Prebiotics: Metabolism and Symbiotic Synergy with Probiotics in Promoting Health

Abstract

Prebiotics are non-digestible food ingredients that beneficially affect the host by selectively stimulating the growth and activity of probiotic bacteria in the colon. All dietary prebiotics and/or dietary fiber provide the physiological and beneficial effects and, therefore, are considered as essential nutrients. According to the Codex Alimentarius and the Canadian Bureau of Nutritional Sciences, dietary fiber consists of carbohydrates with a degree of polymerization (DP) of three or more that naturally occur in foods of plant origin and that are not digested and absorbed by the small intestine. The same definition goes well along with the term dietary prebiotics. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)|Institute of Medicine (IOM) states that dietary fiber only comes from plant foods and anything else is regarded as "added fiber" or "novel fiber." Dietary fiber and/dietary prebiotics can be industrially produced for a broad range of food applications. They can also be processed into capsules for the purpose of microencapsulating probiotics. In this chapter, the most recognized physiological and/ or beneficial effects of the prebiotics are clarified. New evidence on the concentrations of the short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and their metabolic relationship with better health or disease prevention in the host is provided.

Wine and Non-Dairy Fermented Beverages: A Novel Source of Pro- and Prebiotics

“…In most of these foods, the prebiotics concentrations range between 0.3% and 6% of fresh weight; for chicory, these values are between 5% and 10% while in Jerusalem artichoke they can reach up to 20%. Fructooligosaccharides are mainly present in asparagus, Jerusalem artichoke, chicory, sugar beet, onion, garlic, barley, wheat, honey, banana, tomato, and rye in a concentration ranging from 0.15% to 0.75% of FOS in natural food [100][101][102]. Chemically, fructooligosaccharides are short-and medium-length chains of β-D-D-fructans in which fructosyl units are bound by β-2-1 osidic linkage.…”

“…Individual prebiotics and their sources fruit or vegetable source. Adapted from Shigwedha et al[100].…”

Preparation of Synbiotic Yogurt Sauce Containing Spirulina platensis Microalgae Extract and Its Effect on the Viability of Lactobacillus acidophilus

“…Hence, maintaining the viability and ensuring the viability of probiotic bacteria is a big challenge for producers and food industry activists [ 8 ]. Adding prebiotics to probiotic compounds results in the production of synbiotic products, which are in the category of functional foods [ 9 ].…”