Evaluation of bacterial contents, package labelling and antimicrobial activity of some commercial probiotic products available in local market

The global use of probiotic products has been increasing steadily. These products are therapeutically intended for the prevention or treatment of various diseases. Commercial probiotic products are diverse, however no local or international regulations are applied to control the quality of these products. Many international studies have shown a scarcity of probiotic products that comply with the international guidelines. In Iraq, there are no previous studies that have looked at probiotic products from this scope. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess whether the bacterial contents and package labels of some commercial probiotic products were correct. In addition, the study aimed to evaluate the in vitro antimicrobial activity of the isolated probiotics. Eighteen probiotic products were purchased from local community pharmacies within 7-month period. Bacterial contents were counted using culture and count method. Packages' labels were checked for contents and spelling accuracy. Antimicrobial activity was performed using conventional well-diffusion assay. Half of the eighteen products purchased from local pharmacies, did not fulfill the taxonomy and nomenclature of bacteria. 7 products (38.8%) demonstrated positive growth on culture media and none of them matched the labelled bacterial counts on their packages. Of these 7 products, it has been found that the 24 h-spent culture of product-1 was the only one that demonstrated the ability to inhibit the growth of Staphylococcus aureus in vitro. These findings necessitate the need for quality and efficacy control of these fairly expensive products. The effect of packaging and storage on the efficacy of these commercial products should also be taken into consideration.