Lactic acid bacteria, methods and uses thereof

The present invention relates to novel strains of lactic acid bacteria, more specifically, novel strains of Lactobacillus reuteri, capable of utilizing ethanolamine. This characteristic makes it possible for the bacteria to compete for the same substrate as pathogenic ethanolamine-utilizing pathogens, thereby presenting an effective means to combat infections resulting from such pathogenic bacteria. There is also provided a method of selecting further ethanolamine-utilizing lactic acid bacteria, as well as other methods and uses involving said novel strains and other ethanolamine-utilizing lactic acid bacteria.