Abstract
The Lactobacillus casei group (LCG), composed of the closely related Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus paracasei, and Lactobacillus rhamnosus are some of the most widely researched and applied probiotic species of lactobacilli. The three species have been extensively studied, classified and reclassified due to their health promoting properties. Differentiation is often difficult by conventional phenotypic and genotypic methods and therefore new methods are being continually developed to distinguish the three closely related species. The group remain of interest as probiotics, and their use is widespread in industry. Much research has focused in recent years on their application for health promotion in treatment or prevention of a number of diseases and disorders. The LCG have the potential to be used prophylactically or therapeutically in diseases associated with a disturbance to the gut microbiota. The group have been extensively researched with regard to stress responses, which are crucial for their survival and therefore application as probiotics.
Highlights
There are more than 200 species of Lactobacillus, the largest and most diverse genus within the lactic acid bacteria (LAB) (Sun et al, 2015)
Lactobacillus spp. have been deployed and studied extensively as fermentation starter cultures (Aryana and Olson, 2017) and as probiotics (Ryan et al, 2015; Pace et al, 2015). Their long history of use in fermented products has led to their recognition as GRAS by the US Food and Drug Authority (FDA), and earned them a place on the QPS list assembled by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA, 2016)
Males showed no significant difference in weight loss, but the female participants in the probiotic group had significant weight loss
Summary
There are more than 200 species of Lactobacillus, the largest and most diverse genus within the lactic acid bacteria (LAB) (Sun et al, 2015). The Lactobacillus casei group (LCG), comprised mainly of the closely related Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus paracasei, and Lactobacillus rhamnosus species, are among some of the most studied species due to their commercial, industrial and applied health potential. They are used to ferment dairy products, often producing foods with improved flavor and texture. This review will discuss the complex issues relating to the taxonomy of the LCG, current research and novel applications of species and strains within the group for health promotion, and will consider stress response mechanisms crucial for probiotic survival
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