Lactic acid-producing bacteria have long been employed in the preparation of a variety of foods and beverages, and are taken on a regular basis by asymptomatic individuals in many parts of the world in an effort to promote and maintain health. More recently, there has been increasing interest in the role of feeding nonpathogenic, viable bacteria to domesticated animals and humans to prevent and treat a variety of intestinal diseases (1) and extradigestive conditions (2).