In the last five years, the probiotic sector has expanded with a slew of new cultures, each promising a different set of benefits. Lists of functional features and in vivo profit are now commonplace in any probiotics research. Companies seeking to develop a solid health settlement that will market their particular probiotics continue to prioritise scientifically verified health claims. The scientific community faces a bigger problem in determining cause and effect linkages for a wide range of potential and currently studied probiotic species and strain combinations. It will be necessary to create a platform that has critical information about the physiology and genetics of candidate strains that is relevant to their intestinal roles, functional activities, and interactions with other resident microflora for rational selection and design of probiotics, which will entail a platform of crucial information about the physiology and genetics of candidate strains relevant to their intestinal roles, functional activities, and interactions with other inhabitant microflora (Klaenhammer et al. 1999).

To qualify as a possible candidate for further screening for probiotic properties and associated health benefits, safe transit through the stomach and sustained existence and colonisation in the intestinal system are crucial and main parameters (Kotzamanidis et al. 2010). Beneficial bacteria that will be consumed as probiotic strains will be exposed to a wide range of stresses throughout their mobility and establishment in the gastrointestinal tract. Probiotic bacteria must maintain viability in the small intestine when exposed to stomach acid, bile, and high osmolarity (Franz and Holzapfel 2011). Water, inorganic ions, hydrochloric acid (HCL), other inorganic ions, pepsinogen, mucus, polypeptides, and intrinsic components make up gastric juice. The small pH range of human gastric juice, which runs from 1.5 to 3.5, is due to HCL, which is secreted by stomach parietal cells (Marieb and Hoehn 2010). However, it differs at different times, such as when you have a blank stomach when you have a meal, and when you have a meal after a meal. With this in mind, a probiotic bacterial strain ought to be able to survive gastric acid’s pH stress. Acid tolerance of isolates is tested using these criteria at various pH levels (1.5 to 4.5) and time intervals (0 to 3 hours) to simulate human stomach passage.

Acid tolerant strains are those that can withstand pH stress for an extended period of time. In response to a meal stimulus, bile is produced by liver hepatocytes and secreted in the small intestine via the gall bladder. It is a complex mixture of organic (conjugated bile acids, often known as bile salts; glycine, etc.) and inorganic compounds with antibacterial activity, primarily by bacterial membrane disintegration (Hofmann and Eckmann 2006). Microbes are exposed to bile salts (Ox bile) in varying concentrations (0.5 to 2.0 percent) with varying contact times (0 to 3 hr). Bile tolerant isolates are those that show tolerance to bile. The sight of bile salt hydrolases (BSH), a product of the bsh gene in bacteria, is thought to be responsible for tolerance to bile acids (Begley et al. 2006). The BSH gene’s presence and expression have been linked to bile tolerance and detoxification, and it’s being used as a criterion for probiotic strain selection (Patel et al. 2010).

BSH is also thought to help lower cholesterol levels in the blood (El-Shafie et al. 2009), however, it varies per strain. Probiotic strains must stick to the intestinal lining after safe passage through the small intestine, which is aided by various factors such as cell wall hydrophobicity, cell adhesion potential, and auto-aggregation. Lactobacilli’s capacity to cling to the intestinal epithelial cell lining is one of their most essential characteristics, as well as one of the most crucial factors to consider when choosing probiotic strains. (Ouwehand et al. 1999). First and foremost, bacterial cell wall hydrophobicity is critical for bacterial binding. Due to the removal of water between two surfaces, a hydrophobic connection begins immediately after contact and can become stronger over time (Younes et al. 2012). The type and location of bacteria’s hydrophobic surface components determine the stability of this contact.

The BATH or MATH (bacterial/ microbial adherence to hydrocarbons) systems proposed by Rosenberg (1984) and Geertsema-Doornbusch and co-workers (1993) systems are commonly used to measure bacterial hydrophobicity. Hydrophobic strains have higher adhesion to hydrocarbons, while hydrophilic strains have lower adherence to hydrocarbons. Higher bacterial hydrophobicity is directly related to their capacity to stick to surfaces (Pan et al. 2006). The ability of bacterial cells to self-assemble is also important for bacterial adherence to intestinal cells (Dunne et al. 2001). It describes bacterial cells’ activity in interacting with them in a distracted manner, which is required for GIT colonisation (del Re et al. 2000). Beneficial effects of probiotic strains can be attributed to their contact with other microorganisms (anti-microbial activity), metabolic activity (antioxidative activity, EPS generation, and so on), or their participation in immunological regulation via various signaling pathways (anti-cancerous; Antiallergic, etc.).

Antimicrobial activity is regarded as a critical functional parameter for competitively suppressing (pathogen exclusion) pathogenic intestinal microflora by the production of organic acids, hydrogen peroxide, and bacteriocins, among other things, so rendering the host safe. Following a typical well diffusion assay, the antagonistic activity of various bacterial measures is determined against common enteric pathogens (E. coli; Salmonella sp., etc.). LABs are also known to have strong anti-oxidant properties, reducing the likelihood of reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation (Achuthan et al. 2012). The difference between ROS or free radical production and body antioxidant defense causes oxidative stress, which disrupts normal cellular functions and has been implicated in a number of clinical conditions (inflammatory bowel disease, atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction, stroke, and vascular dysfunctionality, Alzheimer’s disease, etc). The antioxidative potential of contestant probiotics can be assessed by assessing their resistance to ROS (hydrogen peroxide, hydroxyl ions, and superoxide radicals) (Kullisaar et al. 2002); Superoxide dismutase activity (Achuthan et al. 2012); and Total antioxidative activity (Kullisaar et al. 2002). In bacteriahost interactions, the presence of S-layer proteins, exo-polysaccharides (EPS), and other cellular envelope mechanisms are critical. Adhesion factors have been found on the surface polysaccharides of the EPS and S-layers (Lebeer et al. 2010; Sanchez et al. 2012).

The use of new DNA and protein-based technologies is rapidly increasing, and traditional screening methods are likely to be phased out (Papadimitriou et al. 2015). Because in vitro investigations do not replicate the natural environment of the gastrointestinal tract, health benefits demonstrated by a probiotic strain in laboratory form should be confirmed in an animal model before being tested in humans. The health benefits of suggested probiotic candidates should be established in animal models before they are given the probiotic designation, according to FAO/WHO recommendations. Omics technologies may potentially prove valuable in the follow-up investigation of probiotic candidate strains identified by current techniques in vitro and/or in vivo screening. Despite the fact that there are various probiotic products available for human use, there is much debate about their benefits. This is due in part to the overblown and unjustified claims made in the product’s advertising and marketing. Many stories of their favorable health effects have been published, with only a smattering of scientific evidence to back them up. Furthermore, many of the microorganisms used in these products are ineffective and were not chosen for specific therapeutic characteristics or the ability to survive in the gastrointestinal tract.

When employing probiotic microorganisms in fermented foods like yogurt, several things must be considered. To achieve the desired advantages, probiotics must first be viable and available in high numbers at the time of consumption (Castro et al. 2012). Thus, at the moment of consumption, a probiotic dairy product should contain at least 6-7 log CFU.g-1 of viable probiotic bacteria and should be ingested in quantities greater than 100 g per day, or at least 9 log CFU per day (Codex, 2003). The inclusion of prebiotic sources like inulin has also been found to help fermented milk products regain their stability and sensory characterisation (Agil et al., 2013). In addition, several supplements, such as whey and whey protein concentrate, have improved microbial viability, physicochemical properties, and sensory qualities of probiotic dairy products.

The following are the selection factors for choosing the right probiotic bacteria and strains:

The bacteria in question must be reported in the copy.

Furthermore, the rules recommend that the efficacy of an overseas probiotic be tested in an Indian population before it is introduced into the Indian market. As a result, the ICMR/DBT guideline has provided consumers with considerable protection against misleading probiotic manufacturers in the Indian market (Thakur et al. 2006).

Probiotic starter cultures have a key function throughout fermentation, ripening, and storage, boosting their health-promoting characteristics, strengthening their microbiology, and improving their sensory quality, but they can also accelerate lipid oxidation, reducing shelf life. Individual or mixed microbe cultures are utilised to support and conduct fermentation in known quantities (Laranjo Marta 2019).

The interactions between lactic acid starter bacteria and probiotic bacteria were studied in order to find suitable strain combinations for producing probiotic dairy products. With a few exceptions, probiotic bacteria were found to be more suppressive towards lactic acid bacteria than vice versa, as the latter had no effect on the former’s growth. The research of interactions using growth kinetics resulted in the establishment of four distinct behaviors between lactic acid starter and probiotic bacteria species (stimulation, delay, complete inhibition of growth, and no effects among them). When picking the optimal combination of strains to create a probiotic fermented dairy product, possible interactions among the strains should be considered to optimise their efficiency in the process and their survival in the products during cold storage (Vinderola G. 2022).

The technological aspect when a probiotic is selected is that it should be viable throughout the production and should have a shelf-life. They should be also suitable for large-scale production but their presence should not affect any properties of food like sensory or flavor. The probiotic strain must be GRAS-certified (generally recognised as safe). To control the viability and shelf life of the probiotics several technologies like microencapsulation techniques, usage of oxygenpermeable containers, and selection of particular gene strains are done. (P.B. S. Bhadoria 2011). Major technological standards in probiotics are acidifying ability, proteolytic ability, lipolytic ability, texturing ability, antimicrobial activity, flavoring ability.

The use of probiotics as a supplement for animals and humans has increased growth and probiotics have become one of the important supplements in day-to-day life. The most commonly consumed probiotics are Bifidobacteria which are used in food supplements and Lactobacillus spp. which produce lactase which helps in breaking down milk sugar. At present, dairy-based probiotics stand over the nondairy probiotic supplements but some of the people who are lactose intolerant, having an allergy, or vegan and vegetarian personnel prefer the use of non-dairybased food products. These help in preventing allergy in dairy products and by providing low cholesterolcontaining products which help keep their heart healthy or adiposity (Granato 2010; Stadnik and Dolatowski 2014; Vasudha and Mishra 2013).

Lactobacillus spp. and Bifidobacterium spp. have GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) designation as it’s the most widely used in the food industry. Saccharomyces cerevisiae and S. boulardii also possess probiotic properties. Probiotics are incorporated according to their origin, external stress, viability they mainly depend on the pH, storage temperature, oxygen level, and presence of respective microorganisms and inhibitors.

Nondairy probiotic foods mainly include soy, meat, cereals, fruits, and vegetables which are rich in antioxidants, minerals, proteins, carbohydrates, and other dietary fibres. Nondairy probiotics are mainly divided into cereal-based probiotics, fruit, and vegetable-based probiotics, soy-based probiotics, and meat-based probiotic foods.

Probiotics can be incorporated into a different types of fruits and vegetables in form of juices, puree, pulp, beverages, dried fruit. Fruits and vegetables are rich in carbohydrates, dietary fibres, vitamins, polyphenols, and certain minerals and hence are referred to as healthy foods. (Sutton, 2007). According to several studies, aqueous extracts of kiwifruit and avocado had low cytotoxicity and higher anti-inflammatory activity in a Crohn’s gene-specific assay (Sutton, 2007), and the non-aqueous solution of kiwifruit, avocado, and blueberry has higher cytotoxicity than the aqueous solution and has greater antiinflammatory properties than the aqueous solution. Micronutrients such as calcium, retinol, vitamin E, folate, nicotine acid, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, β -carotene, and biotin on genetic damage and restore can be found in fruits and vegetables, so combining these micronutrients with the probiotic strain will be a future goal and a great challenge in probiotic juices, as it may provide more health benefits. Certain berries like blueberry, raspberry possess antimicrobial and pathogenic protection against food-borne pathogens (Ranadheera 2014).

The Health benefit of a probiotic is to overcome the unfavorable conditions in the gastrointestinal tract. A probiotic juice is acceptable when there is perfect maintenance of the cell count or viability of the cell and good shelf life. Low pH in fruit juices affects the viability of probiotic strains (Vasudha and Mishra, 2013). However, probiotic viability varies by strain; some strains, such as Lb. plantarum, Lb. acidophilus, and Lb. casei, are acid-tolerant.

Juice always has low pH and high levels of organic acid; pH is an important factor that affects the viability of probiotic strain. In the probiotic strain, lactobacilli are tolerant to low pH ranging from 4.3 to 3.7 while Bifidobacterium does not survive even at a pH of 4.6.

Cereals like wheat, maize, oats, barley have dietary fibres and many other physiological properties which help in nourishing the gut by appropriate carbohydrates as prebiotics, and they are also used as an encapsulation material to improve the viability of the prebiotics (Capozzi 2012). According to Lamsal and Faubion (2009), cereal and cereal-based food products include prebiotics, probiotics, or dietary fibres in our diet.

According to Katina (2007), the whole grain contains many phytochemicals including antioxidants, phytic acid, sterols, phenolic compounds, and phytoestrogen. When the cereals are fermented, they provide an optimum pH condition and enzymatic degradation of phytate occurs which releases certain minerals like zinc, calcium, iron, and manganese (growth factor of Lactic acid bacteria). Strains of lactobacillus are complex microorganisms that use up the fermentable carbohydrates, nucleic acids, minerals, and B vitamins for their growth and hence fermentation of cereals helps in the growth of beneficial microbes and thus becomes a means of probiotic delivery. Consumption of whole cereal products, therefore, gives probiotics and other components present in grain (Lamsal and Faubion 2009).

Fermented cereal products have the effect of prebiotics, probiotics, and dietary fibres present in them while fermented dairy-based products are commonly associated with probiotics. The bran and germs contain many bioactive compounds and fibres which are healthy and can be used as probiotic carriers. Oats and barley are cereals that have a high hypocholesterolemic effect and high β glucan and they help in decreasing the cholesterol level in blood and maintains a healthy heart.

Meat is an integral part of human nutrition, raw, ripened and cured meat has been produced by fermentation method for a long time. During the fermentation process, several substances like lactic acid, pyruvic acid, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, and carboxylic acids are formed and these determine the quality and storage of the meat (Hugas 1997). During the production of fermented meat, proteolysis occurs in meat which causes the muscle structure to break down, and proteins are degraded into small peptides and free amino acids and help to enhance the aroma, color, and taste of the final product (Stadnik and Dolatowski 2014). Further, some species like Bifidobacterium and Lactobacilli when added produce conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) which has many functional properties like modulating the immune and inflammatory response and cardiovascular diseases.

Fermented meat like sausage is uncooked or ready to eat and hence it is regarded as a good means for transfer of probiotics to intestines as probiotics are inserted in the protein and fat matrix. In a study for evaluation of probiotics, it was seen that the initial inoculum of 105 CFU/g of a lactobacillus strain after fermentation increased to 10 9 CFU/g. In another evaluation of probiotic count in mutton sausage with L. acidophilus CCDM 476 and B. animalis 241a, higher viability of L. acidophilus was observed after 60 days of storage, but the texture and aroma of the mutton were improved with the addition of probiotics. (Rivera-Espinoza and Gallardo-Navarro 2013, Holko 2013). However, probiotic meat production has some technological problems that need to be resolved like the low water activity, low content of sugar, and their microflora. Probiotic strains used in the formulation must also be able to survive in meat microflora and should survive in the condition of fermented products.

Soy is from the soy plant. Soy can be processed into soy protein, soy milk, or soy fibres. They are used as a substitute for milk for lactose-intolerant people. Soy is suitable for the growth of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium and is a functional food as they could be treated for diseases like menopausal disorder, cancer, atherosclerosis. Soy milk products are also used to treat kidney stones as soy decreases the albumin content in urine which is administered with Lactobacillus plantarum.

Consumption of soy oligosaccharide sometimes may cause bloating or cramping in order to avoid that fermentation of soy with probiotics like lactobacillus and bifidobacterium should be carried out. (Champagne 2010). The maximum probiotic effect of a strain depends on when the live bacteria present during consumption and fecal recovery is high, in an experiment with bifidobacterium it was found that the number of live bacteria during consumption and their fecal recovery was higher and thus survives acid and bile inside the stomach (Shimakawa 2003). In order to not lose the viability of the probiotic strain, the soy product should be freeze-dried, stored at a temperature of about 4˚C, and packed in a tetra pack, freeze-drying is more preferred than spray drying or other techniques (Wang 2006). In another study when the Lactobacillus acidophilus FTCC 0291 was maintained above 106 CFU g⁻¹ for about 20 days in soy cream cheese, the probiotic strain used up the soy sugar and use up the soy proteins and produce lactic acid which reduces the pH and avoid the growth of other aerobes and anaerobes.

Probiotic foods have live supplementary microorganisms. It was good for the host, by regulating the gastrointestinal flora (Mershen Govender et al. 2013). The major probiotic organisms are Lactobacillus (such as L. casei, L. lactis, etc); Bifidobacterium; Bacillus; Streptococcus; Pediococcus; Enterococcus; and yeasts e.g. Saccharomyces cerevisiae and S. boulardii (H. Musikasang et al. 2009). The regular intake of probiotic foods can improve the immune system, lowers the cholesterol level, prevent gastrointestinal related diseases, improves gut health, reduces stress, and regulates lactose tolerance (Srikanjana Klayraung et al. 2009). To get the functional health benefits, the probiotic bacteria should contain at least a cell viability of 107 CFU/g or more till the end of product shelf-life (Haiteng Li et al. 2016). Good probiotic bacteria should have a set of technological characters such as, should be non-toxic, able to process the prebiotic and have heat, acid, oxygen, and bile tolerances. Probiotic strains should accomplish those characters to improve the efficiency in the host and should be safer to consume (Esther Sendra Nadal et al. 2010).

The Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) are major organisms added to probiotic foods. Because the lactic acid bacteria are much safer to consume, it has many health benefits and probiotic properties (Mehran Moradi et al. 2020). Lactic acid bacteria are commonly used in dairy and non-dairy food products such as yogurt, milk, buttermilk, cheese, sausages, chocolate, cereals products, and fruit juices (Andreas Feucht and Haesoo Kwak, 2013). The major two probiotic cultures are Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species (Mershen Govender et al. 2014). The health benefit of probiotic products is greater when using LAB cultures. LAB culture produces organic acids, functional biological ingredients, and exopolysaccharides. The exopolysaccharides are biopolymers produced majorly by LAB cultures. Exopolysaccharide has special biological and Physico-chemical properties (such as antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-cancer). Exopolysaccharides are preventing the growth of harmful organisms in food, enhances the health benefits, are used in industrial applications (e.g. as a gelling agent, stabilizer, additive, thickener, and emulsifier), and also used in food active packaging (in the production of edible films and coatings). The major disadvantage of exopolysaccharides is the low yield in LAB. Downstream processing and composition of culture medium are the major factors that affect the yield of exopolysaccharides in LAB culture (Mehran Moradi et al. 2020).

Lactic acid bacteria incorporated probiotic food consumption increasing day by day because of the numerous health benefits, but researchers found that the bioavailability of LAB incorporated probiotic foods is low. LAB cultures are very sensitive to low pH. After oral consumption, lactic acid bacteria should enter the small intestine with a sufficient amount of viable count (viable count should be a minimum of 107 CFU/g for effective health benefit). While pass-through stomach lactic acid bacteria may die because of direct contact with low pH gastric acid (Li Mei et al. 2014). The effectiveness of probiotics is evaluated in processed foods products. Probiotic bacteria are very sensitive to environmental factors and it loses their cell viability when it undergoes processing and long time storage (Mary Ellen Sanders and Maria L. Marco, 2009). Food formulation, processing conditions, food component, type of organism used, heat effects, osmotic pressure, genus, pH, oxygen content, duration of storage, temperature, and the gastrointestinal condition are the different factors that affect probiotic functional efficacy, survival, and physiological activity during manufacturing, storage, fermentation, and digestive system (Karthiyaini Damodharan et al. 2017).

In order to get functional probiotic bacteria, it has to be overcome several environmental factors. Microencapsulation of probiotic bacteria could be a better solution to overcome those issues. The encapsulation technique maintains the cell viability during the processing, storage and as well as ensures effective activity in the gut (Carolina González-Ferrero et al. 2020). Encapsulation is a method of cell immobilization (R. Dembczynski and T. Jankowski, 2002). Encapsulation is a process where the sensitive bioactive compound is separated from the adverse environment by closing up the cells within the encapsulating matrix or membrane. The encapsulation technique lowers the cell injury, enhance the cell resistance in growth condition and also improve the cell viability throughout the storage period (M.J. Martin et al. 2013). Encapsulation is a developed and successful method for protecting probiotic bacteria. Encapsulation techniques are mostly used in various industries such as sustained food active compounds, controlling the oxidative process, cover up the unpleasant flavors and odors, or act as a shell between the sensitive bioactive compounds and the adverse environment (Verica Manojlović et al. 2010). Encapsulation is done by various techniques such as spray-drying, emulsions, coacervation, electrospinning/electrospraying, impinging aerosol technique, and extrusions (Chaline Caren Coghetto et al. 2016). Different polymers are used as an excipient in encapsulation. Examples like starch and cellulose (Karthiyaini Damodharan et al. 2017).

Encapsulated probiotics lose cell viability during storage. When the relative humidity is high it increases the water content, leads to the activation of oxidative reactions and cell damage. Incorporation of prebiotics (e.g. inulin, high amylase corn starch powder) in encapsulation lowers the water activity and increases the stability during storage time and conditions (Karthiyaini Damodharan et al. 2017).

Encapsulation of lactic acid bacteria (Lactobacillus acidophilus) with and without polymers was tested. The result shows that using alginate/starch polymers maintains viability throughout storage and increases efficiency (T. Jankowski et al. 1997). The incorporation of Hi-maize starch in the encapsulation technique increases the survival of bacteria. Lactobacillus Plantarum 299 v gives a higher probiotic count in the small intestine and improves potential biological efficiency in our body when it is encapsulated with maize starches. Various authors found that starch encapsulated lactic acid bacteria provides protection to the sensitive strains, preserve the number of viable bacteria, maintain the quality of cell viability during processing, storage, and as well as in the digestive system (Digambar Kavitake et al. 2018).

Prebiotics are dietary fibers with a beneficial effect on the intestinal microflora. Prebiotics are rich in plant polysaccharides that contain complex compounds that are resistant to digestion (non-digestible by human digestive enzymes) in the intestine and these are also called non-digestible oligosaccharides. Good prebiotic should be:

(h) Sensitive to fermentation by gut bacteria,

Prebiotics are dietary fibers that contain short-chain carbohydrates and are beneficial to the host. Major Prebiotics applied in food products are lactulose, galactooligosaccharides, fructooligosaccharides, inulin and its hydrolysates, raffinose, mannose, lactulose, stachyose, maltooligosaccharides, and resistant starch (Carlos Ricardo Soccol et al. 2010). In wheat, tomatoes, asparagus, breast milk, and some other foods naturally contain prebiotic compounds, and to get a functional efficacy have to intake a large amount of these foods.

Commercial prebiotics are produced by:

Segregation from plant source

Most prebiotic is suitable for almost all type of processed food products, soluble in water and not able to detect after addition. Prebiotics are commonly added in dairy products, table spreads, butter-like products, dairy spreads, cream cheeses, processed cheeses, bakery products, and breakfast cereals (Sadeq Hasan Al-Sheraji et al. 2013).

After oral consumption, Prebiotics are pass through the mouth, stomach, small intestine to the lower gut and start fermenting in the colon. Prebiotics are effectively used by only some of the probiotic organisms. Prebiotic help in cell growth and improves the functional efficacy of probiotic bacteria. Prebiotics gives energy to the host by producing acids (Examples acetic and butyric acids). These acids are formed during fermentation. These shortchain fatty acids are also found in plant sources like onion, garlic, asparagus, artichoke, and many more (Sadeq Hasan Al-Sheraji et al. 2013). Prebiotics has many potential health benefits such as boost the immune system, increases the absorption of minerals in the body, regulating lipids in the body, lowers diabetes, reduces the risk of cancer, intestinal disease, cardiovascular disease, and non-insulin-dependent diabetes, lower cholesterol level and prevent acute gastroenteritis (Valéria Maria Caselato de Sousa et al. 2011).

Several studies show that prebiotics is chemically unstable during processing conditions like high temperature, low acidity, and browning reactions. Inulin loses stability (around 20% - 100%) when it was heated about 130 to 1950c for 1 hour. Hence, found that reduced growth of beneficial organisms. Fructo oligosaccharides start degrading in buffer solution during low pH and high temperature. Therefore, to obtain the desired health benefits, the chemical and functional stability of prebiotics should be maintained throughout processing and storage (J. Huebner et al. 2008).

Probiotics and prebiotics are may formulate in the foods in order to improve the balance of intestinal microorganisms. Synbiotic is a combination of both prebiotic and probiotic that beneficially affects the host by increasing the survival, viability, and the total number of live beneficial organisms. For example, in synbiotic chocolate mousse, where Lactobacillus paracasei (probiotic) and inulin (prebiotic) were added to increase the survival and functional efficacy of probiotics. These combinations also enhance the sensory properties of chocolate mousse (Silvia Marina González et al. 2014). Studies reported that synbiotic foods gave a greater effective immune health compare to probiotic or prebiotic alone (Mengfei Peng et al. 2019).

Many researchers found that synbiotic has better efficacy, four various probiotics strains are encapsulated with (Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei, Bifidobacterium bifidum, and Bifidobacterium longum) prebiotic (fructooligosaccharides) as a coating material incorporated with sodium alginate and peptide tested for optimal processing conditions, performance, and survival rates. Results show that this combination of prebiotic, peptide, and alginate gives the highest survival to the probiotics (KUN-NAN CHEN et al. 2005). To increase the bifidobacteria in the intestine (bifidogenic effect), xylooligosaccharides need 2g/ day, fructooligosaccharides need 4g/day, isomaltooligosaccharides need 10g/day. Incorporation of prebiotic particularly inulin into the food product give greater cell viability, survival, and efficacy of probiotic organism (Sadeq Hasan Al-Sheraji et al. 2013). Incorporation of inulin (prebiotic) with L. casei (probiotic) to fermented yogurts and other dairy products enhances the flavor, texture, reduced yogurt syneresis. Several studies report the incorporation of inulin into the milk can enhance the co-cultures acidification rate, favored post-acidification, increase the bifidobacteria in the intestine (bifidogenic effect), and maintain cell viability during storage (Esther Sendra Nada et al. 2010).

In recent trends, modern consumers give importance to healthier foods with reduced chemicals and act as preventive medicine. This increases the demand for probiotic, probiotic, and symbiotic food products. Probiotic organisms are beneficial to the host by decreasing the harmful organism in the gut and also have various health benefits. Prebiotics are dietary fibers beneficial for probiotic bacteria. Synbiotic is the incorporation of both prebiotic and probiotic. Probiotics are very sensitive and lose their bioavailability when are undergo various processing conditions, storage, and digestion. This is a major technological challenge. In this review, the encapsulation technique is the better solution to this issue. The encapsulation method there prevents the direct expose of the active compound and act as a protective layer. Encapsulated probiotic foods have higher bioavailability. Several studies have shown that encapsulated symbiotic foods have a greater functional activity with improved sensory properties.