Prevention of foodborne diseases through probiotics

K.H.P Rathnaweera

What are probiotics??

• Live microorganisms, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host.

• Probiotics must be identified to the level of strain, must be characterized for the specific health target.

Foodborne diseases?

• Any state of poor health resulting from the consumption of contaminated food.

• Frequent food borne disease outbreaks are due to pathogenic micro organisms

• There are about 250 foodborne pathogens• Bacteria is the most common• viruses, parasites, natural and manufactured

chemicals, and toxins from organisms also can cause foodborne diseases

Foodborne pathogens

• Salmonella species• Escherichia coli• Listeria monocytogens• Campylobacter jejuni• Penicillium nordicum• Clostridium botulinum

Using protective and probiotic cultures to prevent food borne diseases

• a useful and effective strategy to prevent or reduce the incidence of food borne pathogens in the food chain

• beneficial bacteria can be used in the food chain as protective cultures

Probiotic strainsLactobacillus species L.acidophilus L.plantarum L.casei sub species rhamnosus L.brevis

Bifidobacterium species B.adolocentis B. bifidum B.longum B.infantis

Mechanism of probiotics

Antimicrobial Activity• Decrease luminal pH• Block bacterial adhesion to epithelial cells• Inhibit bacterial invasion• Secrete antimicrobials

Enhancement of Barrier Function• Enhance barrier integrity • Increase mucus production Immunomodulation• Effects on epithelial cells• Effects on dendritic cells• Effects on monocytes/macrophage

prevention of Salmonella gastroenteritis

• A mixture of Lactobacillus murinus, Lactobacillus salivarius subsp. salivarius, Lactobacillus pentosus, and Pediococcus pentosaceous used.

• Improved clinical and microbial outcome of salmonella infection

Prevention of Campylobacteriosis

• Lactobacillus plantarum protective culture in diary products

• Strain produces a bacteriocin • Survives well in low pH E.g. Sheep milk yoghurt• Bifidobacterium longum is produced in freeze

dried form and microencapsulated form in poultry meat

Prevention of Listeriosis

• Leuconostoc pseudomesenteroides shows strong antimicrobial activity

• In lamb and beef meat products, Lactobacillus pentosus can use against Listeria.

Prevention of diarrhea

• probiotics such as Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, L reuteri, L casei Shirota, and Bifidobacterium lactis Bb12 are used.

• Include mechanisms such as; competition for binding sites lowering of luminal pH production of bacteriotoxins

Probiotic foods

sauerkraut

Dark chocolate

Kombucha tea

yoghurt

kimchi

kefir

Regulation of probiotics

• Identifying level of strain of probiotics in the product

• Characterization of each strain • Validation of health benefits• Identifying the quantity of the microorganism

required to provide the benefit • Truthful and not misleading labeling