Probiotics may be defined as microbial agents that can benefit humans and have been used primarily by mankind in fermented foods. A representative of probiotics is lactic acid bacteria (LAB), which has received attention recently due to its perceived health benefits. We reviewed research papers about Bifidobacerium and Lactobacillus, which are two of the most known of the LAB. Bifidobacerium alleviates diarrhea from various causes by improving intestinal microflora, and it has been reported that it reduces Helicobacter pylori bacteria known as the cause of gastric ulcer and stomach cancer. Bifidobacerium has also reported to be effective on immunization and allergy, reduce blood cholesterol, cancer, lactose intolerance. Lactobacillus alleviates diarrhea but has not fully demonstrated its effectiveness relative to other health issues. Several lactic acid bacteria and yeast are expected to act as probiotics, so, in the future, more research on the health benefits of lactic acid bacteria is needed.

In order to optimize the quality of pine sprout tea, its chemical properties were analyzed and the yeasts associated with the quality of pine sprout tea during the storage were isolated and identified. In proximate composition moisture content was 20.13%, but other components except sugar were relatively low. Sugars such as glucose(30.15%), fructose(19.57%), and sucrose(9.27%) were major sugars which contained up to 76.73%. Total vitamin C and soluble tannin contents were 11.31 mg% and 68.31 mg%, respectively. Thirteen kinds of free amino acids were detected, but they were contained only in trace. In fatty acid composition 64.69% of fatty aids composed mainly of saturated fatty acids and major fatty acids were oleic acid, palmitic acid, and tricosaenoic acid. Among 8 mineral elements detected, calcium content was highest with 79.00 mg% and followed by potassium(45.16 mg%) and magnesium(8.93 mg%). The sweetness of pine sprout tea was gradually decreased from 70˚ Brix to 63˚ Brix and 3.2% of ethanol at the initial concentration was increased to 6.0% during the storage of 40 days. The yeasts associated with the quality and alcohol formation of pine sprout tea during the storage were identified by Biolog MicrostationlTM system, as Zygosaccharomyces rouxii, Kluyveromyces lodderae, Kluyveromyces wickerhamii, and Pichia fluxuum.