Probiotics: Production, Characterization, Types, and Health Benefits

Abstract

Probiotics, live microorganisms that confer health benefits to the host when administered in adequate amounts, have gained considerable attention for their potential in enhancing human health and well-being. This research paper presents a comprehensive overview of probiotics, including their production, characterization, types, and health benefits. The introduction emphasizes the significance of probiotics in maintaining a healthy human microbiota and provides a rationale for investigating their potential advantages. The production section details the processes involved in strain selection, isolation, and fermentation techniques for large-scale probiotic production. Furthermore, formulation considerations are discussed to ensure probiotic viability, stability, and functionality. The characterization section presents various methods for assessing probiotic viability, safety, and stability. The section on types of probiotics focuses on well-studied strains such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species, as well as emerging strains like Saccharomyces boulardii and Propionibacterium freudenreichii. Lastly, the health benefits section discusses the positive effects of probiotics on gut health, gastrointestinal disorders, immune system modulation, and other conditions. Further research is necessary to fully comprehend the mechanisms and potential of probiotics in promoting human health and well-being. Key Words: microbiota, metagenomics, high-throughput sequencing, cryoprotectants and encapsulation