• An overview of probiotic bacteria and a brief look at its applications in industry and medicine
  • Tala hayati,1,* Neda Korkorian,2 Hoorie Hashemi Fesharaki,3 Amir Sadeghi,4
    1. Department of Microbiology.Faculty of Biological Sciences. Falavarjan Branch Islamic Azad University
    2. Department of Microbiology.Faculty of Biological Sciences. Falavarjan Branch Islamic Azad University
    3. Department of Microbiology.Faculty of Biological Sciences. Falavarjan Branch Islamic Azad University
    4. .


  • Introduction: Background: Probiotics are live microorganisms that, when administered, confer health benefits on the host. In recent years, the concepts of "prebiotics" and "synbiotics" have been introduced. Prebiotics are non-digestible food ingredients that selectively stimulate the growth and/or activity of one or a limited number of bacteria in the colon, while synbiotics are a combination of probiotics and prebiotics. Fructooligosaccharides, inulin, and trans-galactooligosaccharides, for example, selectively stimulate the growth of Bifidobacteria and may enhance their efficacy.
  • Methods: This review systematically analyzed literature from 1900 to 2024, retrieved from Google Scholar, SID, Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, and books. Keywords included probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, and yogurt. Retrieved articles were evaluated based on their titles, abstracts, and relevance to the study's focus on the importance and applications of probiotics in industry, medicine, and healthcare.
  • Results: Bacteria such as Bifidobacterium longum and various Lactobacillus species are commonly found as probiotics in dairy products. A total of 49 articles, 3 books, 1 thesis, and 2 national standards were analyzed. These resources primarily focused on the benefits and applications of probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics, as well as methods for isolating and identifying Lactobacillus bacteria. One thesis and a national health standard provided details on the production process of probiotic yogurt.
  • Conclusion: The findings of this research highlight the potential of probiotics, particularly those isolated from local yogurt, for various applications in human health, including pharmaceutical, food, and dairy industries.
  • Keywords: probiotics, prebiotics, Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, health benefits, industrial applications