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Basic concepts / Probiotics
Probiotics
| A microorganism strain has a proven probiotic status if/when(1): | |
| 1. | The strain has been identified by phenotypic and genotypic methods (Genus, species, strain), and it is deposited in an international culture collection. |
| 2. | The strain has been the object of a safety assessment ( in vitro and/or animal studies, and human studies), from which it results that the strain does not present any pathogenic properties, virulence properties, toxin production, transferable antibiotic resistance. A long history of safe use is a good indicator of the safety of a probiotic strain. |
| 3. | If the probiotic is intended to have an effect in the gut, it has to be able to reach the gut . This means that probiotic bacteria should be resistant to stomach acid, bile salts, several digestive enzymes such as pepsin and pancreatin, and able of growing in anaerobic conditions. |
| 4. | A benefit for the host has been demonstrated by a double blind, randomized, placebo-controlled human trial or other appropriate design. |
The word "probiotic" is derived from the Greek World "For Life". According to the definition of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Health Organization (FAO/WHO)'s report, probiotics are: "Live microorganisms which, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host"(1).
Live microorganisms can be yeast or bacteria, where each is defined by a specific strain name and registered in an international culture collection.
For instance, for the probiotic strain Bifidobacterium lactis DN 173-010 contained in ACTIVIA®:
Genus: Bifidobacterium
Specie: animalis subspecies lactis
Registered collection name: DN 173-010
The probiotic definition adopted by the ILSI (International Life Science Institute) has been extended to probiotic food as "a food containing live microorganisms in amounts sufficient to confer a health benefit on the host(1)".
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