Probiotics are defined as living microorganisms which resist gastric, bile, and pancreatic secretions, attach to entheric cells and colonize the human intestine.

In the last twenty years research has been focused on the identification of the role of the probiotic blends in health and disease, and on the requisite of bacterial strains to become probiotic product which can be marketed.

Probiotics can be commercialized either as nutritional supplements, pharmaceuticals or foods, but the marketing as a pharmaceutical product requires significant time, complex and costly research, the demonstration of a well-defined therapeutic target and stability tests.

This review examines the sequential steps of research which, from the identification of a possible probiotic strain, lead to its production and marketing, summarizing the whole process existing behind its development, through its growth in laboratory, the studies performed to test its resistance to human secretions and stability, microencapsulation technologies, and safety tests.

Srticle source

https://www.dldjournalonline.com/article/S1590-8658(07)60004-8/pdf

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Foto de Karley Saagi:
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La entrada Probiotics: from research to consumer se publicó primero en Gabarito Erudito.

Gastrointestinal tolerance tests were conducted for three commercial probiotics blends and an in-house freeze-dried Lactobacillus acidophilus strain.

The contents of the commercial products and the in-house freeze-dried strain were then loaded into capsules for site-specific delivery into the colon using the Phloral® coating technology; the viability upon release was then ascertained.

An assessment of the potential of these products to adhere to intestinal cells was also conducted.

The stability test results showed that all the commercial products contained the minimum number of probiotic strains as indicated on their respective packages.

When gastric acid tolerance tests were performed on these products, all the commercial probiotics and the prepared freeze-dried strain demonstrated over 10⁶ CFU reductions within 5 minutes.

When these were encapsulated for site-specific delivery into the distal parts of the gut, viabilities of approximately 90% were obtained after these capsules had been initially deposited in gastric acid for 2 hours.

An evaluation of the ability of the probiotic formulations to adhere to intestinal cells demonstrated adhesion in the range 64-76% for the products evaluated.

The need to target the delivery of probiotics into the intestines has been demonstrated here, as this offers a greater potential for colonisation of the intestines once the harshness of the stomach has been overcome.

Source of the article:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/318769828_Targeted_delivery_of_probiotics_to_enhance_gastrointestinal_stability_and_intestinal_colonisation

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La entrada Targeted delivery of probiotics blend to enhance gastrointestinal stability and intestinal colonisation se publicó primero en Gabarito Erudito.

The objective of this study was to determine the stability of a  three-strain probiotic blend (Bb-02, TH-4 ® and BB-12 ®)  when mixed and held for 4 hours with saline water, sterile water, dextrose 5% in water (D5W), 24 kcal preterm formula, and human milk.

Methods: A packet of a three-strain probiotic supplement was mixed with 3 ml of saline water, sterile water, D5W, 24 kcal preterm formula, and human milk (tested at 3 ml and 2 ml). Samples were stored at room temperature for 60 minutes then refrigerated for 180 minutes.

Probiotic survival, using quantitative enumeration, and pH were monitored over 4 hours. Samples were passed through a 5 French (Fr) feeding tube at the end of the study to evaluate viscosity.

Results:

The largest variation in total cell count from 0-time was sterile water with a + 0.26 log(CFU)/mL change at 90 minutes and typical variation is considered±0.50 log units indicating no significant change between samples in 4 hours. Saline water had the lowest final pH at 4.88. All samples easily passed through a 5 Fr feeding tube.

Conclusion:

The study showed minimal change in cell counts across solutions for 4 hours of storage, indicating health care facilities may be able to prepare probiotic blend supplements with a variety of solutions in pharmacies or milk rooms.

This allows greater flexibility for probiotic delivery to preterm infants due to the stability tests made.

La entrada Use of probiotics in the NICU: Evaluating the stability of a probiotic blend in various media for enteral feeding se publicó primero en Gabarito Erudito.

Astronauts on board the International Space Station (ISS) had changes in the microbial communities in their gut, nose, and skin.

Additionally, immune system cell alterations have been observed in astronauts with changes in neutrophils, monocytes, and T-cells.

Probiotics blends help tackle these health issues caused during spaceflight by inhibiting pathogen adherence, enhancing epithelial barrier function by reducing permeability, and producing an anti-inflammatory effect.

When exposed to microgravity, probiotics blends demonstrated a shorter lag phase, faster growth, improved acid tolerance, and bile resistance.

A freeze-dried Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota capsule was tested for its stability on ISS for a month and has been shown to enhance innate immunity and balance intestinal microbiota.

The usage of freeze-dried spores of B. subtilis proves to be advantageous to long-term spaceflight because it qualifies for all the aspects tested for commercial probiotics under simulated conditions as it has an improved stability.

These results demonstrate a need to further study the effect of probiotics in simulated microgravity and spaceflight conditions.

These results may be useful to overcome the effects caused by gut microbiome dysbiosis and issues that might occur during spaceflight.

Article source:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/369088294_Prospective_Use_of_Probiotics_to_Maintain_Astronaut_Health_during_Spaceflight

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La entrada Prospective Use of Probiotics blends to Maintain Astronaut Health during Spaceflight se publicó primero en Gabarito Erudito.

There were six different corn-based dietary treatments developed: T 1 (control diet), T 2 (T 1 + Bacitracin methylene di-salicylate @ 0.002%), T 3 (T 1 + LA @10 ⁶ cfu/g feed), T 4 (T 1 + LA @10 ⁷ cfu/g feed), T 5 (T 1 + BB @10 ⁶ cfu/g feed), and T 6 (T 1 + BB @10 ⁷ cfu/g feed). Fifteen birds from each group (n = 6 x 15 = 90) were randomly selected at the conclusion of the 42-day study, and their breasts and thighs were sampled for physio-biochemical characteristics, antioxidants, and estimation of microbial load.

Water holding capacity (WHC), extract release volume (ERV), peroxide values, and anti-oxidant indices like ABTS+ and DPPH significantly decreased (P≤0.05) in the LA supplemented group, but cholesterol, fat percent and TBARS values, as well as free fatty acids, increased (P≤0.05). Standard plate count (SPC), staphylococcus, and coliform counts were all noticeably lower (P≤0.05) in the LA supplemented group.

These results suggest that broiler meat’s physio-biochemical characteristics and fatty acid composition could be enhanced by adding probiotic ( Lactobacillus acidophilus ) to the basic diet.

Article source:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/368601199_Dietary_probiotics_supplementation_is_a_unique_strategy_for_enhancing_physio-_biochemical_characteristics_antioxidant_capacity_and_oxidative_stability_of_broiler_meat

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La entrada Dietary probiotics blends supplementation is a unique strategy for enhancing physio- biochemical characteristics, antioxidant capacity and oxidative stability of broiler meat se publicó primero en Gabarito Erudito.

Thus, the aim of this literature review was to address the factors that affect the viability of probiotics in yogurt during the processing steps (heat treatment, homogenization, and fermentation), storage (acidification rate, pH, carbohydrate fraction, organic acids, oxygen, temperature, time, water activity and moisture content), consumption (gastric juice and bile salts) and shelflife (addition of other ingredients and packaging).

However, to preserve the probiotics blend stability in yogurt and improve the quality and shelf life of products, several new technologies such as microencapsulation, ohmic heating, ultrasound, the addition of prebiotics, and advances in the use of packaging in production with an emphasis on improving the viability, are used and allow secure the minimum recommended level of at probiotics least 1×109 CFU per gram of product when consumed to have a beneficial effect on health and, moreover, they guarantee the growth and probiotics protection without influencing theflavor, from the production stage until the delivery of these in the gastrointestinal tract.

Therefore, it is recognized from this research the need to optimize new technologies in the food environment, seeking to improve consumer products with increasingly favorable purposes for health.

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Imagen de jcomp en Freepik.

Source of articule:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/354855283_Technological_advances_in_probiotic_stability_in_yogurt_a_review

La entrada Technological advances in probiotics blends stability in yogurt: a review se publicó primero en Gabarito Erudito.

The metabolic syndrome is defined by risk factors that predispose an individual to diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Current forms of interventions have been inadequate as substantiated by the fact that the prevalence of metabolic syndrome has not reduced over the years.

The objective of this study was to investigate the therapeutic benefits of a novel microencapsulated probiotic blend in treating the metabolic syndrome.

Three probiotic strains were microencapsulated into alginate-polylysine-alginate (APA) microcapsules: L. rhamnosus NCIMB 6375, L. plantarum NCIMB 8826 and L. fermentum NCIMB 5221.

From the results, it was observed that the microencapsulated probiotic blend significantly reduced serum total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels (reducing from 516 mg/dL to 379 mg/dL, 314 mg/dL to 231 mg/dL and 580 mg/dL to 270 mg/dL, respectively).

In addition, the administration of the microencapsulated probiotic blend was found to favourably influence the gut microbiota, decreasing Firmicutes levels and increasing Bacteroidetes levels.

Overall, this work demonstrates the potential a microencapsulated probiotic blend could have in targeting multiple risk factors of the metabolic syndrome; however, greater research is still needed.-

Articule source:

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/21691401.2018.1489270

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https://www.freepik.es/foto-gratis/vista-frontal-pila-pildoras-espacio-copia_7937434.htm

La entrada Novel microencapsulated probiotic blend for use in metabolic syndrome: design and in-vivo analysis se publicó primero en Gabarito Erudito.

This lost of viability constitutes an economic burden for manufacturers, compromising the efficacy of the product and preventing the inclusion of probiotics in many product categories.

Different strategies have been used to improve probiotic stability during industrial processes.

These include technological approaches, such as the modification of production parameters or the reformulation of products, as well as microbiological approaches focused on the strain intrinsic resistance.

Among the later, both selection of natural strains with the desired properties and stress-adaptation of strains have been widely used.

Conclusion: During recent years, the knowledge acquired on the molecular basis of stress-tolerance of probiotics has increased our understanding, thanks to the stability tests, on their responses to industrial stresses.

This knowledge on stress-response may nowadays be used for the selection of the best strains and industrial conditions in terms of probiotic stability in the final product.

Origin of the article:

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.3402/mehd.v23i0.18562

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La entrada Enhancing probiotic Blends stability in industrial processes se publicó primero en Gabarito Erudito.

Astaxanthin (3,3′-dihydroxy-β, β′-carotene-4,4′-dione) is a xanthophyll carotenoid, contained in Haematococcus pluvialis, Chlorella zofingiensis, Chlorococcum, and Phaffia rhodozyma. It accumulates up to 3.8% on the dry weight basis in H. pluvialis.

Based on our results and current literature, astaxanthin showed potential biological activity in in vitro and in vivo models.

These studies emphasize the influence of astaxanthin and its beneficial effects on the metabolism in animals and humans.

Bioavailability of astaxanthin in animals was enhanced after feeding Haematococcus biomass as a source of astaxanthin. Astaxanthin, used as a food supplement, antioxidant and anticancer agent, prevents diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and neurodegenerative disorders, and also stimulates immunization.

Astaxanthin products are used for commercial applications in the dosage forms as tablets, capsules, syrups, oils, creams, biomass and granulated powders.

Astaxanthin patent applications are available in food, feed and nutraceutical applications.

The current review provides up-to-date information on astaxanthin sources, extraction, analysis, stability, biological activities, health benefits and special attention paid to its commercial applications.

Article source:

https://www.mdpi.com/1660-3397/12/1/128

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La entrada Astaxanthin: Sources, Extraction, Stability, Biological Activities and Its Commercial Applications se publicó primero en Gabarito Erudito.

Microalgae are proven as one of the major photosynthesizers of naturally derived commercial pigments, gaining higher value in the global food pigment market.

Microalgae-derived pigments, especially chlorophylls, carotenoids and phycobiliproteins, have unique colors and molecular structures, respectively, and show different physiological activities and health effects in the human body.

This review provides recent updates on characteristics, application fields, stability in production and extraction processes of chlorophylls, carotenoids and phycobiliproteins to standardize and analyze their commercial production from microalgae. Potential food commodities for the pigment as eco-friendly colorants, nutraceuticals, and antioxidants are summarized for the target products.

Then, recent cultivation strategies, metabolic and genomic designs are presented for high pigment productivity.

Technical bottlenecks of downstream processing are discussed for improved stability and bioaccessibility during production.

The production strategies of microalgal pigments have been exploited to varying degrees, with some already being applied at scale while others remain at the laboratory level.

Finally, some factors affecting their global market value and future prospects are proposed.

The microalgae-derived pigments have great potential in the food industry due to their high nutritional value and competitive production cost.

Article source:

https://www.mdpi.com/1660-3397/21/2/82

La entrada Microalgae-Derived Pigments for the Food Supplement Industry se publicó primero en Gabarito Erudito.