The inhibitory effects of different Bifidobacterium spp. on the growth of Helicobacter pylori (HP) were investigated. A significant suppression of HP growth occurred only when HP was inoculated onto a petri dish containing 0.1 mg/ml of Bifidobacterium spp. When HP was separately cultured with B. breve K-110, B. catenulatum K-309, B magnum K-311, B. magnum K-321, and B. cuniculi K-513, the urease activity was also inhibited by these Bifidobacterium spp. Therefore, it appears that these Bifidobacterium spp. excrete a heat-labile inhibitory component for HP growth into the culture medium. Although most organic acids produced by the Bifidobacterium spp. inhibited the growth of HP, the HP growth was not inhibited by the physiological concentrations of organic acids produced in bifidobacteria-cultured media. Accordingly, these results suggest that some Bifidobacterium spp. may produce antibiotic-like compounds (bacteriocins).