TABLE 1.

Bifidobacterium spp. included in the present study^a

Cluster	Strain	Inulin-type fructan degradation profile
A	B. breve Yakult	Neither oligofructose nor inulin degradation
B	B. adolescentis LMG 10734	Oligofructose degradation with preferential breakdown of short fractions; oligofructose degradation slower than fructose consumption; no inulin degradation
C	B. angulatum LMG 11039T	Nonpreferential oligofructose degradation; oligofructose degradation faster than fructose consumption; degradation of short fractions of inulin
D	B. longum LMG 11047	Nonpreferential oligofructose degradation; equally fast fructose consumption and oligofructose degradation; degradation of short fractions of inulin

^aEach species represents a phenotypical cluster of bifidobacteria exhibiting distinct inulin-type fructan degradation profiles (9).