Probiotic manipulation of the gastrointestinal microbiota

In a recent publication we examined whether high abundance of a probiotic species, Lactobacillus casei subsp. rhamnosus GG (LGG), impacted the overall composition of the gastrointestinal (GI) microbiota of six-month-old infants at high risk for asthma development. Profound GI microbiota restructuring and the establishment of significantly more even and putatively, functionally redundant consortia were characteristic of high LGG abundance. Here we discuss, in the context of more recently published data, support for the hypothesis that the beneficial effect of probiotic supplementation on human health lies in the formation of a stable and resilient gut ecosystem enriched for species that exert a concerted beneficial effect on the host immune system via direct and indirect mechanisms

Fermented dairy products

The microbiota of fermented dairy products contributes to the safety, flavor, and organoleptic qualities of the products. Moreover, metabolites obtained from the fermentation process enhance the milk nutritive value and digestibility, whereas dairy microorganisms could be the perfect carriers for reseeding the gut microbiota. The structural food matrix of fermented milk facilitates the delivery of viable microorganisms to the intestinal tract. Fermented dairy products may be beneficial to human health by improving lactose intolerance symptoms and for the production of bioactive compounds such as vitamins, gamma-amino butyric acid, exopolysaccharides, and bioactive peptides, among others. Also, fermented dairy products contribute to the modulation of the gut microbiota and the prevention of infections, inflammation, and cardiometabolic diseases. Furthermore, fermented dairy products constitute the hallmark of probiotics supply in the food market.This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry (Project AGL2016-75951-R), CDTI (INDEKA IDI-20190077) and CYTED (Project P917PTE0537/PCIN-2017-075).Peer reviewe