The present invention provides a method of controlling growth of unwanted microorganisms by limiting their access to manganese. More specifically, the present invention provides a method of inhibiting or delaying growth of yeast and mold by reducing the manganese concentration in a product which is preferably a food product. The invention also provides manganese scavengers and uses thereof to inhibit or delay fungal growth.

The invention concerns Lactobacillus reuteri for use in the prevention or treatment of microbiota dysbiosis, in particular, decreased levels of Actinobacteria and increased levels of Proteobacteria, in young mammals and in the prevention or treatment of disorders associated therewith. The microbiota dysbiosis may have been cause by numerous factors including being born by caesarean section, exposure to antibiotics in utero or after birth, or, parenteral feeding, hospitalizing, psychological stress or by gastrointestinal dysfunctions. The disorders that may be treated or prevented by preventing or treating microbiota dysbiosis include propensity to infection, allergy, type I diabetes mellitus, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, celiac disease, peripheral and central adiposity, obesity, necrotizing enterocolitis, inflammatory bowel disease, such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, and functional gastrointestinal disorders such as IBS, functional diarrhea, functional constipation, recurrent abdominal pain, and dyspepsia.

Described herein are methods and compositions for using microbial agents (probiotics) and agents that promote growth of certain microbes (prebiotics) for management (including prevention and treatment) of musculoskeletal disorders, including osteoporosis, osteopenia, Paget's disease, stunting, osteoarthritis, osteomyelitis, and delayed or non-union fractures.

Provided herein, inter alia, are compositions of short chain fatty acid (SCFA)-producing microorganisms and methods of making and using the same to inhibit pathogenic bacterial populations in the gastrointestinal tracts of an animal and additionally promote improvement of one or more metrics in an animal, such as increased bodyweight gain, decreased feed conversion ratio (FCR), improved gut barrier integrity, reduced mortality, reduced pathogen infection, and reduced pathogen shedding in feces.

Disclosed are date palm compositions and methods of use of such compositions. Such compositions may be used as part of a growth medium for culture of microorganisms. In certain embodiments, date palm extracts of the disclosure are used as part a culture medium to grow Lactobacilli.