Probiotics in Dairy Fermented Products

Abstract

Interest in the role of probiotics for human health began as early as 1908 when Metchnikoff associated the intake of fermented milk with prolonged life (Lourens-Hattingh and Vilijoen, 2001b). However, the relationship between intestinal microbiota and good health and nutrition has only recently been investigated. Therefore, it was not until the 1960’s that health benefit claims began appearing on foods labels. In recent years,there has been an increasing interest in probiotic foods, which has stimulated innovation and fueled the development of new products around the world. Probiotic bacteria have increasinglybeen incorporated into foods in order to improve gut health by maintaining the microbial gastrointestinal balance. The most popular probioticfoodsare produced in the dairy industry because fermented dairy products have been shown to be the most efficient delivery vehicle for live probiotics to date. In this chapter, we will discuss the application of probiotic microorganisms in fermented dairy products, particularly cheeses. In addition, we will also discuss the benefits of probiotic fermented foods on human health.