Mechanisms of Prebiotic Impact on Health

Steed, H. and Macfarlane, S. (2009) Mechanisms of Prebiotic Impact on Health. In: Prebiotics and Probiotics Science and Technology. Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, New York, USA, pp. 135-161. ISBN Electronic version: 978-0-387-79058-9

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Abstract

Prebiotics were originally defined as non-digestible food ingredients that beneficially affect the host by selectively stimulating the growth and/or activities of one or a limited number of bacteria in the colon, thereby improving host health (Gibson and Roberfroid, 1995). However, a more recent definition is that ‘‘A prebiotic is a selectively fermented ingredient that allows specific changes, both in the composition and/or activity in the gastrointestinal microbiota that confers benefits upon host wellbeing and health’’ (Gibson et al., 2004). The principal concept associated with both of these definitions is that the prebiotic has a selective effect on the microbiota that results in an improvement in the health of the host. Common prebiotics in use include inulins, fructooligosaccharides (FOS), galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS), soya-oligosaccharides, xylo-oligosaccharides, pyrodextrins, isomalto-oligosaccharides and lactulose.

Item Type:	Book Section
Author Affiliation:	Department of Food Biosciences University of Reading Whiteknights, Reading UK
Subjects:	Plant Physiology and Biochemistry > Biochemistry
Divisions:	General
Depositing User:	Mr Siva Shankar
Date Deposited:	04 Jul 2012 06:04
Last Modified:	04 Jul 2012 06:05
URI:	http://eprints.icrisat.ac.in/id/eprint/6525

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