362 Chapter 14
Of the various food products that have
been examined, dairy products appear to be
the most suitable for delivering probiotic cul-
tures. Yogurt, which is very popular among
adults and children, has become the most
widely used vehicle for delivering probiotics.
Yogurts containing probiotic cultures are cur-
rently the norm on supermarket shelves.
Different proprietary probiotic strains belong-
ing to the genus Lactobacillus are widely
used in addition to yogurt starter bacteria
( Streptococcus thermophilus, ST, and
Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. Bulgaricus,
LB). These strains often are used in combina-
tion with Bifi dobacterium spp. in plain and
fl avored yogurts.
The probiotic cultures are declared on the
product labels. Appropriate health claims for
the declared probiotic strains are often listed
on the packages of specifi c yogurts.
The probiotic strains are added along with
starter bacteria before the commencement of
the fermentation, or, in most cases, they are
added at the post - fermentation stage; they are
then mixed in and packaged. Because of the
inability of many of the probiotic strains to
compete with the yogurt starter bacteria, and
in some cases to avoid the undesirable acetic
acid fl avor that is generated by bifi dobacte-
ria, it is desirable to add the probiotic strains
at the post - fermentation stage.(Sanders and Huis in ’ t Veld, 1999 ; Chandan,
1999 ). The evidence equivocally supports the
maintenance of intestinal health as a benefi t.
The most widely heralded probiotic species
belong to the genera Lactobacillus and
Bifi dobacterium. These species are normal
inhabitants of the human gut and have been
shown to play a regulatory role in its ecology
and microbial fl ora (Chandan, 1999 ; Sanders
and Huis in ’ t Veld, 1999 ). Selection criteria
for probiotics reported by various authors
were summarized by Shah (2006).
Sweet acidophilus milk is the forerunner
of the present - day probiotic milks. It is made
by adding a suffi cient quantity of frozen con-
centrated culture of an authentic Lactobacillus
acidophilus strain (preferably of human
origin, bile - resistant, technologically adapt-
able for propagation to high numbers, con-
centration by either centrifugation or
ultrafi ltration, preservation by freezing or
lyophilization, and capable of maintaining
viability in cold pasteurized milk or skim
milk over three weeks of refrigerated holding)
to cold, freshly pasteurized milk. After
mixing, this provides a viable cell count of 2
million to 4 million colony - forming units/ml.
The seeded milk is packaged for marketing.
The history and development of sweet aci-
dophilus milk is discussed by Vedamuthu
(2006).
The early version of probiotic milk con-
tained a mixture of Lactobacillus acidophilus
and strain(s) of Bifi dobacterium sp., and was
called A/B milk. Later, branded products
containing proprietary strains of Lactobacillus
spp. and Bifi dobacterium spp. were selected
on the bases of purported, proven probiotic
benefi ts. Extensive discussion of the history
and current status of probiotic dairy products
may be gleaned from recent reviews
(Chandan, 1999 ; Shah, 2006 ; and Vedamuthu
2006 ). Table 14.1 lists some of the well -
known proprietary probiotic bacteria used in
dairy products.
Table 14.1. Probiotic bacterial strains marketed
by leading dairy food manufacturers and dairy
starter suppliers.
Manufacturer/
SupplierProbiotic strainsChr. Hansen Lb. acidophilus LA1/LA5
Lb. bulgaricus Lb 12
Lb. paracasei CRL 431
Bif. animalis Bb 12
Danisco Lb. acidophilus NCFM ®
Lb. acidophilus La14
Lb. casei Lpc 37 Bif. lactis B 104
Nestle Lb. johnsonii La 1
Yakult Lb. casei Shirota
Bif. breve (Yakult)