Perspectives on the probiotic potential of lactic acid bacteria from African traditional fermented
foods and beverages
Sammanfattning
Diverse African traditional fermented foods and beverages, produced using different types of
fermentation, have been used since antiquity because of their numerous nutritional values. Lactic
acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from these products have emerged as a welcome source of
antimicrobials and therapeutics, and are accepted as probiotics. Probiotics are defined as live
microbial food supplements which beneficially affect the host by improving the intestinal microbial
balance. Currently, popular probiotics are derived from fermented milk products. However, with the
growing number of consumers with lactose intolerance that are affected by dietary cholesterol from
milk products, there is a growing global interest in probiotics from other food sources. The focus of
this review is to provide an overview of recent developments on the applications of probiotic LAB
globally, and to specifically highlight the suitability of African fermented foods and beverages as a
viable source of novel probiotics.