An Old World bread-baking company and a modern-age biotech company have joined forces to create what they say is the first probiotic bread in North America and probably the first such bread line in the world.

Orlando Baking Co. and Ganeden Biotech, both based in Ohio, are selling the new product this month, only at Heinen's stores, reported Ohio.com.

Until recently, probiotics in foods were generally found only in yogurt and other dairy products. The microorganisms, which contain beneficial bacteria or yeasts that help people digest dairy products and manage intestinal diseases, as well as enhance the functioning of the immune system, occur naturally in yogurt. But the live cultures couldn't survive extreme temperatures, so baking or freezing foods containing probiotics was out.

U.S. sales of probiotic foods reached $700 million in 2010, according to food industry trade groups, and they are growing at the rate of about 7 per cent a year.