Probiotics have been the subject of intensive research, mainly focusing on bifidobacteria and lactic acid bacteria. However, there is evidence that dairy propionibacteria also display probiotic properties, which as yet have been underestimated. The aim of this paper is to review recent data which report probiotic characteristics of dairy propionibacteria and to distinctly organise them based on the experimental strategy employed: ranked from in vitro evidence to in vivo trials, which is a new approach. In addition to the selection criteria for probiotics in areas such as food safety, technological and digestive stress tolerance, many potential health benefits have been described which include modulation of microbiota andmetabolic activity in the gut, modulation of intestinal motility and absorption, impact on intestinal inflammation, modulation of the immune system and potential modulation of risk factors for cancer development. The robust nature of dairy propionibacteria towards technological stresses should allow their future use in various fermented probiotic foods. Among the probiotic properties of dairy propionibacteria described in the literature, some of these properties are different from those reported for bifidobacteria and lactic acid bacteria. However, supplementation with dairy propionibacteria in randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind human trials has mainly involved mixtures of propionibacteria with probiotic bacteria from other genera. Clinical studies involving the use of dairy propionibacteria alone are lacking. Such studies will allow the specifically observed health benefits to be attributed to dairy propionibacteria. This, in turn, will allow the investigation of the synergistic effects with other probiotic bacteria or beneficial food components.

近年来关于双歧杆菌和乳酸菌的益生性得到了广泛的关注、 相关的研究报道较多。 尽管乳中的丙酸菌也显示具有益生菌的功能、 但并没有引起人们的重视。 本文综述了近年来关于乳源丙酸菌益生功能的研究进展。 论述的内容包括从食品安全性考虑益生菌的选择标准、 益生菌的消化极限; 以及益生菌潜在的功能性、 如对肠道中微生物菌群和代谢活性的调整作用、 促进肠道蠕动和吸收作用、 对肠炎的作用、 对免疫系统的调节作用以及潜在的对癌症因子抑制作用。 丙酸菌在乳中生产旺盛、 因此从技术层面上分析丙酸菌可以用于各种发酵食品。 在关于乳源丙酸菌益生功能性的文献报道中、 丙酸菌的一些功能性不同于双歧杆菌和乳酸菌。 然而、 在双目失明的人体试验中、 则是将来源于其他属的丙酸菌与乳源丙酸 菌混合使用。 在临床试验中通常用含丙酸菌的乳制品和不含丙酸菌的乳制品同时进行试验、 目的是证明乳源丙酸菌对人体健康的作用。 同样方法也可以调查丙酸菌与其他益生菌或食物中其他有益成分的协同作用。