Prebiotics: Prebiotics are “non-dig

Prebiotics: Prebiotics are “non-digestible food ingredients that beneficially affect the host by selectively stimulating the growth and/or activity of one or a limited number of bacteria in the colon” . For a dietary substrate to be classed as prebiotic, criteria required are : The substrate must not be hydrolyzed or absorbed in the stomach or small intestine; it must be selective for beneficial commensal bacteria in the large intestine such as the bifidobacteria, Fermentation of the substrate should induce beneficial luminal/systemic effects within the host.
The rationale behind prebiotic use is to elevate the endogenous numbers of beneficial bacterial strains including lactobacillus and bifidobacterium . This increase will impart the beneficial effects seen by probiotic administration, including an increase in SCFA production, particularly butyrate, which can provide fuel for enterocytes, prevention of pathogenic adherence, production of anti-bacterial substances, and decreased luminal pH .Examples of Prebiotics are shown in Table 2.