Unveiling the Health Benefits of Prebiotics: A Comprehensive Review
- PMID: 39010994
- PMCID: PMC11246341
- DOI: 10.1007/s12088-024-01235-4
Unveiling the Health Benefits of Prebiotics: A Comprehensive Review
Abstract
Prebiotics play a pivotal role in fostering probiotics, essential contributors to the creation and maintenance of a conducive environment for beneficial microbiota within the human gut. To qualify as a prebiotic, a substance must demonstrate resilience to stomach enzymes, acidic pH levels, and intestinal bacteria, remaining unabsorbed in the digestive system while remaining accessible to gut microflora. The integration of prebiotics and probiotics into our daily diet establishes a cornerstone for optimal health, a priority for health-conscious consumers emphasizing nutrition that supports a balanced gut flora. Prebiotics offer diverse biological functions in humans, exhibiting antiobesity, antimicrobial, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, and cholesterol-lowering properties, along with preventing digestive disorders. Numerous dietary fibers possessing prebiotic attributes are inadvertently present in our diets, emphasizing the broader significance of prebiotics. It is crucial to recognize that, while all dietary fibers are prebiotics, not all prebiotics fall under the category of dietary fibers. The versatile applications of prebiotics extend across various industries, such as dairy, bakery, beverages, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and other food products. This comprehensive review provides insights into different prebiotics, encompassing their sources, chemical compositions, and applications within the food industry.
Keywords: Dietary fiber; Heath effect; Oligosaccharide; Prebiotic; Probiotics.
© Association of Microbiologists of India 2024. Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
Conflict of interest statement
Conflict of interestThe authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
References
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- FAO (2002) Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations and World Health Organization. Joint FAO/WHO working group report on drafting guidelines for the evaluation of probiotics in food
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- Codex Alimentarius Commission (2018) Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme. CODEX Committee on nutrition and foods for special dietary uses, fortieth session, Berlin, Germany, pp 1–14
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