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Should yoghurt cultures be considered probiotic?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 March 2007

Francisco Guarner*
Affiliation:
Digestive System Research Unit, University Hospital Vall d'hebron, Barcelona, Spain
Gabriela Perdigon
Affiliation:
Centro de Referencia para Lactobacilos (Cerela), Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, Argentina
Gérard Corthier
Affiliation:
Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, Unite Ecologie Physiologie Systeme Digestif, Jouy-en-Josas, France
Seppo Salminen
Affiliation:
Food Development, Health Biosciences Program, Functional Foods Forum, University of Turku, Finland
Berthold Koletzko
Affiliation:
University of Munich, Metabolic Diseases and Nutrition, Munich, Germany
Lorenzo Morelli
Affiliation:
Universita Cattolica Del Sacro Cuore (UCSC), Fac Agraria Istituto Microbiologia, Piacenza, Italy
*
*Corresponding author: Dr Francisco Guarner, fax +34 93489 4456, email fguarnera@medynet.com
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Abstract

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Probiotics are live micro-organisms that when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host. Consumption of yoghurt has been shown to induce measurable health benefits linked to the presence of live bacteria. A number of human studies have clearly demonstrated that yoghurt containing viable bacteria (Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus delbrueckii sp. bulgaricus) improves lactose digestion and eliminates symptoms of lactose intolerance. Thus, these cultures clearly fulfil the current concept of probiotics.

Type
Review article
Copyright
Copyright © The Nutrition Society 2005

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