What are probiotic micro-organisms?
A committee of experts convened by the FAO (Food and Agricultural Organisation) and WHO (World Health Organisation) have defined probiotics as “live microorganisms which, when ingested in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host”. This definition, adopted by other bodies such as the International Life Science Institutes (ILSI), has been extended to probiotic food: “a food containing live micro-organisms in a sufficient quantity, throughout the shelf life of the product, that have beneficial effects on the health of the host”. Live micro-organisms can be yeast or bacteria, where each is defined by a specific strain name and registered in an international culture collection.
