculating female birds with the immunogen, allowing time for an immune response in the female bird and then harvesting the eggs that contain antibodies to the immunogen. The egg contents can be dried or used as a liquid and added to the media in the fermentators. Dependent upon the particular immunogen with which the female bird is inoculated, the egg antibody will specifically bind to the specific immunogen. When bacteria such as Lactobacillus spp. infect fermentation systems, they will further reduce alcohol conversion efficiency. Colony forming immunogens such as Lactobacillus spp. (a major lactic acid producer) can be targeted by antibodies to enhance fermentation efficiency.

1 . A method of production of a microbial adherence inhibitor for administration to fermentors to control the incidence of  Lactobacillus  spp. in fermentors by preventing the adherence of colony-forming lactic acid producing immunogens in the system, which method comprises:
 inoculating female birds, in or about to reach their egg laying age, with a lactic acid producing immunogen;   allowing a period of time sufficient to permit the production in the birds of antibody to the lactic acid producing immunogen;   harvesting the eggs laid by the birds; and   separating the antibody-containing contents of said eggs from the shells.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein:
 said lactic acid producing immunogen comprises  Lactobacillus , spp.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein  Lactobacillus , spp. comprises  L. delbrueckii, L. acidophilus, L. plantarum, L. rhamnosus  or  L. fermentom.    
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  including:
 drying the separated antibody-containing contents of said eggs.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein:
 said lactic acid producing immunogen comprises  Lactobacillus  spp.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein  Lactobacillus  spp. comprises  L. delbrueckii, L. acidophilus, L. plantarum, L. rhamnosus  or  L. fermentom.    
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4  wherein:
 the separated antibody-containing contents of said eggs is used as microbial adherence inhibitor in a dry form.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein:
 the antibody-containing contents of said eggs is used as a liquid microbial adherence inhibitor.   
     
     
         9 . The microbial adherence inhibitor of  claim 1  including:
 a dried material including the antibody-containing contents of said eggs.   
     
     
         10 . The microbial adherence inhibitor according to  claim 13  wherein:
 said colony forming immunogen is from the class consisting of  Lactobacillus , spp.   
     
     
         11 . A microbial adherence inhibitor for administration to a fermentor to control the incidence of  Lactobacillus  spp. caused by lactic acid producing immunogen in the fermentator by reducing the ability of the immunogen to multiply, the microbial adherence inhibitor produced by a method of:
 inoculating female birds, in or about to reach their egg laying age, with a lactic acid producing immunogen;   allowing a period of time sufficient to permit the production in the birds of antibody to the lactic acid producing immunogen;   harvesting the eggs laid by the birds;   separating the antibody-containing contents of said eggs from the shells; and   drying said antibody-containing contents.   
     
     
         12 . A microbial inhibitor produced by the method of  claim 1 :
 the inhibitor is in liquid form achieved by using separated antibody-containing contents of said eggs.   
     
     
         13 . A microbial adherence inhibitor for administration to a fermentor to control the incidence of contamination caused by  Lactobacillus acidophilus  immunogen in the fermentor by reducing the ability of the immunogen to multiply, the microbial adherence inhibitor produced by a method of:
 inoculating female birds, in or about to reach their egg laying age, with LA antigen from  Lactobacillus acidophilus;      allowing a period of time sufficient to permit the production in the birds and eggs laid by the birds of antibody to LA antigen from  Lactobacillus acidophilus;      harvesting the eggs laid by the birds;   separating the antibody-containing contents of said eggs from the shells; and   drying said antibody-containing contents of said eggs.   
     
     
         14 . The microbial inhibitor of  claim 13  including:
 a dried material coated with the antibody-containing contents of said eggs.   
     
     
         15 . The microbial adherence inhibitor of  claim 13  wherein the microbial adherence inhibitor:
 is in a liquid form comprising the separated antibody-containing contents of said eggs.   
     
     
         16 . A microbial adherence inhibitor for administration to fermentators to control the incidence of contamination caused by  Lactobacillus rhamnosus  immunogen in the fermentator by reducing the ability of the immunogen to multiply, produced by the method of:
 inoculating female birds, in or about to reach their egg laying age, with LR antigen from  Lactobacillus rhamnosus;      allowing a period of time sufficient to permit the production in the birds and eggs laid by the birds of antibody to LR antigen from  Lactobacillus rhamnosus;      harvesting the eggs laid by the birds;   separating the antibody-containing contents of said eggs from the shells; and   drying said antibody-containing contents of said eggs.   
     
     
         17 . The microbial inhibitor of  claim 16  including:
 a dried material coated with the antibody-containing contents of said eggs.   
     
     
         18 . The microbial adherence inhibitor of  claim 16  wherein the microbial adherence inhibitor:
 is in a liquid form comprising the separated antibody-containing contents of said eggs.   
     
     
         19 . A method for substantially reducing or eliminating the incidence of lactic acid in fermentators caused by the presence of lactic acid forming immunogens in the system by inhibiting the ability of the immunogens to adhere to the surface of the fermentor to reduce the ability of the immunogens to multiply, said method comprising:
 inoculating female birds, in or about to reach their egg laying age, with a lactic acid producing immunogens;   allowing a period of time sufficient to permit the production in the birds of antibody to the lactic acid producing immunogens;   harvesting the eggs laid by the birds; and   separating the antibody-containing contents of said eggs from the shells;   drying said separated antibody-containing contents of said eggs;   distributing the resulting dried egg antibody product substantially uniformly through an media; and   supplying the resulting antibody-containing media substantially prevent adherence of the targeted immunogens to the fermentator.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein:
 said lactic acid forming immunogens are selected from the class consisting of  Lactobacillus , spp.