Free Health Dissertations - 2003); (4) Live Microbial Food Supplementsnon-pathogenic And Non-toxigenic
2003); (4) live microbial food supplementsnon-pathogenic and non-toxigenic [that] retain viability during storage, and survive passage through the stomach and small bowel (Macfarlane and Cummings 1999); (5) a live microbial supplement, which beneficially affects the host by improving its microbial balance (Fuller 1991); (6) micro-organisms with specific therapeutic properties that also inhibit the growth of pathogenic bacteria (McFarland and Elmer 1995); (7) live microbial feed supplements added to appropriate food vehicles (Gibson and Fuller 2000); and (8) living micro-organisms which, upon ingestion in sufficient numbers, exert health benefits beyond basic nutrition (Bourlioux et al. 2003). In contrast to medications, which are generally used to treat existing disease, probiotics emphasise the prevention of health problems by positively altering the bacterial balance in the intestinal system, promoting good digestion of foods, boosting immunity, and increasing resistance to infection (Christie 2000). To be considered a probiotic, a product must have demonstrated beneficial physiological effects and must be safe (Nayak 2005). Probiotics are present in foods such as yoghurts and various other fermented food items, powders, tablets, liquid suspensions, and capsules. One type of probiotic may be consumed alone or may be mixed with other probiotics. (Gibson and Fuller 2000)
Gibson and Roberfroid (1995) substituted pre for the pro in probiotic signifying for or before, thus creating the term prebiotic. As with probiotics, multiple definitions have been proposed for prebiotics. Prebiotics have alternatively been defined as (1) non-digestible food ingredients which selectively stimulate the growth or activitiesof Lactobacilli or Bifidobacteria, thereby improving health (Macfarlane and Cummings 1999); (2) as dietary carbohydrates that have a selective metabolism in the colon and serve to increase numbers of bacteria seen as desirable (Gibson and Fuller 2000); (3) as a nondigestible food ingredient that beneficially affects the host by selectively stimulating the growth and/or activity of one or a limited number of bacteria in the colon (Gibson and Roberfroid 1995); (4) a dietary ingredient that reaches the large intestine in an intact form and has a specific metabolism therein, one directed toward beneficial rather than harmful bacteria (Gibson and Fuller 2000); and (5) carbohydratesthat serve as food for the bacteria but are not digestible by the host (Trankina 2002). There are common elements in most of these definitions: non-digestible materials that stimulate the growth/activity of desirable bacteria in the intestine. Gibson and Fuller (2000) confirm that Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli are the preferred bacteria targeted by prebiotics.
Dissertations - Free Health Dissertations
