Technology aspects related to microorganisms In functional foods

Processing of microbial systems for functional foods can be organized into processing of starter cultures, processing of products with desired functional characteristics and processing of foods containing probiotics. Technology aspects as related to microorganisms in functional foods are highly complex and diverse since they have to deal with the productivity and viability of probiotic strains as well as with the production of functional foods and food constituents by microbial systems. However, limited data are available on the impact of processing, distribution and storage on microbial cell viability. Technological challenges include the necessity to obtain high initial productivity and viability as starter cultures as well as high stability, viability and productivity as probiotic strains. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.