Selection and Safety Criteria of Probiotics: 1st Workshop Demonstration of the Nutritional Functionality of Probiotic Foods, FAIR CT96-1028

The workshop is the first in a series of four workshops to disseminate the FAIR Demonstration project entitled Demonstration of the Nutritional Functionality of Probiotic Foods, FAIR CT96-1028. The aim is to substantiate the real value of probiotic products to the EU markets and to EU consumers by providing a sound basis for assessing the functionality of novel probiotic foods with regard to management of intestinal disorders and immune enhancement. The demonstration programme is designed to enable the industry and scientific communities to verify and establish the present health claims for probiotic products. The objectives of the project include establishment of a scientifically based selection of probiotic strains, demonstration of the beneficial value of probiotic products in human pilot-testing (both on children and adults) with new and novel methodologies, and verification of the functional and technological requirements essential for the industrial production of probiotics as functional foods. The entire concept of functional foods is still at a preliminary stage. If functional foods are to make an increasing impact on the European market, it is necessary to ensure that the consumer receives clear messages about the products and that the health claims are addressed. Accordingly the demonstrative goal of the project is to substantiate the state-of-art value of probiotic products to the EU markets and to the EU consumers by providing methodological tools and scientific criteria for assessing the functionality of novel probiotic foods and thus to enable the industry to demonstrate the health claims for probiotic products with regard to management of intestinal disorders and immune enhancement. Discussions are still continuing on how common European legislation should be developed. Expanding our knowledge of the safety aspects and the beneficial effects of probiotic foods should lead to an improvement in legislative procedures making it easier to exploit the whole area of probiotic food and functional foods.