On the Italian market, there are commercial probiotic products
that do not comply with what their labels claim and consequently
with what the Italian guidelines suggest.
As the findings corroborate with those of other studies conducted
in Italy (Canganella et al., 1997; Drago et al., 2004; Fasoli et al., 2003),
there is the need for a better quality control of the product during all
stages of the manufacturing process. This entails constantly testing all
raw materials or intermediate products at the identified critical
control points (CCP) to ensure compliance of the final product to the
Italian guidelines when introduced on the market or consumed. In
addition, the official control laboratories should include the probiotic
food supplements in the annual food control programs to guarantee
consumer safety. Assuring the type, viability, and number of bacteria
contained in a probiotic product is an important goal in avoiding loss
of consumer confidence.