Conventional probiotic products contain mono-to-mixed cultures of microorganisms or bacterial spores and are marketed as oral pills, capsules, powder sachets, granulates, or suspensions. Probiotic preparations for human consumption are marketed as medicinal products or foods (food supplements and fermented or novel foods) with new formulations being constantly introduced in the market. Although some of the above-mentioned effects might be widespread among common probiotic genera, others are species- or strain-specific ( 1). Immunoregulatory probiotics, which are characterized by the ability to induce predominant IL-10 production, can promote the development of Treg cells and control inflammatory responses, resulting in a decrease in allergy, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, and autoimmune diseases ( 4). Beneficial effects of probiotics include competitive exclusion of pathogens, normalization of perturbed microbiota, enhancement of intestinal barrier function, and differentiation and stimulation of systemic or mucosal immune responses ( 2, 3). The most commonly used oral probiotic formulations contain lactobacilli and bifidobacteria and, less frequently, streptococci, enterococci, Bacillus species, or yeast. ![]() Probiotics are defined as live microorganisms that, when administered in adequate amounts, confer health benefits to the host ( 1). In conclusion, this study indicates good microbiological quality but striking differences in the behavior in the presence of acids and bile for probiotic formulations marketed in Italy. Acid resistance and viability in bile were extremely variable depending on the composition of the formulations in terms of contained species and strains. Most preparations satisfied the requirements for probiotics and no contaminants were found. In vitro studies with two artificial gastric juices and pancreatin–bile salt solution were performed to gain information on the gastric tolerance and bile resistance of the probiotic formulations. Plate counting and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry were used to enumerate and identify the contained organisms. This study evaluated quantitative and qualitative aspects and the viability in simulated gastric and intestinal juices of commercial probiotic formulations available in Italy. Recent guidelines indicate that oral probiotics, living microorganisms able to confer a health benefit on the host, should be safe for human consumption, when administered in a sufficient amount, and resist acid and bile to exert their beneficial effects (e.g., metabolic, immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, competitive). 3Research Center Nutraceuticals and Food for Health-Nutrafood, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy. ![]()
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