Foods containing edible probiotic bacteria, most commonly Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species, form a multi-billion-dollar industry worldwide. Currently marketed foods containing probiotics are mostly dairy based with yoghurts and fermented milks dominating the industry. Alternative foods as carriers of probiotics are being examined to reduce or eliminate lactose intolerance issues. Food categories including fruit juices, cheese, chocolate and even beer have been shown to be suitable for probiotic delivery. In addition, technologies such as encapsulation in food-grade alginate gels have allowed for improved probiotic survival in certain foodstuffs. We have explored the use of ready-to-eat vegetables such as baby spinach as carriers for commercial probiotics and found that high dose (>8 log CFU/g) can be achieved without having negative effects on appearance, taste or aroma. Leafy greens as well as other foods and beverages may be suitable probiotic containing new food products in the future.

含有食用益生菌的食物，最常见的是乳酸杆菌和双歧杆菌物种，在全球范围内形成了数十亿美元的产业。当前市售的含有益生菌的食品主要是乳制品，其中酸奶和发酵乳占主导地位。正在研究替代食品作为益生菌的载体，以减少或消除乳糖不耐症问题。包括果汁，奶酪，巧克力甚至啤酒在内的食品已被证明适合益生菌递送。另外，诸如封装在食品级藻酸盐凝胶中的技术允许某些食品中益生菌的存活期得以改善。我们已经探索了将即食蔬菜（如菠菜）用作商业益生菌的载体，并发现可以实现高剂量（> 8 log CFU / g），而不会对外观，味道或香气产生负面影响。