Conclusions
We are still at an early stage in the development of
consistently effective probiotics for human application.
Although the market for probiotic containing products
shows a substantial increase in popularity recently,
scientific approaches to establishing the functional
benefits of probiotic foods are still a complicated case.
Evidence from in vitro studies suggests beneficial effects,
but considerable progress has not yet been made in both
effects on host health and mechanisms of action. Also,
whether specifically viable microorganisms are necessary
for health benefits, needs clarification.
The typical poor growth of these probiotic species is
highlighted, therefore investigation of bifidogenic- and
growth factors, and efforts to establish optimum
environmental conditions for their growth are critical,
in addition to effects of the type of foods and storage
conditions on microbial survival.