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Probiotics - the versatile functional food ingredients

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Abstract

Probiotics are live microbes which when administered in adequate amounts as functional food ingredients confer a health benefit on the host. Their versatility is in terms of their usage which ranges from the humans to the ruminants, pigs and poultry, and also in aquaculture practices. In this review, the microorganisms frequently used as probiotics in human and animal welfare has been described, and also highlighted are the necessary criteria required to be fulfilled for their use in humans on the one hand and on the other as microbial feed additives in animal husbandry. Further elaborated in this article are the sources from where probiotics can be derived, the possible mechanisms by which they act, and their future potential role as antioxidants is also discussed.

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Acknowledgments

The authors express their gratitude to the Principal, Lady Keane College, Shillong and the DBT-Institutional Biotech Hub, Lady Keane College, Shillong for the generosity in providing the facilities during the preparation of this manuscript. The authors are also thankful to Kitriphar Tongper and Ananya Barman for some of the resources provided.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biochemistry, Lady Keane College, Shillong, 793001, India

    Gareth Gordon Syngai

  2. Department of Botany, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar, 608002, India

    Ragupathi Gopi & G. M. Alagu Lakshmanan

  3. Department of Biotechnology, Gauhati University, Guwahati, 781014, India

    Rupjyoti Bharali & Giasuddin Ahmed

  4. Sophisticated Analytical Instrument Facility (SAIF), North Eastern Hill University (NEHU), Shillong, 793022, India

    Sudip Dey

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  1. Gareth Gordon Syngai
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  2. Ragupathi Gopi
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Correspondence to Gareth Gordon Syngai.

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Syngai, G.G., Gopi, R., Bharali, R. et al. Probiotics - the versatile functional food ingredients. J Food Sci Technol 53, 921–933 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-015-2011-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-015-2011-0

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