Author(s):

Gurpreet Kaur, Gurpreet Singh, Samandeep Kaur

Abstract: Probiotic products have been used worldwide in the last decades by consumers and in clinical practice. These consist of microbial cells that provide a health advantage to their human host by improving its intestinal balance. The beneficial effects of probiotic foods on human health and nutrition are increasingly recognized by health professionals as they play an important role in immunological, digestive and respiratory functions. These have been used for the prevention and treatment of a wide range of diseases from acute gastroenteritis to intestinal neoplasia. Probiotics in the form of <em>Streptococcus thermophilus</em> and <em>Lactobacillus bulgaricus</em> in fermented milk have been ingested by humans for thousands of years. These are ingested either as a food (in yoghurt or other fermented foods) or through a supplement or medical food. Prebiotics, on the other hand, are non-digestible carbohydrates delivered in food to the large intestine to provide fermentable substrates in order to promote the growth of specific bacteria. The most common are fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS), inulin and galacto-oligosaccharides. This paper presents about probiotics and prebiotics and their impact on human health and diseases.

Pages: 30-32  |  1908 Views  331 Downloads

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