What are probiotics? They are living microorganisms, the health benefits of which are vital when consumed in the right quantities in food, or in supplements. The definition of what constitutes a probiotic is written in a joint FAO/World Health Organization document published in 2001.
The origin of this singular definition is still a commercial controversy, highlights Lorenzo Morelli, one of Italy’s top probiotics experts, head of the Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences Department at the Microbiology Institute of the Sacro Cuore Catholic University of Piacenza.
“Brazil blocked the importation of probiotics from Argentina, who turned to the WTO in an appeal for the free circulation of goods. This in turn required an adequate definition which was contained in the FAO/WHO paper,” stated the professor, who was also one of its authors.
