Synbiotics in Functional Foods.
2012
Verma, Sachin Kumar | David, John | Chandra, Ramesh
Synbiotics may be defined as the combination of probiotics (the live bacteria) and prebiotics (the food components that stimulate their growth).It is a supplement that contains both, a prebiotic and a probiotic that work together to promote 'healthy microflora' in human intestine. Our gastrointestinal (GI) system is populated by a large number and variety of bacteria. Some of these (Bifidobacteria in particular) have very specific nutrient needs, and therefore by selecting specific foods or food ingredients, it is possible to increase the numbers of target bacteria. Synbiotics encourage the growth of the probiotic organism by providing the specific substrate to the probiotic organism for its fermentation. They reportedly provide health benefits which include antimicrobial, immunomodulatory, antidiarrhoeal, antiallergenic, hypolipidaemic and hypoglycaemic activities. They also help in improving mineral absorption and balance and may have anti-osteoporotic activity. A synbiotic also suppresses the development of putrefactive processes in the stomach and intestines thus preventing the occurrence of a number of serious diseases: food allergies, ulcerous colitis, constipation, diarrhea, cancers and gastrointestinal infections among others.
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