Another name for Lactobacillus bifidus is bifidobacterium. It is a type of helpful bacteria that protects the intestinal tract from harmful bacteria. It works by keeping the environment of the gastrointestinal tract at a higher acidity level. Most microorganisms that cause disease cannot flourish in an acidic environment.
Human milk supports the growth of Lactobacillus bifidus through a component called bifidus factor. This helps to reduce the number of harmful microorganisms in a baby's digestive tract and improves their health. For premature or medically fragile infants, Lactobacillus bifidus in human breastmilk plays a role in reducing the rates of necrotizing enterocolitis.