Abstract

The market for probiotic foodstuffs is one of the most dynamic in the functional foods area. Eleven probiotic strains are currently available in the Chilean local market, mainly in dairy products and infant formulas. These strains are Lactobacillus casei CRL431, L. acidophilus NCFM, L. johnsonii NCC533 (Lal), L. acidophilus La5, L. rhamnosus HN001 (DR20), L. rhamnosus GG, L. paracasei ST11, Bifidobacterium animalis spp. lactis 430, B. animalis spp. lactis DN173 010, B. longum BB536 and B. animalis spp. lactis Bb12, the later being used in several products under different brands. Taking into account that their health benefits are strain-specific, this article briefly presents the scientific evidence describing the different metabolic activities and their effects on human health, that support their use in human nutrition as probiotics.