Viability of Probiotics in Foods

Probiotics and starter cultures are integral components of fermentation and functional food industries. The microbes should be consumed in sufficient quantities and remain viable in the GI tract. Design and monitoring of probiotics under different environments and purposes is a challenging task for microbiologists and food technologists. Microbial strains preserved under different conditions respond differently to temperature and growth conditions. Generally, probiotic viability is determined by computing their ability to withstand simulated intestinal conditions, which measure microbial survival after a given period of contact in a particular environment. Probiotics able to withstand types of stresses are the ideal candidates for health and industrial applications.