S3 Probiotics: Myth or Reality?

Wednesday, May 11, 2016: 10:30 AM-12:00 PM
Mc2 (Megaron Athens International Conference Center)
Primary Contact: Chrysoula Tassou
Organizer: Chrysoula Tassou
Convenor: Chrysoula Tassou
Probiotics are microorganisms, mainly bacteria and yeasts, which when ingested in sufficient amounts have a positive effect on human health. Human intestinal strains play an important role in ensuring gastrointestinal microbial balance. Thus, the manipulation of gut microbiota is considered able to enhance protective and beneficial role regarding the alleviation or remedy of GI tract disorders. However, nowadays the benefits of probiotics are considered to go far beyond this, including stimulation of immune system, anti-cancer properties, low-cholesterol levels as well as brain behavior.

The incorporation of probiotic bacteria into foods and their use as starter cultures in fermented foods, presents many technical challenges. The food matrix contains a variety of ingredients that impact the ability of live bacteria to survive through processing and storage that precede consumption. In this sense, techniques, such encapsulation, can protect probiotic bacteria in food applications.

Probiotics must be assessed for health benefits and safety before they can be introduced into the food products. Many probiotics have a long history of use in fermented foods that bestowed them GRAS status, but when novel microbes are introduced, their efficacy, risk-to-benefit ratio and safety aspects, particularly in an at-risk population need to be assessed. LAB in food and the GI tract could act as a potential reservoir of antibiotic-resistance genes and may participate in the exchange of genes with strains present in the same environment to produce multidrug resistant strains.

This symposium considers the concept of probiotics as a whole, as well as ranging from their selection criteria mode of actions up to their food applications. Last but not least, regulations and guidance available in the EU to substantiate a health claim and the qualified perception of safety (QPS) concept will be also considered.

Presentations

11:00 AM
Hunting for Probiotic Microorganisms: Is There an Easy Road to Success?
Konstantinos Papadimitriou, Agricultural University of Athens
11:30 AM
What are the Options for the Industry to Promote Probiotic Benefits?
Bruno Pot, Pharmabiotic Research Institute; Magali Cordaillat-Simmons, Pharmabiotic Research Institute
See more of: Symposia