Food Chemistry and Food Microbiology

Human Health in Probiotics

Probiotics are live microbial cultures that enhance the beneficial gut micro flora to improve the overall health of the host. It is a rising field in the dairy food industry with significant growth potential. Probiotic food supplements have attracted a lot of attention and revealed a remarkable growth in this field. Various bacteria, yeast, and molds can be used as probiotics, but the most commonly used microorganisms are lactic acid bacteria (LAB). LAB is involved in the fermentation of foods, dairy products, and beverages and produces lactic acid as the end product of fermentation. Among LAB, the most commonly used bacteria that exhibit excellent probiotic properties belong to Lactobacillus and Bifid bacterium genus. These bacteria produce a variety of compounds such as organic acids (lactic acid and acetic acid), antimicrobial compounds (bacteriocins), nutraceuticals, vitamins, enzymes, etc.