Q38. Consider the following statements in respect to probiotics:
- Probiotics are made of both bacteria and yeast.
- The organisms in probiotics are found in foods we ingest but they do not naturally occur in our gut.
- Probiotics help in the digestion of milk sugars.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) 1 and 3
d) 2 and 3
Answer – C
- Statement 1 is correct: Probiotics are live microorganisms (bacteria and yeasts can form an important part of the human mycobiome as probiotics.) that are intended to have health benefits when consumed or applied to the body. They can be found in yogurt and other fermented foods, dietary supplements, and beauty products. Common probiotic bacteria can include Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. The most common yeast found in probiotics is Saccharomyces boulardii.
- Statement 2 is incorrect: Probiotics live naturally in your body. L. acidophilus is a probiotic bacteria that naturally occurs in the human gut. The most common place linked to beneficial microbes is your gut (mostly large intestines), but there are other places like the mouth, urinary tract, skin, lungs, etc where these probiotics are found. Probiotics occur naturally in fermented foods and cultured milk, but we can also find manufactured probiotic supplements.
- Statement 3 is correct: Yogurt is a well-known food source of probiotics. Certain strains of bacteria in yogurt have ß-D-galactosidase, which is an enzyme that helps break down lactose in dairy products into the sugars glucose and galactose. There is evidence that probiotics can alleviate symptoms of lactose intolerance. This can occur by increased hydrolysis (breaking down or digestion) of lactose (milk sugar) in the dairy product and in the small intestine. It can also be achieved by manipulation of the colonic metabolism. Thus Probiotics help in the digestion of milk sugars
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