In vitro probiotic and industrial properties of bacteria isolated from fermented food products

Abstract

Probiotics are live microorganisms present in naturally fermented food products, and also added to other products as supplements to improve the hosts' health and microbial balance. Bacteria are considered as probiotics based on selection criteria that include the ability to survive the transition through the gastrointestinal tract conditions (pH and bile salt concentration), adhesion to the intestinal epithelium, auto-aggregation, and antibiotic resistance. The industrial properties of probiotic bacteria associated with their incorporation into food products are essential for the application of probiotic cultures in the development of functional foods. Probiotic bacteria must survive industrial applications, grow adequately in food products during their shelf life, and be technologically suitable for their incorporation into foods products so that they retain viability and efficacy. The antimicrobial activity of probiotic bacterial strains against foodborne pathogenic bacteria may also be a characteristic parameter for probiotics to be included in the composition of probiotic preparations and probiotic foods. This review discusses the in vitro and industrial properties of bacteria isolated from a variety of fermented food products.