title: Probiotics and health.
abstract: Probiotics are described as live microbial food ingredients that are beneficial to health of the of host, especially by improving intestinal microbial balance. The major consumption of probiotics is in dairy-based foods form, which is containing intestinal species of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. A number of potential benefits of probiotics have been proposed, including: adherence to cells; exclusion or reduction of pathogenic adherence; production of acids, hydrogen peroxide, and bacteriocins antagonistic to pathogen growth; safe, noninvasive, noncarcinogenic and nonpathogenic characteristics; and congregation to form a normal balanced flora. The interrelation between probiotics and health are reviewed in this article.
authors.affiliation: Ege University, Food Engineering Department, Izmir, Turkey. otles@bornova.ege.edu.tr
authors.forename: Semih
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Otles
authors.forename: Ozlem
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Cagindi
authors.forename: Eren
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Akcicek
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007414:Intestinal Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control; D019936:Probiotics / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use