Probiotic Science and Applications

The course aims to provide students with the knowledge related to: (i) taxonomy and physiology of probiotic microorganisms, (ii) understanding of the mechanisms through which probiotics interact with the physiology of the host, (iii) learning of the scientific research strategies adopted to determine these mechanisms, (iv) aspects related to the production technologies of probiotic microorganisms. The course also aims to provide students with the knowledge related to the regulations in force in the probiotic field.

At the end of the course the students will be able to critically evaluate products containing probiotics, both from a microbiological and technological point of view. Furthermore, students will be able to establish the most suitable criteria for the selection of a microorganism to be used as a probiotic and for the scientific evaluation of its efficacy.