FIRST PART

PROBLEM:

Probiotic yogurt as a
Functional Food
ARE PROBIOTICS IN YOGURT BENEFICIAL FOR HEALTH, REALLY?

STUDENTS:
-

RAMOS QUINTO, NOELIA

SOLORZANO HUARANGA, MARGOT

VELASCO TORRES, HERNANA

DONAYRE DAZ, AREF

MALLQUI NIETO, LENHART

ARE PROBIOTICS IN YOGHURT BENEFICIAL FOR HEALTH, REALLY?

VARIABLES:
- PROBIOTICS
- HEALTH
- YOGHURT
GENERAL OBJECTIVES:
-

DISCLOSE THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF

CONSUMPTION OF PROBIOTICS IN YOGHURT

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES:
-

DETERMINE THE BENEFITS OF CONSUMING PROBIOTICS IN

YOGURT

DETERMINE THE NEGATIVE SIDE EFFECTS OF CONSUMPTION

OF YOGHURT PROBIOTICS AS PART OF A DIET

FRAMEWORK:
PROBIOTICS
Probiotics are described as live microorganisms which, when administered in adequate
amounts, confer a health benefit on the host.
Although there is a long history of health claims concerning living microorganisms in food,
the term probiotic appeared only in the 1960s, and since then a number of definitions have
appeared in the literature. The term probiotic, which comes from the Greek meaning for
life, was originally used by Lilly and Stillwell in 1965 to describe substances secreted by
one microorganism that stimulate the growth of another. It was later described by Parker in
1974 as animal feed supplements that have a beneficial effect on the host animal by
affecting its gut flora. Fuller found this definition unsatisfactory as it did not exclude
antibiotics, and redefined a probiotic as a live microbial feed supplement that beneficially
affects the host animal by improving its intestinal microbial balance.Fullers definition was
expanded to state that a probiotic is a mono- or mixed culture of live microorganisms that,
when applied to animal or man, affects the host beneficially by improving the properties of
the indigenous microflora.This definition stresses the importance of live microorganisms
that occur in the mouth, gastrointestinal tract (GIT), upper respiratory or urogenital tracts
and improve the health status of both man and animal.
In 1998, Guarner and Schaafsma introduced the concept of consuming adequate numbers
of probiotics to reach target sites in the body, and described them as living organisms
that, upon ingestion in certain numbers, exert health effects beyond inherent general
nutrition.

Then probiotics were defined as microbial cell preparations, or components of microbial

cells, that have a beneficial effect on the health and well-being of the host. This definition
emphasizes that probiotics can be either nonviable cells or parts of cells, because
probiotics in these forms, as well as certain fermentation end-products and enzymes, have
been shown to exert health benefits. Here, the importance is underlined of understanding
the specific functions of probiotics in the host.
In 2001, a joint committee Food and Argriculture Organisation of the United Nations/World
Health Organisation (FAO/WHO) expert consultation on health and nutritional properties of
powder milk with live lactic acid bacteria redefined probiotics as live microorganisms that,
when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host, again
highlighting the importance of viability. The group recognized that probiotics should be
capable of exerting health benefits on the host through their activity in the human body.
This definition is internationally recognized. Viability of probiotics in the final product is
important, especially when it has been documented as one of the prerequisites for immune
effects.
Recently, probiotics have been defined as living microorganisms that resist gastric, bile,
and pancreatic secretions; attach to epithelial cells; and colonize the human intestine. The
definition of probiotics has changed from the original one of being a live active culture
beneficially affecting the host by improving its intestinal microbial balance, to the current
concept based on the specific effects of clearly defined strains. This focuses attention on
demonstrated clinical effects, which may be mediated either through probiotic effects on
the intestinal immune system or through modulation of the gut microbiota at specific
locations.
Probiotics are useful for:
1. Prevent and treat infectious diarrhea
2. Treatment of lactose intolerance
3. Improve the immune system
4. Prevent certain allergic manifestations
5. Reduce cholesterol levels
6. Prevent Colon Cancer
Probiotics or "friendly" bacteria are considered very safe as nutritional supplements.
Probiotic bacteria, such as l. acidophilus, have been used successfully to treat dozens of
common ailments with little risk of side effects, drug interactions, or other unwanted
results. However, as all the nutritional supplements, there are some risks to taking large
amounts of probiotics and supplements, which may not be suitable for all people.
The classification of probiotics can be compared to that of people. That is, genus
corresponds to family name, species to given name, and strain to fingerprints.

The health benefits of probiotics are derived from specific bacterial strains that have
demonstrated clinical efficacy; products may not be considered a probiotic unless they
confer a proven health benefit.
Combining more than one probiotic strain in a single product does not necessarily
enhance the benefits of each strain, and may in fact interfere with the activity already
proven. Further studies are needed to determine the efficacy of combinations of strains.
The most used microorganisms like probiotics are showed in this table.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF FERMENTED MILK CONSUMPTION

Numerous reports and studies regarding the health benefits of yogurt and other fermented
milk products have been published. Although the mechanisms behind such health claims
are still being investigated, these benefits (on the immune or metabolic system) appear to
be real. Many of the data collected thus far indicate that it is through the ingestion of the
live LAB (Lactic Acid Bacteria) that these benefits are realized. The survival of bacteria
administered in fermented milk products during passage through the human gut has been
investigated intensely in recent years. Well-controlled, small-scale studies on diarrhea in
both adults and infants have shown that probiotics are beneficial and that they survive in
sufficient numbers to affect gut microbial metabolism. Probiotics are nonpathogenic
microorganisms that, when ingested, exert a positive influence on the health or physiology
of the host.
They can influence intestinal physiology either directly or indirectly through modulation of
the endogenous ecosystem or immune system. Survival rates have been estimated at 20
to 40% for selected strains; the main obstacles to survival are gastric acidity and the action
of bile salts. Although it is believed that the maximum probiotic effect can be achieved if
the organisms adhere to intestinal mucosal cells, there is no evidence demonstrating that
exogenously administered probiotics do adhere to the mucosal cells. Instead, they seem to
pass into the feces without having adhered or multiplied. Thus, to obtain a continuous
exogenous probiotic effect, the probiotic culture must be ingested daily. Certain
exogenously administered substances enhance the action of both exogenous and
endogenous probiotics. Human milk contains many substances that stimulate the growth

of bifidobacteria in vitro, especially in the small intestine of infants. However, it is unlikely

that these substances function in the colon. Beneficial effects may thus accrue from
exogenously administered probiotics, often administered with prebiotics (nondigestible
food ingredients that benefit the host by selectively stimulating the growth or activity of one
or a limited number of bacteria in the colon), or from endogenous bifidobacteria and
lactobacilli, whose metabolic activity and growth may also be enhanced by the
administration of prebiotics.
Studies that have shown a sufficient level of proof to enable probiotics to be used as
treatments for gastrointestinal disturbances include:
1. Increase in tolerance of yogurt compared with milk in subjects with primary or
secondary lactose maldigestion.
2. The use of Saccharomyces boulardii, Lactobacillus, and Enterococcus faecium to
prevent or shorten the duration of antibiotic-associated diarrhea.
3. The use of S. boulardii to prevent further recurrence of Clostridium difficileassociated diarrhea
4. The use of fermented milk containing Lb. rhamnosus GG to shorten the duration of
diarrhea in infants with rotavirus enteritis (and probably also in gastroenteritis of
other causes)
Additional situations in which probiotics may be of value include mitigation of diarrhea of
miscellaneous causes; prophylaxis of gastrointestinal infections, including travelers
diarrhea; and immunomodulation. Trials in gastrointestinal diseases that involve the
ecosystem, e.g., Helicobacter pylori infections, inflammatory bowel disease, and colon
cancer are currently being performed. However, such treatments should be thoroughly
studied and carefully given to patients, because there have been some case reports of the
human infections caused by these probiotic bacteria. For example, Lb. lactis was reported
to cause a liver abscess in a regularly yogurt-consuming patient whose colonic mucosa
was damaged by an ingested bone. Lb. rhamnosus septicemia was reported in an
immunocompromised patient treated with prolonged oral antibiotics for C. difficile diarrhea.
The patient received a short course of live yogurt; nonetheless, the link between the yogurt
consumed
and
the
septicemia
was
not
verified.
Interestingly, besides the gastrointestinal system, yogurt also enhances protective
immunity against respiratory tract infections. For instance, yogurt supplementation with a
balanced diet repletion in malnourished mice infected with Streptococcus pneumoniae
improved many immunological parameters, and accelerated recovery from the infection
compared to those mice repleted with a balanced diet alone. The authors suggested that
three factors probably contribute to these effects. First, proteins in yogurt can be easily
digested and absorbed because of the predigestion of protein during casein fermentation.
Second, LAB can modulate common mucosal immune systems and, therefore, enhance
mucosal immunity of the respiratory tract. Third, milk components produced during
fermentation also exert immunostimulatory effects.
In a human study, Scientifics investigated the effects of a probiotic, fermented milk drink
with Lb. GG, Bifidobacterium sp, Lb. acidophilus, and S. thermophilus on nasal
colonization with pathogenic bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, S. pneumoniae, and hemolytic streptococci). They demonstrated that daily consumption of probiotic yogurt for 3
weeks reduced nasal colonization with pathogenic bacteria, particularly Gram-positive
bacteria, whereas volunteers who received standard yogurt showed no difference in nasal

colonization. Other examples of the influence of LAB on the respiratory system were
shown in two different randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies by Hatakka
and de Vrese. The former group showed that there was a reduction in the number of
children afflicted with respiratory tract infections in the group that received milk with Lb.
GG, compared to those who drank milk without Lb. GG.
Michael De Vrese studied the effects of three LAB strains (Lb. gasseri, B. longum SP, and
B. bifidum MF) on the common cold. They found that daily consumption of these LAB
strains for 3 months reduced the severity and duration, but not incidence, of common cold
episodes in 479 healthy adults. One of the most widely touted benefits of yogurt
consumption is said to be the enhancement of the immune system. It has been proposed
that LAB and fermented milk modulate certain parameters of both the nonspecific and
specific immune responses. The link between these benefits and the immune system,
however, has not been identified, and the mechanisms involved are still unknown.
Yoghurt and other fermented milks are foods that have achieved great popularity for
various reasons , a greater awareness by consumers of the relationship between food and
health , the importance of preventing disease, widespread search for a healthier old age
and , of course, more scientific evidence of the effectiveness of these products .
SIDE EFFECTS
Digestive problems
Side effects of probiotics rarely occur, but the most common side effect is gastrointestinal
upset. When large dose of probiotics is consumed, they adjust the balance of flora in the
digestive tract or possibly gases resulting in abdominal discomfort. These side effects are
usually temporary and ultimately benign. Generally, probiotics have the opposite effect:
The probiotic supplements are useful in the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders such as
bacterial retrovirus and irritable bowel syndrome. The process of biological adaptation, no
probiotic supplements in itself is probably the cause of stomach problems.
Infection
It is theoretically possible that the live bacteria in probiotic supplements may colonize on
the intestines, causing infection. Although no case reports of this complication occurs, it
may be a risk to infants, the elderly and people with severely compromised immune
systems. Treatment for this type of infection may require antibiotics. Because of this
potential risk, people who are immune compromised should use caution when taking very
large doses of probiotics. However, it should be noted that the risk of such side effects is
minimal. Probiotics are normally consumed in foods and nutritional supplements for people
of all ages and conditions, and has not been known that infection-related complications
occurred.
Overstimulation
Overstimulation of the immune system is another complication that is theoretically
possible, but has not been recorded so far. If the body is "wrong" with probiotics believing

they are foreign invaders and infection can lead to a similar response to infection. This can
cause a high white count, fever, fatigue and possibly even blood cells. Probiotics have not
been well studied in people with autoimmune diseases. Although it may be beneficial for
people with autoimmune disorders, people of this group may be at greater risk for this rare
and unknown complication. Anyone with an autoimmune disorder or an extraordinarily
aggressive immune system should use caution when taking large doses of probiotics.
Metabolic changes
Probiotics may slightly alter the function of the colon, resulting in unusual changes in
metabolism. Some people may experience more frequent to take probiotics while others
may experience a slowdown in bowel habits bowel movements. Metabolic changes can
cause weight gain, weight loss or absorption problems. For most people using probiotics,
adjustments in body metabolism will be positive and desired. However, if these changes
are uncomfortable or injurious to health for the person taking probiotics, you should adjust
your dose or stop taking the supplements.

Yoghurt
Yogurt is produced using active cultures of bacteria to ferment cream or milk. Yogurt that
is produced in the United States is made with two specific live and active cultures of lactic
acid bacteria (LAB)Lactobacillus bulgaricus (Lb. bulgaricus) and Streptococcus
thermophilus (S. thermophilus). These bacteria metabolize some of the milk sugar
(lactose) in the milk into lactic acid. This action helps change the consistency of liquid milk
into yogurt. The production of fermented milk, or yogurt, requires that the milk is first
concentrated by the addition of dairy solids, evaporated, or membrane filtered. The mixture
is then heated to destroy undesirable organisms, and cooled. Then, the starter cultures are
added. Yogurt products may also have added ingredients such as sugar, sweeteners,
fruits or vegetables, flavoring compounds, sodium chloride, coloring stabilizers, and
preservatives. In the United States, Lb. bulgaricus and S. thermophilus are required by
U.S.
The fermentation process involves the inoculation of pasteurized milk that has been
enriched in milk protein with concentrated cultures of bacteria, which is then incubated at
4044C for 45 h. During fermentation, lactic acid is produced from lactose by the yogurt
bacteria, the population of which increases 100- to 10,000-fold to a final concentration of
approximately 109/mL. The reduction in pH, due to the production of lactic acid, causes a
destabilization of the micellar casein at a pH of 5.1 to 5.2, with complete coagulation
occurring around pH 4.6. At the desired final pH, the coagulated milk is cooled quickly to
410C to slow down the fermentation process.
Fermentation of milk with LAB leads to specific organoleptic characteristics (taste, aroma)
of the final product. The metabolism of LAB and the interactions between the selected
strains are responsible for the production of lactic acid, the coagulation of milk proteins,
and the production of various compounds. Variables such as temperature, pH, the
presence of oxygen, and the composition of the milk further contribute to the particular
features of a specific product. Fermented milks exhibit a wide variety of textures ranging

from liquid drinks such as kefir, koumiss, and acidophilus milk to semisolid or firm products
including yogurt, filmjolk, villi, dahi, and leben.
Certain strains of S. thermophilus, Lb. bulgaricus, and other LAB, such as Lactococcus
cremoris and some species of Leuconostoc, produce exocellular polysaccharides that
modify the texture of a fermented milk product i.e., by increasing the viscosity or creating a
ropy texture. Lactic acid is also responsible for the slightly tart taste of the fermented milk
product, whereas the other characteristic flavors and aromas are additional results of LAB
metabolism. For example, acetaldehyde provides the characteristic aroma of yogurt,
whereas diacetyl, produced by Lc. Diacetylactis and Leuconostoc cremoris, impart a
buttery taste to some fermented milks. Acetoin, acetone, lactones, and volatile acids are
other important flavor components that may be present in certain fermented milks as byproducts of bacterial metabolism.
There is a symbiotic relationship, also known as protocooperation, between S.
thermophilus and Lb. bulgaricus, in which each species of bacteria stimulates the growth
of the other. Lb. bulgaricus stimulates the growth of S. thermophilus by liberating amino
acids and peptides from milk proteins; which enable S. thermophiles to grow faster in the
early part of incubation. S. thermophilus in turn produces formic acid, which stimulates the
growth of Lb. bulgaricus, resulting in a shortened fermentation time and a product with
characteristics different than that of milk fermented with a single species.

SECOND PART
CHAPTER 1: PROBIOTICS

Probiotics
Probiotics are described as live microorganisms which, when administered in adequate
amounts, confer a health benefit on the host.
Generally probiotics are described as live microorganisms which, when administered in
adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host. Examples of health benefits
associated with the consumption of probiotics include a decrease in rotavirus shedding in
infants, reductions in antibiotic-associated diarrhea, reduction in the incidence of childhood
atopic eczema, and management of inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohns
disease. Foods containing probiotics, such as fermented milks, yogurts, and cheese, fall
within the functional food category, which includes any fresh or processed food claimed to
have health-promoting and/or disease-preventing properties beyond the basic nutritional
function of supplying nutrients. The area of probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics represent
the largest segment of the functional food market in Europe, Japan, and Australia.

Lactobacillus casei
In order to exert health benefits on the host, probiotics must be able to grow in the human
intestine, and, therefore, should possess the capability to survive passage hrough the
gastrointestinal tract (GIT), which involves exposure to hydrochloric acid in the stomach
and bile in the small intestine. Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species are ideal probiotic
candidates for incorporation into foods for human consumption. These microorganisms are
known inhabitants of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and share a number of common traits
such as acid and bile tolerance, the ability to adhere to intestinal cells, and GRAS status
(generally regarded as safe).
A major challenge associated with the application of probiotic cultures in the development
of functional foods is the retention of viability during processing. Given that probiotics are
generally of intestinal origin, many such strains of bacteria are unsuitable for growth in
dairy-based media, and are inactivated upon exposure to high temperatures, acid, or
oxygen during dairy and food processing. The survival of bifidobacteria during processing
can be particularly challenging, as these are strictly anaerobic microorganisms with

complex nutritional requirements. Maintaining the viability (minimum numbers of probiotic

cultures present in the final product recommended to be 10 colony forming units [CFU] per
milliliter or even higher) and the activity of probiotic cultures in foods to the end of shelf life
are two important criteria that must be fulfilled in order to provide efficacious probiotic food
products.
Fermented dairy foods, including milk and yogurt, are among the most accepted food
carriers for delivery of viable probiotic cultures to the human GIT. Because high levels of
probiotics are recommended for efficacy of these products, preparation of bulk cultures is
required. However, because probiotics are normally of intestinal origin, these cultures
exhibit poor growth rates in synthetic and milk-based media. Spray drying and freeze
drying are useful means of introducing the probiotic culture into these food systems. The
use of such approaches in preparing cultures may impair viability and probiotic
functionality due to the extent of cell injury that may occur during these processes upon
exposure to extreme heating and drying, or freezing and drying.
Other approaches that have been used to improve the resistance of sensitive probiotic
bacteria against adverse conditions during food processing, storage, and human ingestion
include appropriate selection of acid-, bile-, and oxygen-resistant strains; stress
adaptation; microencapsulation; incorporation of micronutrients and prebiotics; and genetic
manipulation of probiotics, all of which will be discussed in the following sections.

Some of these bacteria are listed in the following table.

Classification
The classification of probiotics can be compared to that of people. That is, genus
corresponds to family name, species to given name, and strain to fingerprints.
The health benefits of probiotics are derived from specific bacterial strains that have
demonstrated clinical efficacy; products may not be considered a probiotic unless they
confer a proven health benefit.

Combining more than one probiotic strain in a single product does not necessarily
enhance the benefits of each strain, and may in fact interfere with the activity already
proven. Further studies are needed to determine the efficacy of combinations of strains.
Probiotics are classed by group (e.g., lactic acid bacteria), genus (e.g., Bifidobacterium,
Lactobacillus), species (e.g., casei, plantarum, bulgaricus, johnsonii) and strain (e.g., DN173 010, DN-114 001, GG).
With many people having the same first or last name, identification can be difficult but
fingerprints are unique, allowing accurate identification of an individual.
Probiotics work in much the same way: if we dont know their strain, we cant know which
specific role they play in the body.

In order to better communicate with consumers, the names of certain strains have been
modified by manufacturers. As an example, while the precise scientific name of the
probiotic in DanActive yogourt isLactobacillus casei DN-114 001, what appears on the
packaging is L. casei Defensis. This practice is common, with the intention being to help
consumers understand the benefit or remember the probiotic more easily. That being said,
a legitimate company will always specify the exact scientific name of the strain, and this is
what consumers should be encouraged to look for.
Distinguishing between the different types of probiotics is important, since each strain
plays a specific role. In fact, it is the strain that determines a probiotics role, and not just
the genus.
The differences in properties between strains do not indicate with certainty that all their
effects on the host would be different; however, this possibility must be considered, at
least until proved otherwise. It is not impossible that the presence of a well identified active
substance in a probiotic may be shown to be sufficient to permit a reliable prediction that
an effect will be obtained. However, this is unlikely in the near future and will require solid
verification. It is therefore generally accepted that the effects of one strain cannot be
extrapolated to another. In other words, clinical studies on the strain itself are required
before any claim can be made.
Producers can use this characteristic to protect the specificities of their products.
Advertising or claims referring to similar strains must not be used in scientific or
promotional dossiers or brochures, neither in their evaluations.
The most used microorganisms like probiotics are showed in this table.

Improvements for survival of probiotic

Heat from pelleting and long storage of products may render the non-viability of the
product. For improving the survival of probiotic cultures following practices has been
applied
1. - Encapsulation:
Encapsulation has proven very successful in improving the survival of probiotics in FF.
Although encapsulation in alginate gels protects cells during freezing, heating, and storage
in acid foods, there are few commercial products on the market based on this technology.
Producers of probiotics have preferred the spraycoating technology to market their
products. Spray-coating is carried out by vaporizing a protective compound on the surface
of a probiotic-containing dried particle. The spray-coated products are very effective in
enhancing survival of the cells in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, ideally releasing the
biomass at a predetermined site. There is increasing evidence that coating also helps
probiotic bacteria to better survive heat processes as well as storage at room temperature.

2. - Prebiotics:
Prebiotics are non-digestible food ingredients that stimulate the growth and/or activity of
bacteria in the digestive system in ways claimed to be beneficial to health. They were first
identified and named by Marcel Roberfroid in 1995.
A prebiotic effect occurs when there is an increase in the activity of healthy bacteria in the
human
intestine.
The
prebiotics
stimulate
the
growth
of
healthy such
as bifidobacteria and lactobacilli in the gut and increase resistance to invading pathogens.

This effect is induced by consuming functional foods that contain prebiotics. These foods
induce metabolic activity, leading to health improvements. Healthy bacteria in the intestine
can combat unwanted bacteria, providing a number of health benefits.
Prebiotics are non-digestible but fermentable oligosaccharides that are specifically
designed to change the composition and activity of the intestinal microbiota or microflora
with prospect to promote the health of the host.
Synbiotics:
prebiotics.

A synbiotics is a combination of one or more probiotics and

Desirable probiotics characteristics

Microbes from many different genera are being used as probiotics, including Lactobacillus,
Bifidobacterium, Propionibacterium, Bacillus,
Escherichia,
Enterococcus,
and
Saccharomyces. Lactobacilli are the most commonly used probiotics in food, whereas
bifidobacteria are used less, as they are sensitive to oxygen and have more strict growth
requirements, making them technologically more unsuitable for use. With the exception of
propionibacteria and enterococci, the other species mentioned are not usually used in
fermented food products, but as probiotics in dietary supplements or in capsules, powders,
etc. Ideally, a microorganism should meet a number of predefined criteria in order to be
considered as probiotic.
The microbes administered should be safe, have GRAS status (Generally Recognized As
Safe), and also have a long history of safe use in foods. All probiotic strains should have
nonpathogenic properties, and ideally should exhibit tolerance to antimicrobial substances,
but should not be able to transmit such resistance to other bacteria.
Adherent probiotic strains are desirable because they have a greater chance of becoming
established in the GIT, thus enhancing their probiotic effect. Adhesion to the intestinal
mucosa is considered important for immune modulation (the intestine being the largest
immune organ of the body), and for pathogen exclusion by stimulating their removal from
the infected intestinal tract. Two human Lactobacillus strains were examined for
adherence properties in a study by Fernandez, Boris, and Barbes. Both strains adhered to
Caco-2 cells, through glycoproteins in Lactobacillus gasseri, and through carbohydrates in
Lb. acidophilus, and both strains were able to inhibit certain enteropathogens, including

Salmonella, Listeria, and Campylobacter without disturbing the normal microbiota. They
also found in this study that the Lb. gasseri that strongly attached to the intestinal Caco-2
cells inhibited the attachment of Escherichia coli 0111 under the condition of exclusion.
Ability to survive passage through the GIT is a requirement in order to confer health
benefits to the host. Acid tolerance, tolerance to human gastric juice, and bile tolerance
should all be established by using in vitro methods.
Probiotic microorganisms should also be technologically suitable for incorporation into food
products, such that they retain both viability and efficacy in that food product (to a
commercial scale) prior to and following consumption. Probiotics should be capable of
surviving industrial applications (e.g., common dairy processing methods using
pharmaceutical manufacturing protocols), of thriving in the product to the end of shelf life,
and of having an acceptable taste throughout the storage time. Above all, probiotic food
products must demonstrate efficacy in controlled and validated clinical trials to prove that
the probiotic characteristics were not altered or lost during manufacturing.

CONCLUSIONS

Probiotic research has expanded rapidly over the past few years. One of the many
reasons for this is the heightened awareness of their clinically proven healthpromoting effects in humans, and hence the growing interest in the incorporation of
probiotic microorganisms into food products.
The mechanisms by which functional microbes and ingredients affect human gut
health are still largely unknown. The knowledge acquired by genomics on the
genetics and physiology of a probiotic strain can be used for strain improvement.
The great challenge of growing probiotic cultures at a manufacturing plant can only
be tackled by using a holistic approach and having qualified personnel and
sophisticated quality control laboratories.
Many species in such fermented foods have the potential to be probiotic, health
attributes can only be expected if strains having documented clinical effects are
used.
A higher number of strains is not proof of greater efficacy.
The effect of one strain cannot be extrapolated to another.
Some strains are not recommended for human use. Species from bacterial genera
like Bacillus cereus and Enterococcus have also been used as probiotics, but
because these species contain strains known to be pathogenic (this is particularly
true of Enterococcus), there are concerns for their safe use. The onus must be on
producers to prove that their strains are not pathogenic.

RECOMMENDATION
Foods or supplements containing probiotics would list the following information on their
labels:
Description of genus, species and strain.
The minimum viable numbers of each probiotic strain at the end of the products
shelf life.
A suggested serving size, which must deliver an effective dose of probiotics
relative to the health claim.
The health claim.
Proper storage conditions.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
EDWARD R. FARNWORTH, Handbook of Fermented Functional Food. Second
Edition. Ed. CRC Press, 2008. Pages 1 25, 129 165, 513 537.
CLYDESDALE, F., Functional foods: opportunities and challenges, Full report at:
www.ift.org, IFT Expert Reports, 2005. Pages 58 35.