Probiotics are microbial food supplements that their consumption in specific amounts can lead to maintenance the microbial balance of gastrointestinal tract and health benefits thereof. Probiotics should be acid tolerant to survive through intestinal lumen and reach the colon to exert their effects. Therefore, some attempts like addition of prebiotics are made to improve their stress resistance and may result in suitable symbiotic pairs. In this study in vitro effects of inulin extracts from Cichorium intybus and Helianthus tuberosus was investigated on growth and viability of two probiotic strains, Lactobacillus casei and Lactobacillus rhamnosus at different pH values (2.5 , 4 and 6.2) compared to glucose. Our results indicated that the inulin fructans, from different sources having various characteristics like reducing sugar, total ash content and degree of polymerization significantly extended the survival and viability of lactobacilli strains under acidic conditions.

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