Effectiveness of probiotics, prebiotics, and prebiotic‐like components in common functional foods

Abstract

The bioactive ingredients in commonly consumed foods include, but are not limited to, prebiotics, prebiotic‐like components, probiotics, and postbiotics. The bioactive ingredients in functional foods have also been associated with beneficial effects on human health. For example, they aid in shaping of gut microflora and promotion of immunity. These functional components also contribute in preventing serious diseases such as cardiovascular malfunction and tumorigenesis. However, the specific mechanisms of these positive influences on human health are still under investigation. In this review, we aim to emphasize the major contents of probiotics, prebiotics, and prebiotic‐like components commonly found in consumable functional foods, and we present an overview of direct and indirect benefits they provide on human health. The major contributors are certain families of metabolites, specifically short‐chain fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids produced by probiotics, and prebiotics, or prebiotic‐like components such as flavonoids, polyphenols, and vitamins that are found in functional foods. These functional ingredients in foods influence the gut microbiota by stimulating the growth of beneficial microbes and the production of beneficial metabolites that, in turn, have direct benefits to the host, while also providing protection from pathogens and maintaining a balanced gut ecosystem. The complex interactions that arise among functional food ingredients, human physiology, the gut microbiota, and their respective metabolic pathways have been found to minimize several factors that contribute to the incidence of chronic disease, such as inflammation oxidative stress.

Microbiota and Metabolite Modifications after Dietary Exclusion of Dairy Products and Reduced Consumption of Fermented Food in Young and Older Men

“…Dairy products comprise an important food group that has been widely investigated for its role on the gut microbiota composition [8,9]. The probiotic bacteria present in fermented dairy products include not only well-studied species, such as Bifidobacteria spp., that are added independently of the fermentation procedure, but also other lactic acid bacteria (LAB) that are frequently used as starter cultures in fermented dairy production.…”

A review: potential of resveratrol and its analogues to mitigate diseases via gut microbial modulation

“…According to the latest definition, polyphenols can be categorized as prebiotic-like components via their influence on gut microbiota, including the stimulation of beneficial gut microbes, which leads to beneficial microbial metabolite production, balances the gut ecosystem, and protects the organism from pathogens, resulting in host health benefits (Peng et al, 2020). The beneficial outcomes for gut microflora under optimal conditions may include lowering blood ammonia, modulating immune responses, and reducing cancer risks (Manning and Gibson, 2004).…”

Probiotics and gut health: linking gut homeostasis and poultry productivity

“…In fact, most probiotics appear to be potentially well tolerated by immune cells (Plaza-Díaz et al 2017). Probiotics are considered to be regulators of inflammation (Lescheid 2014;Peng et al 2020). Multiple mechanisms of action have been suggested to explain the protective and anti-inflammatory effects of probiotics in modulating intestinal inflammation.…”