Relevance of probiotic strain naming: scientific and commercial aspects of nomenclature

The reliable identification of probiotic strains is a fundamental prerequisite for correct labelling of probiotic products. Taxonomic analysis of bacterial strains consists in the attribution of genus and species names to microrganisms, and the lowest taxonomic rank recognized in bacterial taxonomy is the subspecies. However, development of investigation techniques results is a deepen comprehension of microbial biodiversity, thus evidencing the existence of intra- and sub-specific heterogeneity. Technical and taxonomic improvements are particularly useful to highlight and to detect strain-specific peculiarities, characterising the properties enable to distinguish distinct probiotic strains. Therefore, taxonomy and nomenclature appear to be relevant scientific disciplines in order to undoubtedly link each bacterial species and strains with all data available related to each organism, from their isolation until the most recent investigations. From the scientific point of view, nomenclature undergoes changes in time, which are the results of improvement in taxonomic characterization of bacteria and it may result in classification and/or name adjustments. However, changes of names might produce confusion in the consumer's perceptions of product reliability in the tracking of literature data for probiotic strains and product patenting. Issues related to the scientific and commercial aspects of bacterial taxonomy and nomenclature are discussed.