The purpose of this thesis was to describe what factors influence consumers? choice when buying Probiotic products. Functional Foods have been predicted a bright future on the food market but so far the concept have not been embraced by the consumers. The reasons for this are many and not clearly understood. Positive health effects are what set a functional food product apart from traditional food stuffs of the same type.

Abstract Cavities used to be a very common problem but over time humans have learned to take care of their teeth. However, there are still many who have problems. This problem is due to microorganisms and in particular the various streptococci and lactobacilli producing acids which loosens up the enamel on teeth. These bacteria can be found at various places in the mouth and saliva. Besides being a discomfort it can be a major problems and the damaged tooth needs to be removed or make a dental filling. The aim of the study was to see how intake of Probiotic tablets containing Lactobacillus reuteri PTA ATCC 5289 and Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 affects the levels of oral Streptococcus mutans and lactobacilli over a three-week period.

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether resistant maltodextrin is suitable as a fiber source in the Probiotic fruit drink ProViva Mango without affecting the Probiotic bacterium Lactobacillus plantarum 299v, viscosity or the sensory experience of the drink. Resistant maltodextrin is produced from hydrolyzed corn starch and is classified as a soluble dietary fiber. It is relatively resistant to digestion in the small intestine, where approximately 10% can be broken down, 50% can be fermented in the colon by the intestinal flora and 40 % is excreted in the faeces. Resistant maltodextrin has several important qualities when it comes to food processing. When added in a product, it does not affect the viscosity or taste and it is heat and acid stable.

The Probiotic bacteria Lactobacillus reuteri DSM17938 was evaluated as a starter culture in cheese production, with the intention to produce a new interesting product within the functional food market. Growth and acidification rate in milk subjected to different heat treatments, as well as supplementation with growth promoting factors or support cultures was measured during controlled fermentations. The results showed that the weak proteolytic activity of L. reuteri could be compensated for by supplementation with 1% casamino acids or 5% MRS broth. Furthermore, a decrease in growth and acidification rate could be seen when using yoghurt culture or Lactobacillus delbrueckii as adjunct cultures.

Iron deficiency is one of the most frequent micronutrient deficiencies around the world. Low iron bioavailability simultaneously with a high iron requirement is a high risk factor for developing iron deficiency. Probiotics are microorganisms that confer a health benefit on the host. Prebiotics are oligosaccharides which provide a health benefit on the host due to a positive modulation of the microflora in the gut. The aim of this paper is to evaluate if there is a connection between pro-and/or prebiotics and iron bioavailability.

The aim of this study was to isolate and identify Lactobacillus species indigenous to the gastrointestinal microflora of Swedish horses. These lactobacilli are to be used as Probiotic candidates in research concerning antibiotic-associated diarrhoea in horses. Eight horses, age 6-10 years, were selected from a riding school for collection of faeces samples. Man Rogosa Sharp medium and gram staining were used for the selection of supposed lactobacilli. We could identify 33 isolates of supposed lactobacilli. With the use of API tests 22 of these 33 isolates could be identified.

SummaryIn the area to the east of Hue city, in Vietnam, lays Tam Giang lagoon, one of Asia's largest lagoons, with an area of 22,000 hectares. This lagoon is suitable for aquaculture. One reason for this is because the salinity differs from sweet to salty in different parts of the lagoon. The Vietnamese Government advocates an increase in environmentally-friendly aquaculture and the fish Siganus guttatus (Rabbit fish) is a candidate for this. This fish eats mainly algae and can be cultivated in a polyculture.

Since the first wolf was taken as a companion animal a lot have happened with the biology of these animals. Is it possible that changes in the gut microbiota of the domestic dog are involved in the increasing numbers of animals with gastrointestinal disorders? Probiotics have been proven to promote the immune system of dogs by increasing concentrations of neutrophils and monocytes, decreasing the fragility of erythrocytes and increasing the serum IgG concentrations. Probiotics have also been shown to improve the fecal consistency, fecal dry matter and defecation frequency of dogs. The aim of this study was to find out if the bacterial counts in the gut of dogs differed from the gut of wolves, with the focus on lactobacilli.