简介:Fermentedfoodshavebeenconsumedforcenturiesacrossmanygeographicallocalesandhavetraditionallybeenconsideredhealthyfoods,partlybecauseofthelivemicrobescontainedinthem.Theconceptof'probiotics'furtherrequiresthatthemicrobesbedefinedandtheirhealtheffectsbedemonstratedthroughhumaninterventionstudiesorothersuitableinvestigationsbeforemarketingwithcorrespondinghealthmessages.Here,wereviewrecommendationsforfermentedfoodsandprobioticsinseveralcountriesoutsidetheEU,focusingonfood-baseddietaryguidelines.Weemphasizerecommendationsonyoghurtandprobioticsmadebyexpertbodies.Wefoundthatdietaryguidelinescommonlyadvocatetheconsumptionofyoghurtorsimilarproducts,butspecificcommentsonprobioticsarerare.Further,wereviewedguidelinesfromclinicalassociations.Ingeneral,theyacknowledgethebeneficialeffectsofprobiotics,butoftensuggesttheneedforfurtherresearch.Thisistruedespitegoodqualityevidencesupportingtheroleofprobioticsforcertainhealtheffects,suchaspreventionofeczemaininfants,managementofsideeffectsfromantibioticsandalleviationoffunctionalbowelsymptoms.Additionalresearchtosupportfuturedietaryrecommendationsshouldfocusondeterminingeffectsize,identifyingrespondersandnon-responders,clarifyingstrain-specificityofeffectsandconfirmingmechanisms.