Health benefits and potential hazards of probiotics

During the past two decades, probiotic micro-organisms have been increasingly included in various types of food products, especially in fermented milks. Several aspects, including safety, functional and technological characteristics, have to be taken into consideration in the selection process of probiotic micro-organisms. Probiotic bacteria provide a variety of health benefits to immunocompetent hosts; however, their use in immunodeficient patients may pose problems. Some probiotics are closely related to bacteria that are opportunistic pathogens and can transfer antibiotic resistance genes.