Historically, beneficial microorganisms have been used by humans in agriculture and nutrition. Fermented productssuch as sauerkraut (fermented cabbage), yoghurt, cottage cheese and kefir, are traditionally consumed in several partsof the world. In the early 20th century, Russian scientist Elie Metchnikoff (Metchnikoff, 1907) introduced the concept ofprobiotics by emphasizing on the health benefits of consuming lactic acid bacteria and its efficiency in promoting longevity.He suggested that the ingestion of fermented milk products suppressed intestinal intoxication and ageing by modifying thenormal microbial flora of the intestinal tract.