397
life periods, and optimal storage and handling conditions should be recommended.
Manufacturing units as well as shop owners must ensure viable storage and handling of these products. The genus, species, and strain designation along with viable
cell count must be clearly stated on the label in a responsible way. Consumers of
probiotic diet supplements should also be knowledgeable about the quantity needed
to be consumed for achieving the desirable health benefit.
16.9 Future of Probiotics
Currently, use of probiotics is considered as a unconventional method for regulating
equilibrium in gut microbiota, but the efficiency of the method is controversial. For
the success of probiotic dietary supplements, a network and cooperation of food,
nutrition, and medical scientists with laypeople who are in need of probiotics for
their healthcare as well as awareness of the current scenario and development of
new ideas and strains for improvement is highly essential. Even though the current
trend indicates a boom of probiotic products, survival of probiotic microbes in these
products is debatable. Thus, in the probiotic industry, technology for development
of a protective layer around the live microbes to survive unfavorable surroundings
is receiving much attention. Microencapsulation is now an evolving technology
effectively utilized by industries for maintaining a protective barrier around probiotic microbial cells.
Microencapsulation or entrapment provides a barrier around the cells from its
environment that occurs naturally when the growth of the cells occurs where they
can produce the needed exo-polysaccharides. Secretions from the cell itself could
produce a capsule-like structure to entrap the cells and reduce the action and permeability of external harmful compounds. But, as for some lactic acid bacteria, their
own exo-polysaccharides may not be enough to protect and entrap themselves completely (Shah 2002). Another issue needing proper attention is the development of
encapsulation technology and its viable delivery to the human body (Vidyalakshmi
et al. 2009). The technology of microencapsulation of live bacteria that can produce
active compounds to their external surroundings is still not well developed.
Health benefits for a large population could be attained by combining more than
one probiotic with commonly used food materials, and this can be utilized for the
treatment of allergies, inflammatory diseases, and cancer (Vanderhoof 2001). The
action of intestinal microbiota against colon cancer and other GI tract-related cancers needs intense evaluation. Several metabolically active species of bacteria such
as L. acidophilus can prevent MNNG (N-methyl-N′-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine)induced DNA damage and prevent many other carcinogens that will inactivate
tumor suppressor genes or trigger proto-oncogenes (Fearon and Vogelstein 1990).
Evaluation of lyophilized cell fractions and peptidoglycans of probiotic bacteria
indicated that ample quantities when supplied have a beneficial character even when
they are in the nonviable or inactive form (Fearon and Vogelstein 1990). Probiotics
can also be used for treatment of extraintestinal diseases such as allergic reactions,
cystic fibrosis-associated pneumonia in children, or inflammation in rheumatoid
16 Probiotics
life periods, and optimal storage and handling conditions should be recommended.
Manufacturing units as well as shop owners must ensure viable storage and handling of these products. The genus, species, and strain designation along with viable
cell count must be clearly stated on the label in a responsible way. Consumers of
probiotic diet supplements should also be knowledgeable about the quantity needed
to be consumed for achieving the desirable health benefit.
16.9 Future of Probiotics
Currently, use of probiotics is considered as a unconventional method for regulating
equilibrium in gut microbiota, but the efficiency of the method is controversial. For
the success of probiotic dietary supplements, a network and cooperation of food,
nutrition, and medical scientists with laypeople who are in need of probiotics for
their healthcare as well as awareness of the current scenario and development of
new ideas and strains for improvement is highly essential. Even though the current
trend indicates a boom of probiotic products, survival of probiotic microbes in these
products is debatable. Thus, in the probiotic industry, technology for development
of a protective layer around the live microbes to survive unfavorable surroundings
is receiving much attention. Microencapsulation is now an evolving technology
effectively utilized by industries for maintaining a protective barrier around probiotic microbial cells.
Microencapsulation or entrapment provides a barrier around the cells from its
environment that occurs naturally when the growth of the cells occurs where they
can produce the needed exo-polysaccharides. Secretions from the cell itself could
produce a capsule-like structure to entrap the cells and reduce the action and permeability of external harmful compounds. But, as for some lactic acid bacteria, their
own exo-polysaccharides may not be enough to protect and entrap themselves completely (Shah 2002). Another issue needing proper attention is the development of
encapsulation technology and its viable delivery to the human body (Vidyalakshmi
et al. 2009). The technology of microencapsulation of live bacteria that can produce
active compounds to their external surroundings is still not well developed.
Health benefits for a large population could be attained by combining more than
one probiotic with commonly used food materials, and this can be utilized for the
treatment of allergies, inflammatory diseases, and cancer (Vanderhoof 2001). The
action of intestinal microbiota against colon cancer and other GI tract-related cancers needs intense evaluation. Several metabolically active species of bacteria such
as L. acidophilus can prevent MNNG (N-methyl-N′-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine)induced DNA damage and prevent many other carcinogens that will inactivate
tumor suppressor genes or trigger proto-oncogenes (Fearon and Vogelstein 1990).
Evaluation of lyophilized cell fractions and peptidoglycans of probiotic bacteria
indicated that ample quantities when supplied have a beneficial character even when
they are in the nonviable or inactive form (Fearon and Vogelstein 1990). Probiotics
can also be used for treatment of extraintestinal diseases such as allergic reactions,
cystic fibrosis-associated pneumonia in children, or inflammation in rheumatoid
16 Probiotics