Question

If the serving size of a probiotic product is 200g/d, then the minimum probiotic count in the product shall be ________ to meet the FSSAI standards.

• A. \(5.0 \times 10^5\text{/g}\)
• B. \(1.0 \times 10^6\text{/g}\)
• C. \(1.0 \times 10^7\text{/g}\)
• D. \(5.0 \times 10^6\text{/g}\)

Hint:

Remember the FSSAI regulatory constant:
- Minimum probiotic dose per day = \(10^8\) CFU.
Simply divide \(10^8\) by the given daily serving size to find the required concentration per gram.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Probiotics are live microorganisms that, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host.
To ensure efficacy, regulatory bodies establish standards for the minimum concentration of viable probiotic cells that must be present in a product at the time of consumption.
Key Formula or Approach:
According to FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) regulations for health supplements and nutraceuticals:
The probiotic product must contain a minimum viable count of the specific probiotic strain of at least \(10^8\) Colony Forming Units (CFU) per daily serving size:
\[ \text{Minimum viable count per day} = 10^8\ \text{CFU/day} \]
Given the daily serving size in grams, the minimum concentration per gram is calculated as:
\[ \text{Minimum Count per gram} = \frac{\text{Minimum daily viable count}}{\text{Daily serving size in grams}} \]

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let us calculate the minimum concentration required using the given parameters:
- Daily serving size of the probiotic product = 200 g/day
- Minimum required viable count per daily serving under FSSAI standards = \(1 \times 10^8\ \text{CFU}\)
Substitute these values into the formula:
\[ \text{Minimum Count per gram} = \frac{1.0 \times 10^8\ \text{CFU}}{200\ \text{g}} \]
\[ \text{Minimum Count per gram} = \frac{100 \times 10^6\ \text{CFU}}{200\ \text{g}} \]
\[ \text{Minimum Count per gram} = 0.5 \times 10^6\ \text{CFU/g} \]
\[ \text{Minimum Count per gram} = 5.0 \times 10^5\ \text{CFU/g} \]
Therefore, to deliver the required therapeutic dose of \(10^8\ \text{CFU}\) per day, a 200 g serving must contain at least \(5.0 \times 10^5\ \text{CFU/g}\) of the active probiotic strain.

Step 3: Final Answer:
The minimum probiotic count required in the product is \(5.0 \times 10^5\text{/g}\), which corresponds to Option (A).