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Probiotics and safety
1Nutritional Science Laboratory, Morinaga Milk Industry Co Ltd., Higashihara, Japan. n_ishibs@morinagamilk.co.jp
Abstract:
Bacterial species that have traditionally been regarded as safe are used in probiotics; the main strains used include lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria that inhabit the intestinal tracts of humans and animals. However, reports of frequent isolation of bacteria used in probiotics from infection sources in recent years have raised much debate over the safety of probiotics. This article describes the status quo of isolation of probiotic bacteria from infections and reviews each of the factors that have to be addressed in assessing the safety of probiotics, namely pathogenicity, infectivity, toxicity, and intrinsic properties of the bacteria. Monoassociation with Bifidobacterium longum in gnotobiotic mice as a method to assess safety with respect to infection, and translocation and immune responses as a result of the monoassociation are also described.
Insights
Recent findings show probiotic bacteria, including lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria, isolated from infections, raising safety concerns. This review examines probiotic safety factors like pathogenicity and infectivity.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Immunology
- Gastroenterology
Background:
- Probiotics, primarily lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria, are widely used for health benefits.
- Recent isolations of these bacteria from infection sites challenge their established safety profile.
- This raises significant concerns regarding the safety of probiotic use.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the current status of probiotic bacteria isolation from infections.
- To identify and discuss critical factors for assessing probiotic safety.
- To present a model for evaluating probiotic safety using gnotobiotic mice.
Main Methods:
- Review of literature on probiotic bacteria isolation from clinical infections.
- Analysis of key safety assessment factors: pathogenicity, infectivity, and toxicity.
- Description of monoassociation of gnotobiotic mice with Bifidobacterium longum to assess infection risk.
- Evaluation of bacterial translocation and immune responses in the monoassociation model.
Main Results:
- Probiotic bacteria, including common strains, are increasingly isolated from infection sources.
- Comprehensive safety evaluation requires consideration of pathogenicity, infectivity, toxicity, and intrinsic bacterial properties.
- Monoassociation models in gnotobiotic mice provide insights into infection potential and host response.
Conclusions:
- The safety of probiotics requires rigorous, multi-faceted assessment due to emerging reports of infections.
- Factors such as pathogenicity, infectivity, and toxicity must be thoroughly evaluated for each probiotic strain.
- Animal models like monoassociation in gnotobiotic mice are valuable tools for assessing probiotic safety and host interactions.