" "http://www.nature.com/nrgastro/index.html" Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology published today the new statement on the scope and appropriate use of the term probiotic, approved by the group of experts convened by the International Scientific Association of Probiotics and Prebiotics. Dr. Francisco Guarner, researcher from the Physiology and Pathophysiology of the Digestive Tract group at Vall d’Hebron Institute of Research (VHIR), participated in this new consensus that define probiotics as bacteria or microorganisms with their functions well characterized that can be applied into medicine for their beneficial impacts on health.The previous consensus on probiotics was endorsed 12 years ago by experts convened by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO). They stated that “probiotics are live microorganisms that are thought to benefit health if administered properly”. Since then, Dr. Guarner explains that “science has advanced in the field of probiotics”, especially in the field of food, “but with little impact in clinical medicine because of the fact that most of the products developed have been food or nutritional supplements”. In November 2013, the International Scientific Association of Probiotics and Prebiotics brought together this new group of experts from different countries, in order to bring up to date the acquired knowledge in this area and propose a new consensus. The new document is based on the progress in the knowledge of the composition and biological characteristics of human microbiota. These findings have revealed the beneficial functions of number of bacteria that are not from the diet field, but may be useful in clinic medicine. For Dr. Guarner “there are reliable hopes that the use of bacteria could be useful in certain metabolic or immune system conditions”.