Bifidobacterium longum is a species of bacteria from the genus Bifidobacterium. They are gram-positive, rod-shaped, anaerobic bacteria that naturally inhabit the human gastrointestinal tract throughout all stages of life.
B. longum is one of the most prevalent Bifidobacterium species found in the human gut and is especially dominant in infants, where it plays an important role in early gut microbiota development. Certain B. longum strains are capable of utilising human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), allowing them to thrive in breast-fed infants and contribute to a healthy microbial balance.
This species is also well known for its ability to ferment a wide range of carbohydrates, including plant-derived fibres, producing short chain fatty acids that support gut health and normal digestive function. Additionally, B. longum has been associated with maintaining intestinal barrier function and supporting immune regulation (Xiao et al., 2024). Due to its stability and broad functional benefits, it is widely used in probiotic supplements for both infants and adults.
As some properties & benefits of probiotics may be strain-specific, this database provides even more detailed information at strain level. Read more about the strains that we have included from this genus below.
Bifidobacterium lactis strains: Bifidobacterium lactis Bi-07®, Bifidobacterium lactis BB-12®, Bifidobacterium lactis Bl-04®.
Bifidobacterium infantis strains: Bifidobacterium infantis 35624.
Bifidobacterium breve strains: Bifidobacterium breve M-16V®.
For more information and the latest research on probiotics, please visit the Probiotic Professionals pages.