In recent years, functional foods have been well studied for the health benefits in the population. Functional food also provides bioactive compounds with a specific benefit to health. Probiotics are live microorganisms that, when supplied in adequate amounts, confer health benefits to the host and improve the intestinal microflora. However, probiotics are sensitive to several factors during processing and ingestion. Adhesion of probiotic strains to the intestinal surface and the subsequent colonization of the human gastrointestinal tract has been suggested as an important prerequisite for probiotic action. The events underlying healthy effects are now beginning to be understood mainly from in vivo and in vitro studies of host intestinal epithelial cell or immune cell responses to probiotic strains. Therefore, the aim of this research is to evaluate the morphology and nanomechanical properties of probiotic bacteria from commercial products.

Presented By : 
Gabriela Mendoza - Applications Scientist, Park Systems

Gabriela Mendoza is an Applications Scientist at Park Systems. She developed a biosensor using AFM to detect probiotic bacteria for her PhD thesis. From 2015 to 2018 she worked as a full-time professor at UAEM (Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos). To date she has 9 scientific publications in international Journals and Editorials. Gabriela has a Postdoc in Materials Science, a Master’s degree in Science in Bioprocess and an engineering degree in Food Science.