Prebiotics

The International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) conclusions highlighted that Probiotics (living agents) and prebiotics play an integral role in health status prophylactically and therapeutically (1).

Prebiotics are non-living substances that stimulate digestion by being selectively fermented by the microbes residing in our gut. (6).

Prebiotics are usually non-digestible carbohydrates with fructooligosaccharides (FOS), inulin, galactooligosaccharides (GOS), mannanoligosaccharides (MOS), xylooligosaccharides (XOS) and human milk oligosaccharides (HMO), being Fructooligosaccharides (FOS) and Galactooligosaccharides (GOS) the most studied as well as the classically accepted ones (7, 8).

Currently, only Inulin-type fructans (ITF), galactooligosaccharides (9), and lactulose are accepted by International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) as prebiotics (8).

For prebiotics, glucans and fructans are well proven. Evidence builds on the prebiotic effects of other substances (for example, oligomers of mannose, glucose, xylose, pectin, etc., starches, human milk, and polyphenols) (4).

A Growing Interest in Identifying Alternatives to Traditional Oligosaccharide-based Prebiotic Agents Owing to Their Undesirable Attributes, Such as a Lack of Microbial Growth Specificity and Limited Inherent Bioactivity (2).

Substrates that fit with this definition include oligosaccharides (OS), polyunsaturated fatty acid, conjugated linoleic acid, plant polyphenols, and certain fermentable fibers (3). Plant polyphenols are rapidly emerging as suitable prebiotic and synbiotic candidates (2).

Plant Polyphenols are emerging as potential sources of Prebiotic and Synbiotic agents, and their Amalgamation with Probiotic Bacteria has recently been speculated to be an effective strategy in promoting host health (5).

References:

(1) Cunningham et al. 2021 Trends Microbiol. 29: 667-685
(2) Sharma & Padwad 2020 Nutrition 77: 110785
(3) Bermúdez-Humarán et al. 2019 Nutrients 11: 890
(4) Sanders et al. 2019 Nat Rev Gastroenterology & Hepatology 16(10): 605-616
(5) Banerjee & Dhar 2018 Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 22: 1-24
(6) Roberfroid et al. 2010 Br J Nutr 104: 72
(7) Marchesi et al. 2016 Gut 65: 330‑339
(8) Gibson et al. 2017 Nat. Rev. Gastroenterol. Hepatol. 14: 491-502
(9) Macfarlane et al. 2008 J Appl Microbiol 104:305–44.

see also:
Composition & Gut microbiota
Manufacturing & Prebiotics
Plant Polysaccharides / Dietary Fibers (DF) / Plant Glycans