Probiotic Development: Research Gaps and Opportunities

Abstract Probiotics are live microbes, that when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host. Various health benefits have been documented for different strains/combinations of probiotics; mostly related to digestive and immune health. Because the gut is also linked to many other organ systems, health benefits outside the gut have been reported. Further, new strains from species not previously used in food and dietary supplements are being investigated as so-called next generation probiotics (NGPs). These NGPs are often intended to become drugs rather than dietary supplements or functional foods. The future may also bring new delivery formats that are not consumed but otherwise applied to the body. To develop these NGPs and better understand the mechanism of action of current probiotics, the so-called omics techniques are helpful. For a layperson, it is difficult to identify a good quality probiotic. However, careful reading of the product label can help to identify the strains and counts at the end of a product’s shelf life. Information © The Authors 2023