The aims of the present study were: 1) to evaluate the in vitro antagonistic activity of some commercial probiotics against various pathogens residing in distinct niches throughout the GI tract and to assess the antioxidative activity of the probiotic strains; 2) to establish the efficacy of consumption of a synbiotic product containing selected commercial strains (L. fermentum ME-3, L. paracasei 8700:2, B. longum 46) and raftilose P95 in lowering the oxidative stress markers of blood (oxLDL, BDC-LDL) in healthy persons; 3) to screen the putative probiotic Lactobacillus strains of the intestinal tract for their colonizing potential using in vitro tests mimicking the GI tract conditions; 4) to assess the safety of the probiotic L. plantarum TENSIA and of previously selected strains using in vitro, animal experiments and in human studies; 5) to evaluate the survival and persistence of the Lactobacillus strains in the GI tract of healthy volunteers after consumption.
