Kluyveromyces marxianus as a Probiotic Yeast: A Mini-review

Abstract

Background: Yeasts play diverse roles in human life. Since ancient times, these micro organisms have been used to produce food products and beverages including bread and beer. Nowadays, the biotechnological products of yeast are some of the main components of commercial products. Objective: Some species of yeast such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Saccharomyces boulardii are recognized as probiotic yeast with extensive applications in the food and drug industries. However, certain species like Kluyveromyces marxianus are still not recognized as probiotic micro organisms despite their widespread industrial usage. In this study, the application of K. marxianus in preparing food and the medicinal product was reviewed in terms of its beneficial or harmful effects. Methods: Pub Med, Google Scholar, Scopus, and Science Direct databases were searched by using “Probiotics”, “Yeast”, and “Kluyveromyces marxianus”. Results: The findings suggest that K. marxianus can be recognized as a probiotic yeast species. Conclusion: It can be concluded that K. marxianus may be considered as a probiotic micro organism with a variety of commercial and medical applications.