Criteria to Qualify Microorganisms as “Probiotic” in Foods and Dietary Supplements
Still relevant after 19 years, the FAO/WHO definition of probiotics can be translated into four simple and pragmatic criteria allowing one to conclude if specific strains of microorganisms qualify as a probiotic for use in foods and dietary supplements. Probiotic strains must be (i) sufficiently cha...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2020-07-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Microbiology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmicb.2020.01662/full |
| _version_ | 1818843504400400384 |
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| author | Sylvie Binda Colin Hill Eric Johansen David Obis Bruno Pot Mary Ellen Sanders Annie Tremblay Arthur C. Ouwehand |
| author_facet | Sylvie Binda Colin Hill Eric Johansen David Obis Bruno Pot Mary Ellen Sanders Annie Tremblay Arthur C. Ouwehand |
| author_sort | Sylvie Binda |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Still relevant after 19 years, the FAO/WHO definition of probiotics can be translated into four simple and pragmatic criteria allowing one to conclude if specific strains of microorganisms qualify as a probiotic for use in foods and dietary supplements. Probiotic strains must be (i) sufficiently characterized; (ii) safe for the intended use; (iii) supported by at least one positive human clinical trial conducted according to generally accepted scientific standards or as per recommendations and provisions of local/national authorities when applicable; and (iv) alive in the product at an efficacious dose throughout shelf life. We provide clarity and detail how each of these four criteria can be assessed. The wide adoption of these criteria is necessary to ensure the proper use of the word probiotic in scientific publications, on product labels, and in communications with regulators and the general public. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-19T04:58:55Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-fd095ce8709f4ec49817be378a370769 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-302X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-19T04:58:55Z |
| publishDate | 2020-07-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Microbiology |
| spelling | doaj.art-fd095ce8709f4ec49817be378a3707692022-12-21T20:35:10ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Microbiology1664-302X2020-07-011110.3389/fmicb.2020.01662563305Criteria to Qualify Microorganisms as “Probiotic” in Foods and Dietary SupplementsSylvie Binda0Colin Hill1Eric Johansen2David Obis3Bruno Pot4Mary Ellen Sanders5Annie Tremblay6Arthur C. Ouwehand7Danone Nutricia Research, Palaiseau Cedex, FranceAPC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, IrelandEmerging Technologies, Chr. Hansen A/S, Hørsholm, DenmarkDanone Nutricia Research, Palaiseau Cedex, FranceScience Europe, Yakult Europe BV, Almere, NetherlandsInternational Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics, Centennial, CO, United StatesRosell Institute for Microbiome and Probiotics, Montreal, QC, CanadaGlobal Health and Nutrition Sciences, DuPont Nutrition and Biosciences, Kantvik, FinlandStill relevant after 19 years, the FAO/WHO definition of probiotics can be translated into four simple and pragmatic criteria allowing one to conclude if specific strains of microorganisms qualify as a probiotic for use in foods and dietary supplements. Probiotic strains must be (i) sufficiently characterized; (ii) safe for the intended use; (iii) supported by at least one positive human clinical trial conducted according to generally accepted scientific standards or as per recommendations and provisions of local/national authorities when applicable; and (iv) alive in the product at an efficacious dose throughout shelf life. We provide clarity and detail how each of these four criteria can be assessed. The wide adoption of these criteria is necessary to ensure the proper use of the word probiotic in scientific publications, on product labels, and in communications with regulators and the general public.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmicb.2020.01662/fullprobiotic definitioncriterionlive microbesLactobacillusBifidobacteriumidentification |
| spellingShingle | Sylvie Binda Colin Hill Eric Johansen David Obis Bruno Pot Mary Ellen Sanders Annie Tremblay Arthur C. Ouwehand Criteria to Qualify Microorganisms as “Probiotic” in Foods and Dietary Supplements Frontiers in Microbiology probiotic definition criterion live microbes Lactobacillus Bifidobacterium identification |
| title | Criteria to Qualify Microorganisms as “Probiotic” in Foods and Dietary Supplements |
| title_full | Criteria to Qualify Microorganisms as “Probiotic” in Foods and Dietary Supplements |
| title_fullStr | Criteria to Qualify Microorganisms as “Probiotic” in Foods and Dietary Supplements |
| title_full_unstemmed | Criteria to Qualify Microorganisms as “Probiotic” in Foods and Dietary Supplements |
| title_short | Criteria to Qualify Microorganisms as “Probiotic” in Foods and Dietary Supplements |
| title_sort | criteria to qualify microorganisms as probiotic in foods and dietary supplements |
| topic | probiotic definition criterion live microbes Lactobacillus Bifidobacterium identification |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmicb.2020.01662/full |
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