Probiotics and their potential applications in active edible films and coatings

The global market for probiotics has been increasingly growing in recent years guided by the rising consumers' demand for healthy diets and wellness. This has caused food industries to develop new probiotic-containing food products as well as researchers to study specific characteristics of probiotics as well as their effects on human health. Probiotics are defined as live microorganisms that confer a health benefit to the host when administered in adequate quantities. Probiotics have been added to several food products as well as incorporated into biopolymeric matrices to develop active food packaging as an alternative method for controlling foodborne microorganisms, improving food safety, and providing health benefits. This review includes definition of probiotics, description of their effects on human health, discussion on their applications in edible biopolymeric matrices to develop active edible films and coatings, as well as the probiotics-related legislation.