Assessment of benefits and risks of probiotics in baby foods Bifidobacterium lactis Bb12. Opinion of the Panel on Nutrition, Dietetic products, Novel food and Allergy and Panel on Biological Hazards of the Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food Safety (original) (raw)
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Demonstration of safety of probiotics — a review
International Journal of Food Microbiology, 1998
Probiotics are commonly defined as viable microorganisms (bacteria or yeasts) that exhibit a beneficial effect on the health of the host when they are ingested. They are used in foods, especially in fermented dairy products, but also in pharmaceutical preparations. The development of new probiotic strains aims at more active beneficial organisms. In the case of novel microorganisms and modified organisms the question of their safety and the risk to benefit ratio have to be assessed. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in foods have a long history of safe use. Members of the genera Lactococcus and Lactobacillus are most commonly given generally-recognised-as-safe (GRAS) status whilst members of the genera Streptococcus and Enterococcus and some other genera of LAB contain some opportunistic pathogens. Lactic acid bacteria are intrinsically resistant to many antibiotics. In many cases resistances are not, however, transmissible, and the species are also sensitive to many clinically used antibiotics even in the case of a lactic acid bacteria- associated opportunistic infection. Therefore no particular safety concern is associated with intrinsic type of resistance. Plasmid-associated antibiotic resistance, which occasionally occurs, is another matter because of the possibility of the resistance spreading to other, more harmful species and genera. The transmissible enterococcal resistance against glycopeptide antibiotics (vancomycin and teicoplanin) is particularly noteworthy, as vancomycin is one of the last effective antibiotics left in the treatment of certain multidrug-resistant pathogens. New species and more specific strains of probiotic bacteria are constantly identified. Prior to incorporating new strains into products their efficacy should be carefully assessed, and a case by case evaluation as to whether they share the safety status of traditional food-grade organisms should be made. The current documentation of adverse effects in the literature is reviewed. Future recommendations for the safety of already existing and new probiotics will be given.
Vietnam Journal of Science and Technology, 2016
Lactobacillus strains are a major part of the probiotics, microflora of the intestine and of fermented foods. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential probiotics of six Lactobacillus strains (L. fermentum 39-183; L. plantarum subsp.plantarum P-8; L. casei ATCC 334; L. rhamnosus ATCC 8530, L. brevis KB 290 and L. fermentum JMC 7776). Probiotic properties such as acid tolerance, bile resistance, bacteriocin-like activity, cell surface hydrophobicity and antibiotic resistance were assessed. In vitro results obtained showed that all Lactobacillus strains tested were able to meet the basic requirements for probiotic functions as they demonstrated probiotic characteristics such as tolerance to pH 2.0 and 2% bile salt. All Lactobacillus strains inhibited the growth of E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella Typhi. Among strains tested, L. plantarum subsp.plantarum P-8 showing inhibitory is very promising with inhibition zone ranging between 6.5 to 12.7 mm. The results for cell surface hydrophobicity and susceptibility against antibiotics also showed that L. fermentum JMC 7776 and L. plantarum subsp.plantarum P-8 had higher cell surface hydrophobicity than the rests. All Lactobacillus tested were resistant to vancomycin and susceptible to streptomycin. The results obtained in this investigation will be used to select potentially probiotic strains for in vivo study.
European Journal of Nutrition & Food Safety, 2021
The Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food Safety (VKM) has appointed an ad hoc-group of experts to answer a request from the Norwegian Food Safety Authority regarding benefit and risk assessment of B. lactis Bb12 in baby foods focusing on the age groups 4-6 months, 612 months and 1-3 years. This assessment is based on the literature provided by the notifier as well as that found by a MEDLINE search. An notification for use of processed cereal-based baby foods (from now on called cereals) intended for infants and small children supplemented with the microorganism Bifidobacterium lactis (B. lactis) Bb12 in Norway initiated this work. Studies of potential hazards and positive health effects from cereals containing B. lactis Bb12 intended for infants and young children have not been reported in the available literature. However, reports on safety of and positive health effects from infant and follow on formula supplemented with B. lactis Bb12 are available and have been assesse...
EFSA Journal
Following a request from the European Commission, the European Food Safety Authority Panel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed (FEEDAP) was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the safety and efficacy of Probiotic Lactina ® for chickens for fattening and rabbits. The additive is a preparation containing viable cells of six strains of lactic acid bacteria intended for use in feed at the proposed dose of 2.5 9 10 9 CFU/kg complete feedingstuffs. The identity of all of the component strains of Probiotic Lactina ® was established in a previous opinion, five of which qualify for the qualified presumption of safety (QPS) approach to safety assessment. As no antibiotic resistance of concern was detected in these strains, following the QPS approach, the use of these five strains in feedingstuffs is presumed safe for target species; consumers of products from animals fed the additive and the environment. The identity and safety of the sixth strain, Enterococcus faecium NBIMCC 8270, was also established in the previous and current opinions. The FEEDAP Panel concludes that Probiotic Lactina ® is safe for rabbits (suckling and weaned) at the recommended inclusion level of 2.5 9 10 9 CFU/kg feed and reiterates its former conclusion that the product is safe for chickens for fattening at 1 9 10 10 CFU/kg feed. The FEEDAP Panel considers Probiotic Lactina ® to be safe for consumers of products derived from treated animals when used at the conditions proposed. In the absence of data, the FEEDAP Panel cannot conclude on the irritancy of Probiotic Lactina ® to skin and eyes or on its dermal sensitisation. Owing to the proteinaceous nature of the active agents, the additive is considered to be a potential respiratory sensitiser. No conclusions can be drawn on the efficacy of Probiotic Lactina ® for chickens for fattening and rabbits (suckling/weaned).
Antibiotic resistance of probiotic organisms and safety of probiotic dairy products
International Food Research Journal
Abstract: Intrinsic resistances to tetracycline, vancomycin and erythromycin are common in Lactobacillus species; however, resistance to streptomycin, clindamycin, gentamicin, oxacillin and lincosamide is also reported in these species. Resistant markers tet(W), tet(M) and erm(B) have been frequently detected in the resistant strains while van(A), lnu(A) and tet(L) have also been found in some strains of Lactobacillus. Bifidobacteria are commonly resistant to tetracycline, streptomycin, erythromycin, gentamicin and clindamycin. Resistance genes van(A), tet(L) and tet(M) are often detected in Enterococcus. Reports suggest enterococci to transfer tet(M) to E. faecalis or Listeria strains and van(A) to commercial strain of Lactobacillus acidophilus. Streptococcus species are highly resistant to tetracycline, ciprofloxacin and aztreonam and tet(M) was detected in strains of dairy origin. Clinical cases of endocarditis, septicemia, bacteremia and septic arthritis due to the species of La...
Obstacles and Challenges in the Use of Probiotics
Journal of Babol University of Medical Sciences, 2018
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Probiotics are living microorganisms whose adequate intake has shown healthful effects in the host body and have been suggested to have beneficial effects in the prevention and treatment of many diseases. This study was conducted to investigate the obstacles and challenges of probiotic products in the production process and their effects on human health. METHODS: For data collection in this Narrative review article, articles containing one of the words "probiotic", "lactobacillus", "bifidobacterium", "biogenic amine" and "antibiotic resistance" from 1990 to 2017 were searched and studied in Thomson Reuters, Pubmed, Scopus, Science Direct and Islamic World Science Citation Center (ISC) databases. RESULTS: Research has shown that systematic infections and chronic diseases, over-stimulation of the immune system, transfer of antibiotic resistance genes, production of biogenic amines and D-lactic acid, lack of survival and sustainability of microorganisms and ultimately the change in the taste and flavor of probiotic products are the obstacles and challenges facing the production of probiotics. The use of bifidobacterium in terms of transfer antibiotic resistance genes is safer for the production of probiotic products rather than other microorganisms. CONCLUSION: Based on the results of this study, probiotics are only safe in healthy people, although they are very useful for human health, but their use in children, pregnant women and people with a weakened immune system causes infection.
Research, Society and Development
O consumo de alimentos funcionais, principalmente aqueles que contêm ingredientes bioativos e baixas calorias, tem aumentado em sincronia com a maior preocupação com hábitos alimentares saudáveis. Neste estudo, um leite desnatado com adição do probiótico Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. Lactis HN019™ e edulcorante foi desenvolvido e caracterizado. A viabilidade do probiótico durante o armazenamento refrigerado (5 ° C/60 dias) e a resistência às condições gástricas e entéricas simuladas também foram avaliadas. O produto foi avaliado por provadores não treinados que realizaram testes de preferência e intenção de compra, comparando-o a um leite probiótico com açúcar e a um leite probiótico não adoçado. O produto pronto para consumo apresentou 0,38% de ácido lático, pH 5,34, teor de proteína 3,92%, carboidrato 4,08%, extrato seco total 8,81% e teor de cinzas 0,81%. O probiótico B. lactis HN019® multiplicou e permaneceu no produto em altas concentrações (9,04 log UFC / mL). Durante o arma...
Identification and antibiotic susceptibility of bacterial isolates from probiotic products
International Journal of Food Microbiology, 2003
In the present study, a total of 55 European probiotic products were evaluated with regard to the identity and the antibiotic resistance of the bacterial isolates recovered from these products. Bacterial isolation from 30 dried food supplements and 25 dairy products, yielded a total of 268 bacterial isolates selected from several selective media. Counts of food supplements showed bacterial recovery in 19 (63%) of the dried food supplements ranging from 10 3 to 10 6 CFU/g, whereas all dairy products yielded growth in the range of 10 5 -10 9 CFU/ml. After identification of the isolates using whole-cell protein profiling, mislabeling was noted in 47% of the food supplements and 40% of the dairy products. In six food supplements, Enterococcus faecium was isolated whereas only two of those products claim this species on their label. Using the disc diffusion method, antibiotic resistance among 187 isolates was detected against kanamycin (79% of the isolates), vancomycin (65%), tetracycline (26%), penicillinG (23%), erythromycin (16%) and chloramphenicol (11%). Overall, 68.4% of the isolates showed resistance against multiple antibiotics including intrinsic resistances. Initially, 38% of the isolated enterococci was classified as vancomycin resistant using the disc diffusion method, whereas additional broth dilution and PCR assays clearly showed that all E. faecium isolates were in fact vancomycin susceptible. D