Abstract ▼ AI-Helper

Prebiotics are defined as substrates that are selectively utilized by host microorganisms conferring various health benefits. Current prebiotic researches not only focus on non-digestible oligosaccharides, but also extend to polyphenols and peptides. However, the extended scope of prebiotic research...

Prebiotics are defined as substrates that are selectively utilized by host microorganisms conferring various health benefits. Current prebiotic researches not only focus on non-digestible oligosaccharides, but also extend to polyphenols and peptides. However, the extended scope of prebiotic research pertains its original purposes: promotion of beneficial bacteria in host guts and production of valuable metabolites. Maintenance of optimal gut microflora plays a key role in host health care benefits including anti-cancer activity, immune response modulation, blood lipid level reduction, increased mineral absorption, and weight loss. With increasing probiotics markets, prebiotics have also received much attention in functional food markets. Hence, many global food companies tempt to develop new prebiotics applicable for preventing human diseases as well as modulating immune system. In this review, we discuss current status of prebiotics research, market progress, and future perspectives of prebiotics.

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