The Potential of Probiotics: A Review
Carlos Ricardo Soccol1*, Luciana Porto de Souza Vandenberghe1, Michele Rigon Spier1, Adriane Bianchi Pedroni Medeiros1, Caroline Tiemi Yamaguishi1, Juliano De Dea Lindner1,2, Ashok Pandey3 and Vanete Thomaz-Soccol1,4
1Bioprocess Engineering and Biotechnology Department, Federal University of Paraná (UFPR), 81531-990 Curitiba-PR, Brazil
2State University of Santa Catarina, Food Engineering Department, BR 282, Km 573 Santa Teresinha, 89870-000 Pinhalzinho SC, Brazil
3Biotechnology Division, National Institut for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology, CSIR, Trivandrum, 695 019, India
4Positivo University, Industrial Biotechnology Department, Av. Pedro Parigot de Souza 5300, 81280-330, Curitiba-PR, Brazil
Article history:
Received March 15, 2010
Accepted June 4, 2010
Key words:
probiotics, intestinal microflora, Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, immune stimulation, probiotic production, food carriers, dairy products, non-dairy products
Summary:
Probiotics, live cells with different beneficiary characteristics, have been extensivelly studied and explored commercially in many different products in the world. Their benefits to human and animal health have been proven in hundreds of scientific research. Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium are the main probiotic groups; however, there are reports on the probiotic potential of Pediococcus, Lactococcus, Bacillus and yeasts. Some of the identified probiotic strains exhibit powerful anti-inflammatory, antiallergic and other important properties. Apart from that, the consumption of dairy and non-dairy products stimulates the immunity in different ways. Various food matrices have been used with probiotics, which are briefly documented. In this review, the history of probiotics, their application in the health and food areas and new trends in probiotic products and processes are presented.
*Corresponding author: 
soccol@ufpr.br
++55 41 3361 3191
++55 41 3361 3695
