Figure 3: Overall framework for probiotic products.
Evidence of a health benefit is required for a probiotic, at either a strain-specific or group level, depending on the nature of the benefit. Probiotics can have different means of administration, target host species (humans and animals), target populations, target sites (gut and beyond), efficacy end points and regulatory categories. All probiotics must be safe for their intended use. Dead microbes, microbial products, microbial components do not come under the probiotic classification.
