Assess the impact of socio-demographic factors, health conditions and knowledge on the consumption of probiotic dairy products

Probiotics are considered to be one of the most important substances in functional foods and are defined as living microorganisms that, when ingested in sufficient quantities, can have a healthy effect on the host. According to this definition, probiotics must be a living microorganism and beneficial to the health of the host. Health benefits from eating probiotics include inhibiting the growth of intestinal pathogens, strengthening the immune system, reducing the risk of various cancers, improving lactose digestion, reducing oxidative stress and after-dinner blood sugar, reducing blood lipids, and treating/preventing obesity, diabetes, osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, and some allergic reactions.
probiotic microorganisms are found in a variety of foods, such as dairy products, chocolate, cereals, beverages, fruit and vegetable products, dietary supplements and pharmaceuticals. Fermented dairy products such as yogurt, cheese, beverages and desserts are the most popular carriers of probiotics in some widely publicized health-care foods, mainly because of their special nutritional, physical and chemical properties and high acidity buffering in the stomach, enabling probiotics to reach the intestines in sufficient quantities (6 to 8 (log CFU/g) or log (CFU/mL) to play a therapeutic role. Most commercially available probiotic dairy products on the market contain Lactobacillus lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria.
recent years, probiotic dairy products have experienced rapid market growth in Turkey as consumer concerns about health and diet, as well as growing global trends and challenges. A large number of studies emphasizing the beneficial effects of probiotics have improved consumers' understanding and consumption of probiotics. Understanding consumer expectations and preferences for probiotic dairy products is beneficial to both manufacturers and consumers. However, there is limited research on consumers' cognition, belief and knowledge of probiotic dairy products. Therefore, this study by Lutfiye Yilmaz-Ersan, Tulay Ozcan and Arzu Akpinar-Bayizit of the University of Uruda in Turkey analyzes consumer attitudes towards probiotic dairy products and the factors that are effective in their decision-making processes, such as socio-demographic variables, cognitive and attitude determining factors for consumers