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Updated: Aug 18, 2026

An In Vitro Batch-culture Model to Estimate the Effects of Interventional Regimens on Human Fecal Microbiota
Published on: July 31, 2019
Probiotic and other functional microbes: from markets to mechanisms
Maija Saxelin1, Soile Tynkkynen, Tiina Mattila-Sandholm
1Valio Ltd, R&D, Meijeritie 4A, PO Box 30, 00039 Valio, Helsinki, Finland.
Abstract:
Insight into the diversity and function of the human intestinal microbiota has been stimulated by clinical studies with bacteria that exhibit specific functions and which are marketed as probiotics to positively affect our health. Initial efforts concentrated on establishing sound scientific support for the efficacy of these probiotic bacteria, which mainly include Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species. Following these evidence-based functional approaches, considerable research is now focused on the mechanisms of action of probiotic bacteria. The mechanisms identified to date mainly relate to the stimulation of host defence systems, immune modulation and the competitive exclusion of pathogens. Recent efficacy, molecular and genomics-based studies have also been reported for some probiotic strains that have found their position in the market place.
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