Hygiene tissue

Abstract

A hygiene tissue to be used for cleaning and caring of the skin and the urogenital area, simultaneously delivers lactic acid producing bacteria, thereby establishing and maintaining a healthy microbial flora in these areas. The hygiene tissue is impregnated with a composition including a lactic acid producing bacterium/bacteria suspended in a lipid and optionally additional components. Encapsulating the lactic acid producing bacterium in a lipid provides a moisturefree environment enhancing the survival of the bacterium and keeping the bacterium fit for growth after delivery to the skin. By this approach, hygiene tissues, including lactic acid producing bacteria can be stored for long time periods. Also, the hygiene tissue improves the efficiency of transfer of the lactic acid producing bacterium to the skin and urogenital area. In addition, the lipid provides a cleaning function, so that the skin is cleaned simultaneously as the lactic acid bacteria is delivered.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A hygiene tissue comprising: 
 a composition including one or more lactic acid producing bacterial strains and a lipid phase comprising at least one lipid, wherein the lipid is selected from the group consisting of olive oil, canola oil, coconut oil, palm kernel oil, peanut oil, soy bean oil, Dimethicone, paraffin oil, and petrolatum; and    a matrix impregnated by the composition.    
     
     
         2 . The hygiene tissue according to  claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises a liquid lipid phase.  
     
     
         3 . The hygiene tissue according to  claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises at least one additional component selected from the group consisting of caring agents, water absorbent agents, tensides, pH buffering agents, perfume, antioxidants, hydrocortisone and anti-inflammatory steroids.  
     
     
         4 . The hygiene tissue according to  claim 1 , wherein the lactic acid producing bacterial strain is selected from the genera Pediococcus, Lactococcus, Lactobacillus, or mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         5 . The hygiene tissue according to  claim 1 , wherein the lactic acid producing bacterial strain includes at least  Lactobacillus plantarum.    
     
     
         6 . The hygiene tissue according to  claim 1 , wherein the lactic acid producing bacterial strain includes at least  Lactobacillus plantarum  931.  
     
     
         7 . The hygiene tissue according to  claim 1 , wherein the lactic acid producing bacterial strain(s) is isolated from the skin or urogenital area of a healthy person.  
     
     
         8 . The hygiene tissue according to  claim 1 , wherein the amount of lactic acid producing bacteria are 10 4 -10 11  colony forming units (CFU) per tissue.  
     
     
         9 . The hygiene tissue according to  claim 8 , wherein the amount of lactic acid producing bacteria are 10 6 -10 11  colony forming units (CFU) per tissue.  
     
     
         10 . A method of cleaning and simultaneously establishing and maintaining a beneficial microbial flora on skin or urogenital area, the method comprising: 
 delivering a composition including one or more lactic acid producing bacterial strains and a lipid phase comprising at least one lipid to the skin or urogenital area by way of the hygiene tissue according to  claim 1 .    
     
     
         11 . A hygiene tissue comprising: 
 a composition including a preparation of one or more lactic acid producing bacterial strains wherein the preparation has a water activity of about 0.30 or less, and a lipid phase comprising at least one lipid; and    a matrix impregnated by the composition.    
     
     
         12 . The hygiene tissue according to  claim 11 , wherein the composition comprises a liquid lipid phase.  
     
     
         13 . The hygiene tissue according to  claim 11 , wherein the composition comprises at least one additional component selected from the group consisting of caring agents, water absorbent agents, tensides, pH buffering agents, perfume, antioxidants, hydrocortisone and anti-inflammatory steroids.  
     
     
         14 . The hygiene tissue according to  claim 11 , wherein the lactic acid producing bacterial strain is selected from the genera Pediococcus, Lactococcus, Lactobacillus, or mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         15 . The hygiene tissue according to  claim 11 , wherein the lactic acid producing bacterial strain includes at least  Lactobacillus plantarum.    
     
     
         16 . The hygiene tissue according to  claim 11 , wherein the lactic acid producing bacterial strain includes at least  Lactobacillus plantarum  931.  
     
     
         17 . The hygiene tissue according to  claim 11 , wherein the lactic acid producing bacterial strain(s) is isolated from the skin or urogenital area of a healthy person.  
     
     
         18 . The hygiene tissue according to  claim 11 , wherein the amount of lactic acid producing bacteria are 10 4 -10 11  colony forming units (CFU) per tissue.  
     
     
         19 . The hygiene tissue according to  claim 18 , wherein the amount of lactic acid producing bacteria are 10 6 -10 11  colony forming units (CFU) per tissue.  
     
     
         20 . The hygiene tissue according to  claim 11 , wherein the lipid is selected from the group consisting of canola oil, coconut oil, palm kernel oil, peanut oil, soy bean oil, Dimethicone, paraffin oil, and petrolatum.  
     
     
         21 . The hygiene tissue according to  claim 11 , wherein the water activity is about 0.25 or less.  
     
     
         22 . The hygiene tissue according to  claim 22 , wherein the water activity is about 0.20 or less.  
     
     
         23 . A method of cleaning and simultaneously establishing and maintaining a beneficial microbial flora on skin or urogenital area, the method comprising: 
 delivering a composition including one or more lactic acid producing bacterial strains and a lipid phase comprising at least one lipid to the skin or urogenital area by way of the hygiene tissue according to  claim 11.