Enhancing probiotic stability in industrial processes

Miguel Gueimonde,Borja Sánchez

doi:10.3402/mehd.v23i0.18562

Abstract

BackgroundManufacture of probiotic products involves industrial processes that reduce the viability of the strains. This lost of viability constitutes an economic burden for manufacturers, compromising the efficacy of the product and preventing the inclusion of probiotics in many product categories. Different strategies have been used to improve probiotic stability during industrial processes. These include technological approaches, such as the modification of production parameters or the reformulation of products, as well as microbiological approaches focused on the strain intrinsic resistance. Among the later, both selection of natural strains with the desired properties and stress-adaptation of strains have been widely used.ConclusionDuring recent years, the knowledge acquired on the molecular basis of stress-tolerance of probiotics has increased our understanding on their responses to industrial stresses. This knowledge on stress-response may nowadays be used for the selection of the best strains and industrial conditions in terms of probiotic stability in the final product.

Highlights

Manufacture of probiotic products involves industrial processes that reduce the viability of the strains
Most of the currently used probiotics are fastidious microorganisms, nutritionally demanding and very sensitive to environmental conditions, and often the product manufacture and storage involves processes that reduce the viability of the strains
The initial screening and selection of those naturally occurring strains showing better properties constitutes a primary target for enhancing stability in probiotic products

Summary

Introduction

Manufacture of probiotic products involves industrial processes that reduce the viability of the strains. Most of the currently used probiotics are fastidious microorganisms, nutritionally demanding and very sensitive to environmental conditions, and often the product manufacture and storage involves processes that reduce the viability of the strains. Many different conditions present during the manufacture and storage of the product may affect the stability of probiotics; these include, among others, temperature, pH, water activity (aw), oxygen content or the presence of chemicals, and other microorganisms [1].

Results

Conclusion