Perspectives into probiotics- From phenotyping to pyrosequencing

all the human subjects at the end of the feeding period as compared to

initial counts irrespective of the strain of lactobacilli used. To deliver the

probioticȱ effectsȱ studiesȱ wereȱ conductedȱ toȱ formulateȱ foodȱ matrixȱ andȱ

we standardized the technology for manufacture of acidophilus lassi

containing Lb. acidophilus V3 and Streptococcus thermophilus . The product

was highly acceptable, had viable count of 20 x 10 7 lactobacilli/g and shelf

life of 27 days in refrigerator (Patidar and Prajapati, 1998). Selected milk-

rice blend was converted into a probiotic food by incorporating freeze-

dried cells of Lactobacillus acidophilus V3. The product had an average

10.9% fat, 22.3% protein, 3.2% ash, 61.7% carbohydrate and 10 9 cfu/g of live

lactobacilli. The count of lactobacilli reduced to 10 7 cfu/g after four months

of refrigerated storage, which still maintained the therapeutic minimum.

Polyphasicstrain identification

Most probiotic microorganisms belong to lactic acid bacteria (LAB).

However, not all probiotics display the same properties, and careful

selectionȱ ofȱ specificȱ strainsȱ basedȱ onȱ theirȱ claimedȱ beneficialȱ effectsȱ isȱ

needed. Moreover, there are reports of probiotic products being unreliable

in content and unproven clinically. The discrepancies in the safety and

efficacyȱofȱprobioticȱproductȱareȱmainlyȱdueȱtoȱ(1)ȱinaccurateȱidentificationȱ

andȱ labellingȱ (2)ȱ notȱ namedȱ inȱ accordanceȱ withȱ scientificallyȱ validȱ

nomenclatureȱ (3)ȱ Claimsȱ ofȱ efficacyȱ notȱ adequatelyȱ substantiated;ȱ andȱ

(4)ȱ noȱ establishedȱ recordȱ ofȱ aȱ physiologicalȱ (health)ȱ benefitȱ inȱ humansȱ

(Reid, 2005). FAO (Food and Agricultural Organization ) and WHO (World

Healthȱ Organization)ȱ initiatedȱ workȱ toȱ examineȱ theȱ scientificȱ evidenceȱ

on the functional and safety aspects and develop guidelines for the

evaluation of probiotics in food in 2001. The challenge lies in maintaining

a balance between accurate representations of the strain and preserving

the consumer familiarity with certain names. Mislabelling closely related

species of lactobacilli poses no safety risk, but may raise concerns about

a company’s credibility, both in the eyes of the consumer and regulatory

agencies.

Recently in 2011, Indian counterparts framed the ICMR-DBT guidelines

that comprehensively addressed the various concerns regarding safety,

efficacyȱandȱreliabilityȱasȱwellȱasȱlabellingȱofȱprobioticȱproductsȱbeingȱsoldȱ

in India. The emphasis was laid on proper and precise genus, species and

strainȱ identification,ȱ usingȱ bothȱ phenotypicȱ andȱ genotypicȱ tests.ȱ Itȱ wasȱ

recommended that probiotic strains in use in India should be deposited in

internationally recognized culture collection/repositories. We followed the

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