ABSTRACT
Probiotic microbes have a long history of safe use with some strains being safely consumed for over forty years (Sanders and Klaenhammer 2001). Due to numerous reported health benefi ts, probiotic microbes are now signifi cant components of the dairy and the functional foods industry, which is worth over 35 billion dollars annually (Figueroa-Gonzalez et al. 2011, Kapsak et al. 2011). Since consumers are becoming more aware about the food and food components they ingest, there is a growing imperative to understand the mechanistic effect of probiotic microbes. Moreover, with increased regulatory requirements, especially in Europe, the mechanism of action of probiotic bacteria needs to be validated in human trials before health claims can be made.
