A first aspect of the invention relates to a porcine lactic acid bacterial strain, wherein said bacterial strain is characterised by one or more of the following characteristics: (i) the ability to exhibit antimicrobial activity against E. coli； (ii) the ability to exhibit antimicrobial activity against S. enteritidis； (iii) the ability to suppress inflammation in IPEC cells induced by 12-0- tetradecaboylphorbol-13-acetate (PMA)； (iv) the ability to block the attachment or invasion of IPEC cells by S. enteritidis； (v) the ability to block the attachment or invasion of IPEC cells by E. coli； (vi) the absence of antibiotic resistance to one or more antibiotics selected from the following: ampicillin； cefotaxime； chloramphenicol； erythromycin； gentamicin； tetracycline； vancomycin； metronizadole； nalidixic acid； and kanamycin； and (vii) the ability to exhibit heat stability when subjected to three cycles of heating, each cycle comprising heating at a temperature of 70 °C for a period of 15 minutes. Further aspects of the invention relate to compositions comprising said bacterial strains, and therapeutic uses of said bacterial strains.
