THE ROLE OF PROBIOTICS IN DAIRY PRODUCTS

Abstract

Dairy products have been a primary source of probiotics since the turn of the 20th century, serving as the foundation for creating functional food products. Dairy products containing live microorganisms have been used to improve intestinal health and serve as the foundation for creating new functional food products. Probiotic cultures are commonly used in dairy products due to their optimized manufacturing processes for enhancing microorganism survival. Probiotics are categorized into next-generation probiotics (NGPs), non-LAB probiotics, and LAB-based classical probiotics. Commercial applications of probiotics include taste, aroma, and shelf life enhancement. Probiotic-based fermentation and incorporating probiotic strains into fermented or non fermented food items are two recent trends in the development of probiotic dairy products or functional meals. Probiotics can be used alone or in conjunction with conventional starter cultures. In the dairy sector, fermented milk is the main source of probiotics, and adding probiotic strains to it can improve organoleptic and textural properties and promote health. Yogurt can also benefit from probiotic based fermentation, as some probiotics can significantly reduce the amount of bisphenol A in yogurt. Probiotics are found in various foods, such as butter, ice cream, milk powder, and infant mixes. Technological advancements can address probiotic viability issues by choosing oxygen-resistant strains, using oxygen-scavenging compounds, using passive barriers, and using oxygen-impermeable packaging materials. Research on the microbial ecology of fermented dairy products is crucial for exploitation.