Consider the following statements in respect of probiotics :
- 1.Probiotics are made of both bacteria and yeast.
- 2.The organisms in probiotics are found in foods we ingest but they do not naturally occur in our gut.
- 3.Probiotics help in the digestion of milk sugars.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?
Show answer
Answer: C. Statement 1 is correct: probiotics include bacteria such as Lactobacillus and yeast such as Saccharomyces boulardii. Statement 2 is wrong: many probiotic microbes naturally live in our gut. Statement 3 is correct: some probiotics help digest lactose, the milk sugar. So 1 and 3.
Watch for: Students think probiotics are only bacteria and forget useful yeasts.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Wrong because statement 3 is also correct.
- B. Wrong because probiotic microbes do occur naturally in the gut.
- D. Wrong because statement 2 is incorrect.
Source to check: US NIH National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, 'Probiotics: What You Need to Know'; FSSAI regulations on probiotic foods
Answer from the official UPSC key. Written and fact-checked by AI against the official key. Spotted a mistake? Report it.