Probiotics are hot. Originally found primarily in dairy foods, probiotics now pop up in everything from pills to prunes. As competition mounts from other probiotic delivery vehicles, the dairy industry needs to continue to educate consumers about the benefits of dairy as a delivery vehicle for healthy bacteria.

Today’s health-conscious shoppers want to know more about the ingredients that they consume. Are they natural? Are they sustainable? What health benefits do they provide?

Over 2,300 years ago Hippocrates said, “All disease begins in the gut.” Scientists are now beginning to unravel the link between the gut, inflammation and a wide range of central nervous system disorders.

While Today’s Dietitian listed “Probiotic Push” as one of the hot nutrition trends for 2016, their synergistic partners, prebiotics, have not gained as much traction with either consumers or health professionals.

Low microbial diversity in the gut is associated with disease and poor health. One way to bolster the diversity of the gut is to consume fermented foods, including dairy foods that contain probiotics.

You know about 'live and active' cultures, and you can't avoid the talk about probiotics. The organisms used to make and enhance fermented dairy foods have specific characteristics and functions. Here's a refresher course.

Consumers are pretty savvy. Many know that probiotics promote a healthy gut. But delivering probiotics at the right level in yogurt is easier said than done. The cultures used in processing can affect the viability of probiotic bacteria.

Boomers and their children (the Millennials) are careful about what they eat. Protein and probiotic claims appeal to the younger generation. Boomers respond to heart-health claims.