Table 4.
Methods for the assessment of probiotics.
| Method | Key Applications | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Plate counting | viable cell enumeration | [65] |
| Flow cytometry | cell integrity, membrane damage (live/dead staining) |
[46,67] |
| Scanning electron microscopy | cell morphology, surface characteristics |
[46,68] |
| Laser diffraction | particle size | [46] |
| Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) | protein pattern analysis (proteins involved in biofilm formation, quorum sensing, volatile compounds production, stress response) | [68] |
| Mass spectrometry | peptide mass fingerprinting | [68] |
| Bioinformatics | protein identification, prediction of protein interaction, subcellular localization | [68] |
| RT-qPCR | gene expression | [69] |