Probiotics

(pro, for; biotic, life)

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 History
• At the beginning of 20th century Russian
scientist Prof. E. Mechnikoff, who was working
at the Pasteur Institute in Paris, observed that
Bulgarians and Russian steppes lived longer due to the
consumption of LAB fermented dairy product, yogurt
• He was awarded N Prize in Med. (2008) for his work on white
cells can breakdown harmful bacteria in body
• He said that LAB decreased the intestinal pH & then
suppressed the growth of proteolytic bacteria
• He himself introduced sour milk in this diet and found
improvement in his health. … but died at 72 y
• Bifidobacteria are dominant bacteria in gut flora of breast-fed
babies; diarrhea of infant can be treated with bifidobacteria
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 Probiotics : introduction
Probiotics are live friendly organisms (mostly bacteria) that are
beneficial in human gut
Available to the cosumers in the form of foods & dietary
supplements (capsule, tab, liq.)
Can be used as complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)
It must be :
Alive when administered
Must be pH, bile and pancreatic juice tolerant
Taxonomically defined
Safe for intended use (GRAS)
Must show measurable benefits
Effective to the target host

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• Probiotic bacteria provide a novel approach to diet
and health
• LAB may reduce severity of certain types of
diarrhea, cancer, lowering serum cholesterol
• Probiotics ≠ prebiotics
• Probiotics + prebiotics = synbiotics

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 What are probiotics

“Live microorganisms which when administered in

adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the
host” (FAO/WHO, 2002)
There is no standard, ? cfu/g
Swiss Food Regulation—106 cfu/g
Japan—107 cfu/g (viable bifidobacteria)

Redefinition of probiotics in 2014

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 Types of probiotics

• Fermented foods— yogurt, soy yogurt, curd

• Fortified foods
• Pure microorganisms— LAB, bifodobacteria, certain
yeasts and bacilli may be useful; freeze dried m.o.
in the form of tablets, capsule, sachet and powder
– Single probiotics— single strain used
– Multi-probiotics— multiple strains used, human gut
contains >400 types of m.o.; different m.o. populate in
different areas of digestive tract
• Nepal—DDC produces probiotic yoghurt

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 Forms of probiotics

Foods—yogurt, miso, tempeh, fermented milk,

juices, soya beverages
Probiotics
Dietary supplements—capsules, powder, tablets

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 Microorganisms used in probiotics

LAB Other bacteria Yeast

 Lactobacillus Bifidobacterium S. cerevisiae
 Streptococcus
 Lactococcus
 Bacillus (subtilis)

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 GI ecology
• GI tract contained >400 types of
microorganisms
• Total = Good m.o. + Bad m.o. + Neutral m.o.
• Established a “balancing act”
• Upset balance is caused in two major ways:
1. Antibiotics also kill good bacteria
Probiotics used
to counteract the effect of antibiotics
To correct lactose intolerance

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 GI ecology
2. Microbial infection (pathogens)
 Upset internal balance
Probiotics can halt the growth and activities of them.
Examples are:
Infectious diarrhea
Irritable bowel syndrome
Inflammable bowel diseases, e.g., ulcerative colitis
Infection with Helicobacter pylori—causes stomach
ulcer and chronic stomach inflammation
Other infections—Stomach, respiratory, vaginal and
skin

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 Health effects—food uses

Probiotics may be used in foods and food

supplements
The effect on nutrients (psychological, behavioral,
slimming) to the host
The effect on disease-risk reduction
Managing lactose intolerance—LAB convert lactose
into lactic acid

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 Health effects—non-food uses
May be used in drug application (biotherapeutic) for
the followings:
To treat diarrhea (from rotavirus)
To prevent and treat infection urinary tract and
female genital tract
To treat irritable bowel syndrome
To reduce reccurance of bowel cancer
To prevent and treat pouchitis (can follow surgery)
To prevent and manage atopic dermatitis (eczema )
in children)

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 Health effects—non food uses (cont’d)

Prevention of colon cancer—some strains of LAB

(L.bulgaricus) have demonstrated anti-mutagenic
effect; decrease the activity of -glucuronidase
(which can generate carcinigens)
Lowering cholesterol—lowers serum cholesterol level
in animals
Lowering blood pressure—peptides produced during
fermentation cause modest reduction

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 Health effects—non food uses (cont’d)

Helicobacter pylori (causes peptic ulcer)—LAB help

in treatment along with standard medicine
Probiotics treatment can reduce incidence and
severity of antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD)
Improving minerals absorption—correct mal-
absorption of traces minerals found in phytate rich
millets, legume and nut

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 Mode of action

 pH reduction, bacteriocins
 Surface adhesion ability

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 Disadvantage of probiotics

Obesity (?)
May increase death rate who suffer from
severe acute pancreatitis
May cause adverse effect to the patient under
treatment

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 Eat probiotics foods, live healthy life

2 Pro. animation 5min.mp4

The End

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 Multi-probiotics

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 Some probiotic bacteria

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 Bifidobacteria
 G+ve, non-motile, often branched, -o2,
reside GI tract
 Aid digestion
 Associated with lowering incidence of allergies and some form of
tumor growth
 Some are used as probiotic
 Inhibits pathogenic and harmful bacteria that colonize and infest
the gut mucosa
 Modulate immune
 Produce vitamins
 Convert dietary compounds into bioactive molecules
 discourage G-ve pathogens in infant
 it forments mother’s milk and reduce pH making unfavorable
for G-ve pathogens
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 LAB

LAB (4-genera) Character of LAB

 Lactobacillus  G+ve
 Pediococcus  Non-motile
 Leuconostoc  Non-sporulating
 Oenococcus  Facultative anaerobes
 Mostly produce LA
 Utilize sugar, lactose

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 Characteristics of abt
Lactobacillus acidophilus Bifidibacterium bifidum Streptococcus
thermophilus

• Produces lactase enzyme, • Allergy • Enhances immune

and hence effective for
lactose intolerant person
• Beneficial for treating
diarrhea
• Inhibits the growth of
fungus Candida albicans in
the vagina, lower the yeast
infection in women
• Prevents constipation and
indigestion
• Strengthens immune
system
system
• Certain tumors 
• Produces
• Cholesterol  exopolysaccharides—
good texture
• Vaginities 
• Used to treat lactose
• Diarrhea  intolerant
• Irritation bowel • Prevents cancer
syndrome 
• Yeast infection 
• Bad bacteria 
• Ca absorption 
• Digestion 

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