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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania » Eastern Regional Research Center » Dairy and Functional Foods Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #244499
Title: Dietary prebiotics: Current status and new definition

Author
item GIBSON, G - University Of Reading
item RASTALL, R - University Of Reading
item TOUHY, K - University Of Reading
item Hotchkiss, Arland
item DUBERT-FERRANDON, A - Harvard Medical School
item GAREAU, M - Hospital For Sick Children (SICKKIDS)
item SAULNIER, D - Texas Children'S Hospital
item BUDDINGTON, R - University Of Memphis

Submitted to: Journal of Food Science and Technology
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/27/2010
Publication Date: 5/7/2010
Citation: Gibson, G.R., Scott, K.P., Rastall, R.A., Touhy, K.M., Hotchkiss, A., Dubert-Ferrandon, A., Gareau,M., Murphy,E.F., Saulnier, D., Loh, G., Macfarlane, S., Delzenne, N., Ringel, Y., Kozianowski, G., Dickman, R., Lenoir-Wijnkoop, I., Walker, C., Buddington,R. 2010. Dietary prebiotics: Current status and new definition. Journal of Food Science and Technology Bulletin: Functional Foods 7:1-19.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: In November 2008, a group of scientists met at the 6th Meeting of the International Scientific Association of Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) in London, Ontario. The aim was to discuss the functionality of prebiotics. As a result of this, it was decided that the prebiotic field as it stands is dominated by gastrointestinal events. However, in the future it may be the case that other mixed microbial ecosystems may be modulated by a prebiotic approach, such as the oral cavity, skin, and urogenital tract. A decision was taken therefore to build upon current prebiotic status and define a niche for ‘dietary prebiotics.’ This review is co-authored by the working group of ISAPP scientists and sets the background for defining dietary prebiotics as: “A dietary prebiotic is a selectively fermented ingredient that results in specific changes, in the composition and/or activity of the gastrointestinal microbiota, thus conferring benefit(s) upon host health.”