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Term Paper (BTY-349)
Food Biotechnology
TOPIC: Probiotics and their effects on society

SUBMITTED BY: - SUBMITTED TO:-

Nitish Pathania Mr. Harshit Mandal

SEC-K7802

ROLL NO: - RK7802 A 06

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:
I am extremely grateful and remain indebted to my friends and my guide Mr. Harshit
Mandal for being a source of inspiration and for their constant support in the Design,
Implementation and Evaluation of this Term Paper. I am thankful to him for their constant
constructive criticism and invaluable suggestions, which benefited me a lot while developing this
paper on topic “Probiotics and its effects on society”. Also they provide me a constant source
of inspiration and motivation for doing hard work while preparing this term paper. Through this
column, it would be my utmost pleasure to express my warm thanks to them for their
encouragement, co-operation and consent without which I mightn‘t be able to accomplish this
work of Term Paper.

I also want to express my gratitude to my God and my parents those are a great source for me of
inspiration. I am again very thankful to Mr. Harshit Mandal who gave me this chance to
express my thoughts with the help of this Term paper regarding the effective use of probiotics in
food biotechnology and its effects on the society.

Nitish Pathania
Abstract:
Probiotics—live microorganisms that when administered in adequate amounts confer a health
benefit on the host—have been studied for both human and animal applications, and worldwide
research on this topic has accelerated in recent years. This paper reviews the literature on
probiotics, describes how probiotics work in human ecosystems, and outlines the impact of
probiotics on human health and disease. The paper also addresses safety issues of probiotic use,
suggests future developments in the field of probiotics, and provides research and policy
recommendations. Product considerations and potential future developments regarding probiotics
also are discussed. The authors conclude that controlled human studies have revealed a diverse
range of health benefits from consumption of probiotics, due largely to their impact on immune
function or on microbes colonizing the body. Additional, well-designed and properly controlled
human and mechanistic studies with probiotics will advance the essential understanding of active
principles, mechanisms of action, and degree of effects that can be realized by specific consumer
groups. Recommendations include establishment of a standard of identity for the term
―probiotic,‖ adoption of third-party verification of label claims, use of probiotics selectively in
clinical conditions, and use of science-based assessment of the benefits and risks of genetically
engineered probiotic microbes.

Introduction:
Probiotics are live microorganisms that when administered in adequate amounts confer a health
benefit on the host. Probiotics commonly are isolated from human and animal intestinal tracts.
Dead bacteria, products derived from bacteria, or end products of bacterial growth also may
impart certain benefits, but these derivatives are not considered to be probiotics because they are
not alive when administered. Native bacteria are not probiotics until the bacteria are isolated,
purified, and proved to have a health benefit when administered. Probiotics have been studied for
both human and animal applications.
Worldwide, a diverse array of probiotic products is on the market. Yogurt is perhaps the most
common probiotic-carrying food, but the market has expanded beyond yogurt. Cheese, fer-
mented and unfermented milks, juices, smoothies, cereal, nutrition bars, and infant/toddler
formula all are food vehicles for probiotic delivery. In addition to being sold as foods, probiotics
are sold as dietary supplements, medical foods, and drugs (although there are no probiotics
currently sold as drugs in the United States). Often these products are composed of concentrated,
dried microbes packaged into capsules, tablets, or sachets. This format is convenient for the
delivery of large numbers of microbes that, if manufactured and stored properly, can be quite
stable even at room temperature.

What motivates people to choose one format over another has much to do with personal
preference, product availability in different geographic regions, or individual needs, although
fewer types of probiotic foods are available in the United States than in parts of Europe or Asia.
Product formulation may impact greatly how a probiotic survives during product storage and if it
reaches the target site in the body physiologically capable of exerting its benefits. Furthermore,
additive or even synergistic activities of components in addition to probiotics in the product may
enhance the product‘s health-promoting properties. In the end, each specific product must be
judged based on its ability to deliver health benefits through a well-formulated probiotic content.

Researchers have studied many possible benefits of probiotics and the pace of research in recent
years has accelerated. They are also called "friendly bacteria" or "good bacteria." Probiotics are
available to consumers mainly in the form of dietary supplements and foods. They can be used
as complementary and alternative medicine (CAM).

Key Points
 People use probiotic products as CAM to prevent and treat certain illnesses and support
general wellness.
 There is limited evidence supporting some uses of probiotics. Much more scientific
knowledge is needed about probiotics, including about their safety and appropriate use.
 Effects found from one species or strain of probiotics do not necessarily hold true for
others, or even for different preparations of the same species or strain.

What Probiotics Are?


Experts have debated how to define probiotics. One widely used definition, developed by the
World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, is
that probiotics are "live microorganisms, which, when administered in adequate amounts,
confer a health benefit on the host." (Microorganisms are tiny living organisms—such as
bacteria, viruses, and yeasts—that can be seen only under a microscope.)

Probiotics are not the same thing as prebiotics—non digestible food ingredients that selectively
stimulate the growth and/or activity of beneficial microorganisms already in people's colons.
When probiotics and prebiotics are mixed together, they form a symbiotic.
Probiotics are available in foods and dietary supplements and in some other forms as well.
Examples of foods containing probiotics are yogurt, fermented and unfermented milk, miso,
tempeh, and some juices and soy beverages. In probiotic foods and supplements, the bacteria
may have been present originally or added during preparation.

Most probiotics are bacteria similar to those naturally found in people's guts, especially in those
of breastfed infants (who have natural protection against many diseases). Most often, the bacteria
come from two groups, Lactobacillus orBifidobacterium. Within each group, there are different
species (for example,Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidus), and within each
species, different strains (or varieties). A few common probiotics, such as Saccharomyces
boulardii, are yeasts, which are different from bacteria.
Some probiotic foods date back to ancient times, such as fermented foods and cultured milk
products.
Uses for Health Purposes:
There are several reasons that people are interested in probiotics for health purposes.

First, the world is full of microorganisms (including bacteria), and so are people's bodies—in and
on the skin, in the gut, and in other orifices. Friendly bacteria are vital to proper development of
the immune system, to protection against microorganisms that could cause disease, and to the
digestion and absorption of food and nutrients.

This bacterial "balancing act" can be thrown off in two major ways:

1. By antibiotics, when they kill friendly bacteria in the gut along with unfriendly bacteria.
Some people use probiotics to try to offset side effects from antibiotics like gas, cramping, or
diarrhea. Similarly, some use them to erase symptoms of lactose intolerance—a condition in
which the gut lacks the enzyme needed to digest significant amounts of the major sugar in
milk, and which also causes gastrointestinal symptoms.
2. "Unfriendly" microorganisms such as disease-causing bacteria, yeasts, fungi, and
parasites can also upset the balance. Researchers are exploring whether probiotics could halt
these unfriendly agents in the first place and/or suppress their growth and activity in
conditions like:
 Infectious diarrhea
 Irritable bowel syndrome
 Inflammatory bowel disease (e.g., ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease)
 Infection with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), a bacterium that causes most ulcers
and many types of chronic stomach inflammation
 Tooth decay and periodontal disease
 Vaginal infections
 Stomach and respiratory infections that children acquire in daycare
 Skin infections
Another part of the interest in probiotics stems from the fact there are cells in the digestive tract
connected with the immune system. One theory is that if you alter the microorganisms in a
person's intestinal tract (as by introducing probiotic bacteria), you can affect the immune
system's defenses.

Color enhanced scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of the bacteria Lactobacillus acidophilus.
Spirochete bacteria can also be seen at center.
What the Science Says?
Scientific understanding of probiotics and their potential for preventing and treating health
conditions is at an early stage, but moving ahead. In November 2005, a conference that was
conducted by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) and
convened by the American Society for Microbiology explored this topic.

According to the conference report, some uses of probiotics for which there is some encouraging
evidence from the study of specific probiotic formulations are as follows:

 To treat diarrhea (this is the strongest area of evidence, especially for diarrhea from
rotavirus)
 To prevent and treat infections of the urinary tract or female genital tract
 To treat irritable bowel syndrome
 To reduce recurrence of bladder cancer
 To shorten how long an intestinal infection lasts that is caused by a bacterium
called Clostridium difficile
 To prevent and treat pouchitis (a condition that can follow surgery to remove the colon)
 To prevent and manage atopic dermatitis (eczema) in children
The conference panel also noted that in studies of probiotics as cures, any beneficial effect was
usually low; a strong placebo effect often occurs; and more research (especially in the form of
large, carefully designed clinical trials) is needed in order to draw firmer conclusions.

Some other areas of interest to researchers on probiotics are:

 What is going on at the molecular level with the bacteria themselves and how they may
interact with the body (such as the gut and its bacteria) to prevent and treat diseases. Advances
in technology and medicine are making it possible to study these areas much better than in the
past.
 Issues of quality. For example, what happens when probiotic bacteria are treated or are
added to foods—is their ability to survive, grow, and have a therapeutic effect altered?
 The best ways to administer probiotics for therapeutic purposes, as well as the best doses
and schedules.
 Probiotics' potential to help with the problem of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the gut.
 Whether they can prevent unfriendly bacteria from getting through the skin or mucous
membranes and traveling through the body (e.g., which can happen with burns, shock, trauma,
or suppressed immunity).
Side Effects and Risks:
Some live microorganisms have a long history of use as probiotics without causing illness in
people. Probiotics' safety has not been thoroughly studied scientifically, however. More
information is especially needed on how safe they are for young children, elderly people, and
people with compromised immune systems.

Probiotics' side effects, if they occur, tend to be mild and digestive (such as gas or bloating).
More serious effects have been seen in some people. Probiotics might theoretically cause
infections that need to be treated with antibiotics, especially in people with underlying health
conditions. They could also cause unhealthy metabolic activities, too much stimulation of the
immune system, or gene transfer (insertion of genetic material into a cell).

Probiotic products taken by mouth as a dietary supplement are manufactured and regulated as
foods, not drugs.

Saccharomyces boulardi (large cells) found along with bacteria in fermented fruit juice.

NCCAM-Sponsored Research on Probiotics:


Among recent NCCAM-sponsored research are the following projects:

 Investigators at Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine are
studying the effectiveness of selected probiotic agents to treat diarrhea in undernourished
children in a developing country.
 At the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, researchers have been examining probiotics for
possibly decreasing the levels of certain substances in the urine that can cause problems such
as kidney stones.
 A team at Tufts-New England Medical Center is studying probiotics for treating an
antibiotic-resistant type of bacteria that causes severe infections in people who are
hospitalized, live in nursing homes, or have weakened immune systems

Top 10 Probiotic Side Effects Everyone Should Be Aware of

Additional NCCAM sponsored research:

The controversy involving probiotics is the same as with any other natural or alternative therapy:
the medical community will not acknowledge or put any priority on any research if there isn‘t a
monetary gain achieved by someone. Whenever the balance is upset, we experience a plethora of
problems: everything from lactose intolerance to infections. Probiotic therapy is the use of the
‗good‘ bacteria from natural and supplement sources to balance the body‘s internal system. Our
bodies have both good and bad bacteria. Scientific understanding of probiotics and their potential
for preventing and treating health conditions is at an early stage, but moving ahead. In November
2005, a conference that was co funded by the National Center for Complementary and
Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) and convened by the American Society for Microbiology
explored this topic. Manufacturing companies have more recently used probiotics as a new
marketing tool to sell their products.

Here are the top 10 probiotic side effects:

1. Gas or bloating

Probiotics have been proclaimed to be a therapy to assist in eliminating gas or bloating. In some
people, probiotics can have the opposite effect and actually cause gas or bloating.

2. May cause other infections

Probiotics might theoretically cause infections that need to be treated with antibiotics, especially
in people with underlying health conditions.

3. Diarrhea and abdominal pain

In some people, probiotics can cause diarrhea and abdominal pain.

4. Unhealthy metabolic activities

They could also cause unhealthy metabolic activities, too much stimulation of the immune
system, or gene transfer (insertion of genetic material into a cell).

5. Fungal infections

There have been a few reports of probiotics causing severe fungal infections. People who had
this happen found that their immune system was impaired. Thus, it‘s important for a person to
consult his or her doctor before consuming a probiotic-heavy diet. You don‘t want to cause more
harm than good.

6. Intestinal Infection

In case of people having an underlying disease or a compromised, probiotics can cause potential
health problems. In fact, these individuals are at a higher risk of developing infection after the
use of probiotics. Symptoms such as bloody stools, skin rash and fever are indications of
intestinal infection. In addition, probiotics may disturb the normal metabolic processes and
autoimmune responses of the body. According to medical studies conducted, there is a
possibility that probiotics may interact with immunosuppressive drugs, leading to life-
threatening conditions. Hence, those who are on immunosuppressive medications should strictly
avoid probiotics.

7. Headaches

Some people have reported headaches after they have begun a probiotic regiment. If the
practitioner lowers the dosage and this symptom usually goes away.

8. CAM instead of medical treatment

Some people are using probiotics instead of standard medical treatment. If you are thinking
about using a probiotic product as CAM (complementary and alternative medicine), consult your
health care provider first. No CAM therapy should be used in place of conventional medical care
or to delay seeking that care.

9. Governed as food, not drugs

Probiotic products taken by mouth as a dietary supplement are manufactured and regulated as
foods, not drugs.

10. Supplements don‘t seem to cut it

Studies done on supplements containing probiotics have shown that many do not live up to their
claims. There is a difficulty in the studies, as there are many types of probiotics and testing was
not done on a one-to-one comparison. Effects from one species or strain of probiotics do not
necessarily hold true for others, or even for different preparations of the same species or strain. If
you are using a pill supplement – you may be wasting your money. Anything below 1 billion
bacteria per gram isn‘t really enough to be therapeutic

Some other areas of interest to researchers on probiotics are:


What is going on at the molecular level with the bacteria themselves and how they may interact
with the body (such as the gut and its bacteria) to prevent and treat diseases. Advances in
technology and medicine are making it possible to study these areas much better than in the past.

Issues of quality. For example, what happens when probiotic bacteria are treated or are added to
foods—is their ability to survive, grow, and have a therapeutic effect altered?
• The best ways to administer probiotics for therapeutic purposes, as well as the best doses and
schedules.
• Probiotics‘ potential to help with the problem of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the gut. Whether
they can prevent unfriendly bacteria from getting through the skin or mucous membranes and
traveling through the body (e.g., which can happen with burns, shock, trauma, or suppressed
immunity).
Each person’s mix of bacteria varies:
First, the world is full of microorganisms (including bacteria), and so are people‘s bodies—in
and on the skin, in the gut, and in other orifices. Friendly bacteria are vital to proper development
of the immune system, to protection against microorganisms that could cause disease, and to the
digestion and absorption of food and nutrients. Each person‘s mix of bacteria varies. Interactions
between a person and the microorganisms in his body, and among the microorganisms
themselves, can be crucial to the person‘s health and well-being.

This bacterial "balancing act" can be thrown off in two major ways:
o By antibiotics, when they kill friendly bacteria in the gut along with unfriendly bacteria.
Some people use probiotics to try to offset side effects from antibiotics like gas, cramping, or
diarrhea. Similarly, some use them to ease symptoms of lactose intolerance—a condition in
which the gut lacks the enzyme needed to digest significant amounts of the major sugar in
milk, and which also causes gastrointestinal symptoms.

o "Unfriendly" microorganisms such as disease-causing bacteria, yeasts, fungi, and


parasites can also upset the balance. Researchers are exploring whether probiotics could halt
these unfriendly agents in the first place and/or suppress their growth and activity in conditions
like:
o Irritable bowel syndrome
o Inflammatory bowel disease (e.g., ulcerative colitis and Crohn‘s disease)
o Infection with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), a bacterium that causes most ulcers
and many types of chronic stomach inflammation
o Tooth decay and periodontal disease
o Vaginal infections
o Skin infections

Another part of the interest in probiotics stems from the fact there are cells in the digestive tract
connected with the immune system. One theory is that if you alter the microorganisms in a
person‘s intestinal tract (as by introducing probiotic bacteria), you can affect the immune
system‘s defenses.
Probiotics for Kids:
Probiotics are products that contain microorganisms -- usually bacteria such as Lactobacillus
acidophilus, Bifidobacterium, and Saccharomyces -- that are supposed to have a beneficial effect
for people who eat or drink them. They are thought to work by modifying the number of bacteria
living in our gastrointestinal tract, thereby increasing the number of beneficial gut bacteria and
preventing the growth and overgrowth of harmful bacteria.

Babies are born without any bacteria in their intestines, but they quickly become colonized with
many beneficial bacteria. Babies born via vaginal delivery tend to have more beneficial bacteria,
as do babies that are breastfed. Probiotics are found in breast milk, which is likely why they were
recently added to an infant formula -- although it hasn't been proven if they will have the same
effect.

Are Probiotics Useful?

Unfortunately, many studies have shown that the use of probiotics doesn't necessarily live up to
all of the hype. Specifically, studies so far (although more studies are being done) have shown
that:

 the probiotic L. acidophilus does help children with acute diarrhea get better faster
 they do not have a protective effect against antibiotic-induced diarrhea, although some
studies show that they do
 early supplementation with the probiotic L. acidophilus did not reduce a high risk infant's
risk of developing atopic dermatitis or eczema, although an earlier study did find a protective
effect from eczema for probiotics
 they did not improve pain in children with irritable bowel syndrome
 probiotics were more helpful than simethicone, a popular ingredient in gas and colic
drops, in babies with colic

Probiotics are also being studied for use in children with chronic constipation, Crohn's disease,
ulcerative colitis and Helicobacter pylori infections.

On a positive note, no studies have found any significant side effects for healthy children without
immune system problems taking probiotics.

Areas of Research:
Scientific understanding of probiotics and their potential for preventing and treating health
conditions is at an early stage.
Areas of interest to researchers on probiotics include:

o What is going on at the molecular level with the bacteria themselves and how they may
interact with the body (such as the gut and its bacteria) to help prevent and treat diseases.
Advances in technology and medicine are making it possible to study these areas much better
than in the past.
o What happens when probiotic bacteria are treated or are added to foods—is their ability
to survive, grow, and have a therapeutic effect altered?
o The best ways to administer probiotics for therapeutic purposes, as well as the best doses
and schedules.
o Probiotics‘ potential to help with the problem of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the gut.
o Whether they can prevent unfriendly bacteria from getting through the skin or mucous
membranes and traveling through the body (e.g., which can happen with burns, shock, trauma,
or suppressed immunity).

Future Developments
The field of probiotics is growing rapidly with concomitant developments in the research,
commercial, and medical sectors. The complete genomic sequences are known for several impor-
tant probiotic bacteria, and functional genomics findings will be instrumental in identifying
many features responsible for probiotic functionality. According to Klaenhammer and colleagues
(2005), ―This information is providing an important platform for understanding core mechanisms
that control and regulate bacterial growth, survival, signaling, and…underlying probiotic
activities within complex microbial and host ecosystems.‖ Genetic approaches also will enable
design of genetically modified probiotic strains with specific therapeutic capabilities such as
delivery of anti-inflammatory cytokines, vaccine epitopes, or antipathogenic molecules. Well-
designed and properly controlled human and mechanistic studies will advance the essential
understanding of active principles, mechanisms of action, and degree of effects that can be real-
ized by specific consumer groups.
In the commercial realm, the success of probiotics in Europe and Asia likely will be realized in
the United States. The number and types of products will increase in the food, supplement, and
pharmaceutical categories. As competition intensifies in the marketplace, companies providing
responsibly formulated and promoted products will prevail. Lastly, as this field advances, look
for new types of probiotic strains with benefits not yet explored that may surpass the value of
those currently in commercial use.

References:
1. http://www.kibowbiotech.com/Intro_Probiotics.php
2. http://www.cast-
science.org/websiteUploads/publicationPDFs/CAST%20Probiotics%20Issue%20Paper%
20FINAL144.pdf
3. http://www.nutralegacy.com/blog/general-healthcare/top-10-probiotic-side-effects-
everyone-should-be-aware-of-full/
4. http://nccam.nih.gov/health/probiotics/

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