Research Information System
AICHEAS 5TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON HEALTH, ENGINEERING AND APPLIED SCIENCES, Muş, Turkey, 28 - 30 March 2025, pp.18-31, (Full Text)
The term probiotic, which is formed from the words “pro” and “bios” meaning alive, is defined by the World Health Organization as a ‘living microorganism that provides health benefits to the host when taken in sufficient quantities’. Probiotics, which are natural members of the human intestinal microflora, are diverse and numerous. Common ones include lactic acid bacteria such as Enterococcus, Streptococcus, Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus and fungi from the genera Aspergillus and Saccharomyces. Probiotic products are frequently used to increase the number of these beneficial microorganisms. It is known that the fermentation process, which has been going on for centuries, provides various benefits such as food preservation, taste, aroma, and flavor and supports the immune system with the probiotic microorganisms it contains and food production. Today, consumers demand healthy living and nutrition, and the increasing awareness of the beneficial effects of probiotics increases the demand for fermented beverages with high beneficial microorganism content. This study aimed to review the current studies on the probiotic profile of traditional fermented beverages such as shalgam, kefir, ayran, boza, hardaliye, and koumiss and their beneficial microorganism diversity. With this diversity, colonization and growth of beneficial bacteria can be promoted in many parts of the human body, especially in the intestines. In this way, probiotics have beneficial biological functions such as strengthening the immune system and aiding digestion, enriching nutritional value, increasing the bioavailability of macro and micronutrients, protecting perishable nutrients, antioxidant production, therapeutic effect, anti-inflammatory, anti-cholesterol, anti-diabetes, antimicrobial, antiallergic and anticancer. In addition, studies have revealed that it can improve mental health by reducing symptoms of anxiety,stress and depression, through a two-way communication system in the gut-brain axis.