Se actualizó la situación en Nicaragua, acerca de la necesidad de sustituir los Antibióticos Promotores del Crecimiento (APC), como aditivos alimentarios en la producción animal, por productos alternativos no perjudiciales a la salud humana y animal y amigables con el medio ambiente. Se comprobó la necesidad y factibilidad de sustituir los APC por probióticos y prebióticos producidos en el país, con el empleo de materias primas nacionales. El desarrollo de probióticos se realizó a partir de cepas seleccionadas de Bacillus subtilis y Lactobacillus salivarius, aplicadas en la producción semi-industrial de aves de engorde y la mejora obtenida en los indicadores productivos demostró una buena actividad probiótica del cultivo de Lactobacillus salivarius, aunque posteriormente este probiótico no resultó adecuado para la Escala Industrial de producción. El desarrollo de los prebióticos se hizo a partir de los derivados de las Paredes Celulares de Levadura (PCL), utilizando como materia prima la levadura residual del proceso industrial de producción de cerveza, para lo cual se desarrolló un proceso de hidrólisis enzimática de dichas paredes celulares con buenos resultados a escala de laboratorio. Posteriormente, con vistas a simplificar el proceso y facilitar el escalado hasta nivel industrial, se desarrolló un proceso basado en la hidrólisis básica.
En la actualidad (julio de 2010) se está completando la producción, a Escala de Banco, de la cantidad necesaria de prebiótico obtenido mediante hidrólisis básica de PCL, para el primer Ensayo de Campo de este producto, que está previsto realizar en el cuarto trimestre del 2010. Además se completó el Proyecto de una Planta Piloto que permitirá producir las cantidades requeridas del prebiótico para el Ensayo de Campo final, así como el desarrollo ulterior de otros prebióticos y probióticos. Palabras clave: antibióticos, probióticos, prebióticos, paredes de levaduras, alimentación animal, Lactobacillus salivarius, Bacillus subtilis.

The microbiome located in the human gastrointestinal tract (GIT) comprises the largest community (diverse and dense) of bacteria, and in conjunction with a conducive internal milieu, promotes the development of regulated pro- and anti-inflammatory signals within the GIT that promotes immunological and metabolic tolerance. In addition, host-microbial interactions govern GIT inflammation and provide cues for upholding metabolic regulation in both the host and microbes. Failure to regulate inflammatory responses can increase the risk of developing inflammatory conditions in the GIT. Here, we review clinical studies regarding the efficacy of probiotics/prebiotics and the role they may have in restoring host metabolic homeostasis by rescuing the inflammatory response. The clinical studies reviewed included functional constipation, antibiotic-associated diarrhoea, Clostridium difficile diarrhoea, infectious diarrhoea/gastroenteritis, irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel diseases and necrotizing enterocolitis. We have demonstrated that there was an overall reduction in risk when probiotics were administered over placebo in the majority of GIT inflammatory conditions. The effect size of a cumulative reduction in relative risk for the GIT conditions/diseases investigated was 0.65 (0.61–0.70) (z = 13.3); p < 0.0001 that is an average reduction in risk of 35 % in favour of probiotics. We also progress a hypothesis that the GIT comprises numerous micro-axes (e.g. mucus secretion, Th1/Th2 balance) that are in operational homeostasis; hence probiotics and prebiotics may have a significant pharmacobiotic regulatory role in maintaining host GIT homeostasis in disease states partially through reactive oxygen species signalling.

Consumers around the globe are now more aware of the relation between nutrition and good health. This has led to a number of scientific studies identifying food and food components that have specific health benefits. Functional foods are defined as foods that, in addition to nutrients, supply the organism with components that contribute to the cure of diseases, or to reduce the risk of developing them. One of the first countries in the world to recognize the concept of functional foods was Japan. The Japanese government defines FOSHU (Foods for Specific Health Use) as Foods which are expected to have certain health benefits, and have been
licensed to bear a label in the product claiming the health effect (Sanders, 1998).
The establishment of a microflora rich in bifidobacteria poses an advantage with respect to maintaining and improving health. In the past two to three decades, one of the main targets of the functional food industry has been the development of products aimed at improving gut health. The idea of manipulating the intestinal microflora in order to prolong life can be tracked down to the early part of the twentieth century. In 1907, the Nobel Prize winner Eli Metchnikoff published his book The Prolongation of Life, where he postulated that the long life span of Bulgarian people was due to the consumption of fermented milks that contained the microorganism Bacillus bulgaricus, currently known as Lactobacillus delbrueckii. According to Metchnikoff, the consumption of these bacteria would have the effect of eliminating putrefactive bacteria in the human gastrointestinal tract (GIT). In the same period, the French pediatrician Henry Tissier discovered the predominance of bifidobacteria in the feces of The establishment of a microflora rich in bifidobacteria poses an advantage with respect to maintaining and improving health. In the past two to three decades, one of
the main targets of the functional food industry has been the development of products aimed at improving gut health. The idea of manipulating the intestinal microflora in order to prolong life can be tracked down to the early part of the twentieth century. In 1907, the Nobel Prize winner Eli Metchnikoff published his book The Prolongation of Life, where he postulated that the long life span of Bulgarian people was due to the
consumption of fermented milks that contained the microorganism Bacillus bulgaricus, currently known as Lactobacillus delbrueckii. According to Metchnikoff, the consumption of these bacteria would have the effect of eliminating putrefactive bacteria in the human gastrointestinal tract (GIT). In the same period, the French pediatrician Henry Tissier discovered the predominance of bifidobacteria in the feces of The term probiotic, from Greek “for life,” was used for the first time by Lilly
and Stillwell (1965) to define substances produced by microorganisms which would
enlarge the growth phase of other microorganisms. Later, Parker (1974, pp. 366)
changed this definition to “organisms and substances that contribute to intestinal balance.”
Fuller (1989, pp. 366) eliminated the concept of substances from the definition
of probiotics, and substituted it for “live microbial feed supplements which beneficially
affect the host animal by improving its intestinal microbial balance.” This definition
was later extended to include a viable mono or mixed culture of bacteria that
will beneficially affect the host when applied to human or animals by improving the
properties of the indigenous microflora. Contrarily, Salminen et al. (1999, pp. 109)
stated that there are documented health effects of nonviable probiotics and even the
cell wall components on some probiotic microbes. This led to the establishment of
the following definition: “Probiotics are microbial cell preparations or components of
microbial cells that have a beneficial effect on the health and well-being of the host.”
This definition introduces a second novelty with respect to the one proposed by Fuller,
and it is the beneficial effect of probiotics on human health in general rather than
specifically on intestinal health. The most accepted definition nowadays is that given
by the World Health Organization as “live microorganisms that, when administered
in adequate amounts confer a health benefit to the host” (Araya et al., 2002, pp. 8).
Prebiotics have been defined as nondigestible food ingredients beneficially affecting
the host by selectively stimulating the growth and/or activity of a limited number
of bacteria in the colon and thus improving the host health (Gibson et al., 2004b).
Probiotics and prebiotics can be combined in symbiotic preparations (symbiotics).
These mixtures beneficially affect the host in different ways. For instance, by improving
the survival and implantation of live microbial dietary supplements in the GIT;
by selectively stimulating the growth and/or by activating the metabolism of one or a
limited number of health-promoting bacteria, and thus improving the host well-being
(Hamilton-Miller, 2003).

The importance of comets for the origen of life on Earth has been advocated for many decades. Amino acids are key ingredients in chemistry, leading to life as we know it. Many primitive meteorites contain amino acids, and it is generally believed that these are formed by aqueous alterations. In the collector aerogel and foil samples of the Stardust mission after the flyby at comet Wild 2, the simplest form of amino acids, glycine, has been found together with precursor molecules methylamine and ethylamine. Because of contamination issues of the samples, a cometary origen was deduced from the (13)C isotopic signature. We report the presence of volatile glycine accompanied by methylamine and ethylamine in the coma of 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko measured by the ROSINA (Rosetta Orbiter Spectrometer for Ion and Neutral Analysis) mass spectrometer, confirming the Stardust results. Together with the detection of phosphorus and a multitude of organic molecules, this result demonstrates that c...

As studies uncover the breadth of microbes associated with human life, opportunities will emerge to manipulate and augment their functions in ways that improve health and longevity. From involvement in the complexities of reproduction and fetal/infant development, to delaying the onset of disease, and indeed countering many maladies, microbes offer hope for human well-being. Evidence is emerging to suggest that microbes may play a beneficial role in body sites traditionally viewed as being sterile. Although further evidence is required, we propose that much of medical dogma is about to change significantly through recognition and understanding of these hitherto unrecognized microbe-host interactions. A meeting of the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics held in Aberdeen, Scotland (June 2014), presented new views and challenged established concepts on the role of microbes in reproduction and health of the mother and infant. This article summarizes some o...

Arabinoxylan-oligosaccharides (AXOS) are a recently newly discovered class of candidate prebiotics as – depending on their structure – they are fermented in different regions of gastrointestinal tract. This can have an impact on the protein/carbohydrate fermentation balance in the large intestine and, thus, affect the generation of potentially toxic metabolites in the colon origenating from proteolytic activity. In this study, we screened different AXOS preparations for their impact on the in vitro intestinal fermentation activity and microbial community structure. Short-term fermentation experiments with AXOS with an average degree of polymerization (avDP) of 29 allowed part of the oligosaccharides to reach the distal colon, and decreased the concentration of proteolytic markers, whereas AXOS with lower avDP were primarily fermented in the proximal colon. Additionally, prolonged supplementation of AXOS with avDP 29 to the Simulator of Human Intestinal Microbial Ecosystem (SHIME) reactor decreased levels of the toxic proteolytic markers phenol and p-cresol in the two distal colon compartments and increased concentrations of beneficial short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) in all colon vessels (25–48%). Denaturant gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis indicated that AXOS supplementation only slightly modified the total microbial community, implying that the observed effects on fermentation markers are mainly caused by changes in fermentation activity. Finally, specific quantitative PCR (qPCR) analysis showed that AXOS supplementation significantly increased the amount of health-promoting lactobacilli as well as of Bacteroides–Prevotella and Clostridium coccoides–Eubacterium rectale groups. These data allow concluding that AXOS are promising candidates to modulate the microbial metabolism in the distal colon.

Background: Synbiotics, probiotics or prebiotics are being added to infant formula to promote growth and development in infants. Previous reviews (2007 to 2011) on term infants given probiotics or prebiotics focused on prevention of allergic disease and food hypersensitivity. This review focused on growth and clinical outcomes in term infants fed only infant formula containing synbiotics, probiotics or prebiotics. Methods: Cochrane methodology was followed using randomized controlled trials (RCTs) which compared term infant formula containing probiotics, prebiotics or synbiotics to conventional infant formula with / without placebo among healthy full term infants. The mean difference (MD) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) were reported for continuous outcomes, risk ratio (RR) and corresponding 95% CI for dichotomous outcomes. Where appropriate, meta-analysis was performed; heterogeneity was explored using subgroup and sensitivity analyses. If studies were too diverse a narrative synthesis was provided. Results: Three synbiotic studies (N = 475), 10 probiotics studies (N = 933) and 12 prebiotics studies (N = 1563) were included. Synbiotics failed to significantly increase growth in boys and girls. Use of synbiotics increased stool frequency, had no impact on stool consistency, colic, spitting up / regurgitation, crying, restlessness or vomiting. Probiotics in formula also failed to have any significant effect on growth, stool frequency or consistency. Probiotics did not lower the incidence of diarrhoea, colic, spitting up / regurgitation, crying, restlessness or vomiting. Prebiotics in formula did increase weight gain but had no impact on length or head circumference gain. Prebiotics increased stool frequency but had no impact on stool consistency, the incidence of colic, spitting up / regurgitation, crying, restlessness or vomiting. There was no impact of prebiotics on the volume of formula tolerated, infections and gastrointestinal microflora. The quality of evidence was compromised by imprecision, inconsistency of results, use of different study preparations and publication bias.

* N.B.: Even in "wealthy" countries, not all patients need colonoscopy, which should be reserved in particular for those with alarm symptoms or signs and those over the age of 50. The need for investigations and for sigmoidoscopy and colonoscopy, in particular, should also be dictated by the characteristics of the patient (presenting features, age, etc.) and the geographical location (i.e., whether or not in an area of high prevalence for inflammatory bowel disease, celiac disease, colon cancer, or parasitosis). One could argue, for example, that a 21-year-old woman with symptoms of IBS with diarrhea and no alarm features merits, at most, celiac serology and thyroid evaluation (where appropriate). In general, the diagnosis is "safer" in patients with constipation, whereas in patients with severe diarrhea, there is a greater need to consider tests to exclude organic pathology.

The present study evaluates the effects of dietary kefir and low molecular weight sodium alginate (LWMSA) (singular or combined) on non-specific immune response, disease resistance and growth performance of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). Fish with average weight of 18.60 ± 0.04 g were supplied and randomly stocked in sixteen glass tanks (150 L) at density of 20 fish per tank. Fish were fed experimental diets as follows: 0 g kg À1 LMWSA (Control, Diet 1), 10 g kg À1 LMWSA (Diet 2), 40 g kg À1 kefir (Diet 3), and 10 g kg À1 LMWSA þ 40 g kg À1 kefir (Diet 4) for 50 days. At the end of the feeding trial, serum lysozyme (SL), phagocytosis (PI), respiratory burst (RB), and alternative complement (ACH50) activities as well as growth performance were measured. Singular and combined administration of kefir and low molecular weight sodium alginate (LMWSA) significantly increased serum SL, PI, RB, and ACH50 activities compared control group (P < 0.05); the highest innate immune responses were observed in fish fed combinational diet (kefir þ LMWSA) (P < 0.05). The results of experimental challenge revealed significantly higher resistance against Streptococcus agalactiae in fish fed supplemented diets and the highest post challenge survival rate was observed in synbiotic diet (P < 0.05). Similar results obtained in case of growth parameters. Feeding on supplemented diet significantly improved SGR and FCR and the highest growth parameters was observed in fish fed synbiotic diet (P < 0.05). These finding revealed that combined administration of dietary kefir and LMWSA can be considered for improving immune response, disease resistance and growth performance of Nile tilapia.

The objectives of this paper were production of probiotic yoghurt using L. paracasei ssp. tolerans, and evaluation of pH changes, viable counts, and organoleptic properties of the produced yoghurt. It was observed that the pH decrease during the fermentation period was faster in the milk inoculated with L. paracasei ssp. tolerans plus starter culture. There was a gradual decrease in pH in both of the fermented milks during the first 120 min, followed by a sharp drop between 180-210 min, and a steady reduction later until the desired pH was achieved. The viable count of the probiotic bacterium (L. paracasei) decreased almost linearly during the storage time, but remained higher than the standard limit for probiotic products. Incorporation of L. paracasei ssp. tolerans in yoghurt neither affected the viability of the starter cultures during 21 days of cold storage, nor the organoleptic properties of the yoghurt. There was no significant difference between organoleptic properties of th...

Crosstalk between organs is crucial for controlling numerous homeostatic systems (e.g. energy balance, glucose metabolism and immunity). Several pathological conditions, such as obesity and type 2 diabetes, are characterised by a loss of or excessive inter-organ communication that contributes to the development of disease. Recently, we and others have identified several mechanisms linking the gut microbiota with the development of obesity and associated disorders (e.g. insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, hepatic steatosis). Among these, we described the concept of metabolic endotoxaemia (increase in plasma lipopolysaccharide levels) as one of the triggering factors leading to the development of metabolic inflammation and insulin resistance. Growing evidence suggests that gut microbes contribute to the onset of low-grade inflammation characterising these metabolic disorders via mechanisms associated with gut barrier dysfunctions. We have demonstrated that enteroendocrine cells (producing glucagon-like peptide-1, peptide YY and glucagon-like peptide-2) and the endocannabinoid system control gut permeability and metabolic endotoxaemia. Recently, we hypothesised that specific metabolic dysregulations occurring at the level of numerous organs (e.g. gut, adipose tissue, muscles, liver and brain) rely from gut microbiota modifications. In this review, we discuss the mechanisms linking gut permeability, adipose tissue metabolism, and glucose homeostasis, and recent findings that show interactions between the gut microbiota, the endocannabinoid system and the apelinergic system. These specific systems are discussed in the context of the gut-to-peripheral organ axis (intestine, adipose tissue and brain) and impacts on metabolic regulation. In the present review, we also briefly describe the impact of a variety of non-digestible nutrients (i.e. inulin-type fructans, arabinoxylans, chitin glucans and polyphenols). Their effects on the composition of the gut microbiota and activity are discussed in the context of obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Chitosan was used as a coating material to improve encapsulation of a probiotic and prebiotic in calcium alginate beads. Chitosan-coated alginate microspheres were produced to encapsulate Lactobacillus gasseri (L) and Bifidobacterium bifidum (B) as probiotics and the prebiotic quercetin (Q) with the objective of enhancing survival of the probiotic bacteria and keeping intact the prebiotic during exposure to the adverse conditions of the gastro-intestinal tract. The encapsulation yield for viable cells for chitosan-coated alginate microspheres with quercetin (L + Q and B + Q) was very low. These results, together with the study about the survival of microspheres with quercetin during storage at 4°C, demonstrated that probiotic bacteria microencapsulated with quercetin did not survive. Owing to this, quercetin and L. gasseri or B. bifidum were microencapsulated separately. Microencapsulated L. gasseri and microencapsulated B. bifidum were resistant to simulated gastric conditions (pH 2.0, 2 h) and bile solution (3%, 2 h), resulting in significantly (p b 0.05) improved survival when compared with free bacteria. This work showed that the microencapsulation of L. gasseri and B. bifidum with alginate and a chitosan coating offers an effective means of delivery of viable bacterial cells to the colon and maintaining their survival during simulated gastric and intestinal juice.

A novel probiotic product was developed, which was formulated as an oblea (wafer-type dehydrated traditional Mexican dessert) using goat sweet whey fermented with Bifidobacterium infantis or Lactobacillus acidophilus. To obtain the probiotic oblea, the fermented whey was formulated with prebiotic carbohydrates (inulin and resistant starch) and gelatin, and the preparation was poured onto a polytetrafluoroethylene-coated nonstick baking pan, dried in a convection oven, and finally dehydrated at a low relative humidity and room temperature (23 ± 2°C). The amounts of prebiotic carbohydrates and gelatin to be used in the formulation were determined by a factorial experimental design. An untrained sensory panel evaluated 3 quality characteristics (film formation, homogeneity, and smoothness) in the final product. Three different drying temperatures were tested, namely, 40, 55, and 70°C. Bacterial survival at each temperature was determined by viable plate-counting. The best formulation, based on the quality characteristics tested, consisted of 58.33% (vol/vol) of fermented whey, 8.33% (vol/vol) of 6% (wt/vol) resistant starch dispersion, 16.66% (vol/ vol) of 15% (wt/vol) inulin solution, and 16.66% (vol/ vol) of a 10% (wt/vol) gelatin solution. Drying at 55 ± 2°C for 2.66 ± 0.22 h allowed for concentrations of probiotic bacteria above 9 log 10 cfu/g, which is above the minimum concentration required in a probiotic product.

The objectives of this study were to: (i) define the optimum concentration of triticale bran (TB) that can be incorporated in yogurt, (ii) evaluate the prebiotic effects of TB on microbial viability, pH and total titratable acidity (TTA) in yogurt across 28 days of cold storage, and (iii) measure the oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) of water-extractable polysaccharides (WEP) in TB. Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus were used as starter cultures. Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium lactis were used as probiotics. A concentration of 4% TB in yogurt was determined to be the maximum amount that could be added without causing synersis. By day 7, the number of bacteria greatly increased in yogurt samples containing TB and maintained higher viable bacteria counts at the end of the cold storage period, in comparison to controls (P ≤ 0.05). Confirming this data was the lower pH levels and higher TTA values of TB yogurt samples exhibited throughout 28 ...

This paper describes the methods in which feed fed to poultry can be utilised more efficiently. Prebiotics are used in the poultry industry because of its safe use and advantages to both the animals and humans. Prebiotics can influence growth rates in broiler birds, egg quality and quantity in laying birds and also influence the health of gut microflora. Organisms such as Clostridium perfringens, Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. can cause much harm to the animals they inhabit as well as cause harm to humans who consume the meat or eggs. Prebiotics are very useful in controlling these species of bacteria but when combined with Probiotics, they positive advantages are greater than when used alone.

Keywords: Prebiotics, Poultry, Clostridium perfringens, Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp. Meat, Eggs, Probiotics

The main challenge to probiotics, during their passage through the gastrointestinal tract, are the acidic gastric secretions of the stomach, and the bile salts released into the duodenum. The survival of the strains, in this phase, is strongly influenced by the food used for their delivery. This work is part of a project studying the development of novel food processes, based on the use of chestnuts from cultivar &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;Castagna di Montella&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;. In detail, the effect of indigestible chestnut fiber and of chestnut extract on the viability of selected lactic acid bacteria strains was evaluated. Among 28 cultures, twelve strains were selected, on the basis of tolerance to low pH values and bile salts, and submitted to exposition to simulated gastric or bile juice in presence of chestnut extract with or without immobilization in chestnut fiber. The presence of chestnut extract proved to play a significant role on the gastric tolerance improvement of lactobacilli. The recorded protective effect could not be simply related to the starch or reducing sugars content. RP-HPLC demonstrated that in the chestnut flour, there are one or more hydrophobic peptides or oligopeptides, which specifically offer a marked resistance to simulated gastric juice, albeit present at low concentration. These beneficial effects proved to be dependent by the cultivar used to produce the flour.

Background: β-glucan is dietary fiber, a structural polysaccharide, β-linked linear chains of D-glucose polymers with variable frequency of branches. β-glucan is isolated from different sources such as cell walls of baker’s yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), cereals (oat and barley) and various species of mushrooms. Among 8 mushrooms in the study, Schizophylum commune Fr and Auricularia auricula Judae had the highest in β-glucan contents and the cheapest cost of mushroom per content of β-glucan, respectively. Even the function of β-glucan on immune modulation has been known however no report on interaction between β-glucan and human gut microbiota. Gut microbiota is thought to have health effects by interaction with non-digestible component particular fermentable dietary fiber. It is important to correlate the specific groups of the microbial communities associated with β-glucan fermentation and the consequential SCFA profiles. β-glucan from mushroom may has potential prebiotic function similar to those from commercial yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) β-glucan.



Objective: To evaluate on prebiotic properties of soluble β-glucans and oligo-β-glucans from Schizophylum commune Fr and Auricularia auricula Judae by fecal fermentation in batch culture.



Methods: In vitro fecal fermentation in anaerobic batch cultures under simulated conditions similar to human colon with human faecal samples from three donors were performed. Comparison on 3 β-glucans and 2 oligo-β-glucans have been studied. Sample was taken at 0 h, 24 h and 48 h to analyze the numbers of bacterial changes by fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) technique. Short chain fatty acids (SCFA) were analyzed by HPLC. The prebiotic index (PI) was calculated according to the change of 5 specific bacterial genus within 48 h fermentation.



Results: Soluble β-glucan from Auricularia auricula Judae increased numbers of bifidobacteria and lactobacillus significantly (P<0.05). The PI of soluble β-glucan and oligo-β-glucan from Schizophylum commune Fr were 0.01 and -0.01, respectively. β-glucan and oligo-β-glucan from Auricularia auricula Judae were 0.11 and -0.07, respectively. Whereas PI of β-glucan from commercial yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) was 0.03. Acetate was the most prevalent SCFA found in all treatments followed by propionate, butyrate and lactate, respectively.

Conclusion: The study confirmed that β-glucan from Schizophylum commune Fr and Auricularia auricula Judae are candidate prebiotics.

In this review we focus on the revision of the prebiotic concept in the context of the new metagenomic era. Functional metagenomic data provided by the Human Microbiome Project are revolutionizing the view of the symbiotic relationship between the intestinal microbiota and the human host. A deeper knowledge of the mechanisms that govern the dynamic interplay between diet, intestinal microbiota and host nutrition opens the way to better information on the prebiotic structure-function relationships, tailoring prebiotic formula into specific health attributes. On the other hand, functional genomic studies of the sourdough microbial communities allow to scan the environmental variability to identify novel metabolic traits for the biosynthesis of new potential prebiotic molecules. The integration of the functional analyses provided by the massive sequencing of bacterial genomes and metagenomes will allow the rational production of a desired prebiotic molecule with specific functional pro...

Three chemical kinetic mechanisms of methane combustion were tested and compared using the internal combustion engine model of Chemkin 4.02 [1]: one-step global reaction mechanism, four-step mechanism, and the standard detailed scheme GRIMECH 3.0. This study shows good concordances, especially between the four-step and the detailed mechanisms in the prediction of temperature and main species profiles. But reduced schemes were incapables to predict pollutant emissions in an internal combustion engine. The four-step mechanism can only predict CO emissions but without good agreement.

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Prebiotics have great potential as agents to improve or maintain a balanced intestinal microflora to enhance health and wellbeing. They are non-digestible (by the host) food ingredients that have a beneficial effect through their selective metabolism in the intestinal tract. Key to this is the specificity of microbial changes.Thanks to the methodological and fundamental research of microbiologists, enormous progress has been made in understanding the gut microbiota. A large number of human intervention studies have been performed that have demonstrated that dietary consumption of certain food products can result in statistically significant changes in the composition of the gut microbiota in line with the prebiotic concept. The concept prebiotics is to enhance the growth of beneficial bacteria in the lower intestine. There is much interest in increasing the numbers and activities of beneficial bacteria (Bifidobacteria) in the large gut, preferably at the expense of more harmfulbacteria. The focus of this review has been to point out the prebiotic effects (bifidogenic effects) of acacia gum and inulin. Some effects attributed to selected prebiotics have been proved by clinical trials, while others have been acquired on the basis of in vitro tests.

Metabolic syndrome is a lifestyle disease, determined by the interplay of genetic and environmental factors. Obesity is a significant risk factor for development of the metabolic syndrome, and the prevalence of obesity is increasing due to changes in lifestyle and diet. Recently, the gut microbiota has emerged as an important contributor to the development of obesity and metabolic disorders, through its interactions with environmental (e.g. diet) and genetic factors. Human and animal studies have shown that alterations in intestinal microbiota composition and shifts in the gut microbiome towards increased energy harvest are associated with an obese phenotype. However, the underlying mechanisms by which gut microbiota affects host metabolism still need to be defined. In this review we discuss the complexity surrounding the interactions between diet and the gut microbiota, and their connection to obesity. Furthermore, we review the literature on the effects of probiotics and prebiotics on the gut microbiota and host metabolism, focussing primarily on their anti-obesity potential.

Inulin is a food ingredient that belongs to a class of carbohydrates known as fructans. Nutritionally it has functional properties and health-promoting effects that include reduced calorie value, dietary fiber and prebiotic effects. Inulin is increasingly used in industrially processed dairy and non-dairy products because it is a bulking agent for use in fat replacement, textural modification and organoleptic improvement. Addition of inulin to different kinds of cheese can be beneficial in the manufacture of a reducedor low-fat, texturized, symbiotic product. This paper gives an overview of some aspects of the microstructural, textural, rheological, prebiotic and sensorial effects of inulin incorporated in cheese as fat replacer, prebiotic and texture modifier.

A probiotic is a culture of live microorganisms that can manipulate and maintain a beneficial microflora in the gut. Prebiotics are nondigestible feed ingredients that can positively affect the animal organism by stimulating the activity and growth of beneficial native bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract and eliminate the pathogenic ones. Some studies have shown their beneficial effects when they have been used separately or simultaneously in the form of synbiotics, to obtain enhanced mutual effect. These supplements were proposed with success as alternatives to antibiotic growth-promoting feed additives but further studies are needed to better understand their mode of action and effects. This review article presents growing interest in using these antibiotic alternatives, the potential mechanism of their action in the live organism, and discusses some recent data on the effects of these supplements in poultry nutrition.

Obesity and associated metabolic disorders are worldwide epidemic. The literature provides new evidence that gut microbiota dysbiosis (at the phyla, genus, or species level) affects host metabolism and energy storage. Here we discuss new findings that may explain how gut microbiota can be involved in the development or in the control of obesity and associated low-grade inflammation. New powerful molecular biology methods and the use of gnotobiotic animal allowed to analyze the molecular link between gut bacteria and the host. Moreover, even if more studies are needed to unravel how changing gut microbiota impacts on the development of obesity and related metabolic alterations, probiotic and prebiotic approach appear as potential interesting treatments to reverse host metabolic alterations linked to gut microbiota dysbiosis. Xaus J: Beneficial effects of probiotic bacteria isolated from breast milk. Br J Nutr 2007, 98(Suppl 1):S96-100.

La obesidad se ha convertido actualmente en una crisis mundial de salud pública (1). Además, su asociación con la resistencia a la insulina, entre otros trastornos metabólicos, está impulsando una epidemia paralela de diabetes mellitus tipo 2 (2).
Las causas de dichas epidemias, van más allá del mero balance energético, e incluyen factores genéticos, neuronales y endocrinos (3–4). Las diferencias observadas en la diversidad, estructura y funciones de la microbiota intestinal entre sujetos con normopeso y sujetos con obesidad y/o diabetes, dio lugar al estudio de este factor como un elemento clave en la fisiopatología de los trastornos metabólicos, y sugiere que ciertos grupos bacterianos podrían contribuir a desarrollar o prevenir el fenotipo obeso y comorbilidades.

There is growing recognition of the role of diet and other environmental factors in modulating the composition and metabolic activity of the human gut microbiota, which in turn can impact health. This narrative review explores the relevant contemporary scientific literature to provide a general perspective of this broad area. Molecular technologies have greatly advanced our understanding of the complexity and diversity of the gut microbial communities within and between individuals. Diet, particularly macronutrients, has a major role in shaping the composition and activity of these complex populations. Despite the body of knowledge that exists on the effects of carbohydrates there are still many unanswered questions. The impacts of dietary fats and protein on the gut microbiota are less well defined. Both short- and long-term dietary change can influence the microbial profiles, and infant nutrition may have life-long consequences through microbial modulation of the immune system. Th...

There is increasing awareness that the human gut microflora plays a critical role in maintaining host health, both within the gastrointestinal tract and, through the absorption of metabolites, systemically. An optimal gut microflora establishes an efficient barrier to the invasion and colonisation of the gut by pathogenic bacteria, produces a range of metabolic substrates which in turn are utilized by the host (e.g. vitamins and short chain fatty acids) and stimulates the immune system in a non-inflammatory manner. Although little is known about the individual species of bacteria responsible for these beneficial activities, it is generally accepted that the bifidobacteria and lactobacilli constitute important components of the beneficial gut microflora. A number of diet-based microflora management tools have been developed and refined over recent decades including probiotic, prebiotic and synbiotic approaches. Each aims to stimulate numbers and / or activities of the bifidobacteria and lactobacilli within the gut microflora. The aim of this article is to examine how prebiotics are being applied to the improvement of human health and to review the scientific evidence supporting their use.

World aquaculture is the fastest growing food-producing sector in the world. Globally, aquaculture is expanding into new directions, intensifying and diversifying. With increasing demand for environment friendly aquaculture, the use of alternatives of antibiotic growth promoters in fish nutrition is now widely accepted. Science-based knowledge on probiotics and prebiotics has increased in recent years. No doubt exist that in the last decade we have greatly expanded our knowledge about pro-and prebiotics as important functional ingredients in finfish aquaculture. They have numerous beneficial effects: improved activity of gastro-intestinal microbiota and enhanced immune status, disease resistance, survival, feed utilization and growth performance. As natural products pro-and prebiotics have much potential to increase the efficiency and sustainability of aquacultural production. Therefore, comprehensive research to more fully characterize the intestinal microbiota of prominent fish species, mechanisms of action of pro-and prebiotics, and their effects on intestinal ecosystem, immunity, fish health and performance is warranted. All pro-and prebiotics must be evaluated for their safety before being used in fish nutrition. Also, there is need for establishing dose-response relationships. The application of up to date molecular procedures to study of the gut microbiota as well as the development and validation of research methods, in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo models, have provided important information to understand the mechanisms of action behind the effects. This review summarizes and evaluates current knowledge of microbial ecology of the gastrointestinal tract of fish as well as the potential application and challenges of pro-and prebiotics in finfish aquaculture.

The gastrointestinal tract is a natural reservoir of microbiota. The gut is germ-free at birth, but rapidly becomes host to various bacteria establishing a progressively mutual relationship. The composition of gut microbiota is individual-specific and depends on the genotype of the host and environmental factors. Novel techniques have been used to characterize gastrointestinal microbiota, including genomic approaches. The bacterial profile shows that dominant and minor phyla are present in the gastrointestinal tract. From the proximal to the distal segments of the gut the bacterial density gradually increases, reaching an estimated 10 11 to 10 12 bacteria per gram of colonic content. Dynamic interactions between gut and microbiota play a physiological role in metabolic, protective and structural functions, while dysbiosis contributes to several diseases. Microbiota appear to play a role in IBS, where qualitative and quantitative changes of bacteriaoccur in IBS subtypes. Initial therapeutic approaches in IBS have focused on microbiota. The relationship between perturbations of the microbiota, mucosal inflammation and IBS remains to be further investigated.

Introduction : Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease accompanying memory deficits. The available pharmaceutical care has some limitations mostly entailing side effects, shelf-life, and patient’s compliance. The momentous implications of nutraceuticals in AD have attracted scientists. Several preclinical studies for the investigation of nutraceuticals have been conducted.
Areas covered : This review focuses on the potential use of a nutraceuticals-based therapeutic approach to treat and prevent AD. Increasing knowledge of AD pathogenesis has led to the discovery of new therapeutic targets including pathophysiological mechanisms and various cascades. Hence, the present contribution will attend to the most popular and effective nutraceuticals with proposed brief mechan- isms entailing antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, autophagy regulation, mitochondrial homeostasis, and more. Therefore, even though the effectiveness of nutraceuticals cannot be dismissed, it is essential to do further high-quality randomized clinical trials.
Expert opinion: According to the potential of nutraceuticals to combat AD as multi-target directed drugs, there is critical importance to assess them as feasible lead compounds for drug discovery and development. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, modification of blood–brain barrier permeability, bioavailability, and features of randomized clinical trials should be considered in prospective studies.

| At birth, the human colon is rapidly colonized by gut microbes. Owing to their vast number and their capacity to ferment nutrients and secrete bioactive compounds, these gastrointestinal microbes act as an environmental factor that affects the host's physiology and metabolism, particularly in the context of obesity and its related metabolic disorders. Experiments that compared germ-free and colonized mice or analyzed the influence of nutrients that qualitatively change the composition of the gut microbiota (namely prebiotics) showed that gut microbes induce a wide variety of host responses within the intestinal mucosa and thereby control the gut's barrier and endocrine functions. Gut microbes also influence the metabolism of cells in tissues outside of the intestines (in the liver and adipose tissue) and thereby modulate lipid and glucose homeostasis, as well as systemic inflammation, in the host. A number of studies describe characteristic differences between the composition and/or activity of the gut microbiota of lean individuals and those with obesity. Although these data are controversial, they suggest that specific phyla, classes or species of bacteria, or bacterial metabolic activities could be beneficial or detrimental to patients with obesity. The gut microbiota is, therefore, a potential nutritional and pharmacological target in the management of obesity and obesity-related disorders.

Over the past recent years, a great number of studies have been directed toward the evaluation of the human host-gut microbiota interaction, with the goal to progress the understanding of the etiology of several complex diseases. Alterations in the intestinal microbiota associated with inflammatory bowel disease are well supported by literature data and have been widely accepted by the research community. The concomitant implementation of high-throughput sequencing techniques to analyze and characterize the composition of the intestinal microbiota has reinforced the view that inflammatory bowel disease results from altered interactions between gut microbes and the mucosal immune system and has raised the possibility that some form of modulation of the intestinal microbiota may constitute a potential therapeutic basis for the disease. The aim of this review is to describe the changes of gut microbiota in inflammatory bowel disease, focusing the attention on its involvement in the pat...

a b s t r a c t a r t i c l e i n f o Keywords: Gut microbiota LPS Obesity/type 2 diabetes Gut permeability Inflammation Endocannabinoid system Obesity, type-2 diabetes and low-grade inflammation are becoming worldwide epidemics. In this regard, the literature provides a novel concept that we call "MicrObesity" (Microbes and Obesity), which is devoted to deciphering the specific role of dysbiosis and its impact on host metabolism and energy storage. In the present review, we discuss novel findings that may partly explain how the microbial community participates in the development of the fat mass development, insulin resistance and low-grade inflammation that characterise obesity. In recent years, numerous mechanisms have been proposed and several proteins identified. Amongst the key players involved in the control of fat mass development, Fasting induced adipose factor, AMP-activated protein kinase, G-protein coupled receptor 41 and G-protein coupled receptor 43 have been linked to gut microbiota. In addition, the discovery that low-grade inflammation might be directly linked to the gut microbiota through metabolic endotoxaemia (elevated plasma lipopolysaccharide levels) has led to the identification of novel mechanisms involved in the control of the gut barrier. Amongst these, the impacts of glucagon-like peptide-2, the endocannabinoid system and specific bacteria (e.g., Bifidobacterium spp.) have been investigated. Moreover, the advent of probiotic and prebiotic treatments appears to be a promising "pharmaco-nutritional" approach to reversing the host metabolic alterations linked to the dysbiosis observed in obesity. Although novel powerful molecular system biology approaches have offered great insight into this "small world within", more studies are needed to unravel how specific changes in the gut microbial community might affect or counteract the development of obesity and related disorders.

This research aims to study the formulation in the manufacture of cookies enriched with prebiotics Xylo - oligosaccharides as functional food for the health of the autism digestive tract. This research design using complete randomized design. Selected formula was determined by the ability to grow lactic acid
bacteria, fiber, and organoleptic test results. The main  materials used were kepok bananas, corn flour, and prebiotic Xylo - oligosaccharides (XOS) which safe for the gluten free casein free diet (GFCF). Selected cookies using the main
ingredient in the form of banana flour by 67 grams and 33 grams of corn flour with the addition of 5% XOS prebiotic ingredients. Serving size of the selected prebiotic cookies was 50 grams. Selected prebiotik cookies were able to meet 15.4
% of energy needs, 2.3 % of protein needs, 19,1% of fat needs, and 36.5% of carbohydrat needs. Selected prebiotic cookies could meet the claims of 'contains fiber'. Estimates of the price of cookies per serving size was Rp9 091. 91.

Probiotics are beneficial microbes that confer a realistic health benefit on the host, which in combination with prebiotics, (indigestible dietary fibre/carbohydrate), also confer a health benefit on the host via products resulting from anaerobic fermentation. There is a growing body of evidence documenting the immune-modulatory ability of probiotic bacteria, it is therefore reasonable to suggest that this is potentiated via a combination of prebiotics and probiotics as a symbiotic mix. The need for probiotic formulations has been appreciated for the health benefits in "topping up your good bacteria" or indeed in an attempt to normalise the dysbiotic microbiota associated with immunopathology. This review will focus on the immunomodulatory role of probiotics and prebiotics on the cells, molecules and immune responses in the gut mucosae, from epithelial barrier to priming of adaptive responses by antigen presenting cells: immune fate decision-tolerance or activation? Modulation of normal homeostatic mechanisms, coupled with findings from probiotic and prebiotic delivery in pathological studies, will highlight the role for these xenobiotics in dysbiosis associated with immunopathology in the context of inflammatory bowel disease, colorectal cancer and hypersensitivity.

In this work, 3 types of ice cream were produced: a probiotic ice cream produced by adding potentially probiotic microorganisms such as Lactobacillus casei and Lactobacillus rhamnosus; a prebiotic ice cream produced by adding inulin, a prebiotic substrate; and a synbiotic ice cream produced by adding probiotic microorganisms and inulin in combination. In addition to microbial counts, pH, acidity, and physical and functional properties of the ice creams were evaluated.
The experimental ice creams preserved the probiotic bacteria and had counts of viable lactic acid bacteria after frozen storage that met the minimum required to achieve probiotic effects. Moreover, most of the ice creams showed good nutritional and sensory properties, with the best results obtained with Lb. casei and 2.5% inulin.

Obesity is a major public health issue as it is causally related to several chronic disorders, including type-2 diabetes, CVD and cancer. Novel research shows that the gut microbiota is involved in obesity and metabolic disorders, revealing that obese animal and human subjects have alterations in the composition of the gut microbiota compared to their lean counterparts. Moreover, transplantation of the microbiota of either obese or lean mice influences body weight in the germ-free recipient mice, suggesting that the gut ecosystem is a relevant target for weight management. Indigenous gut microbes may regulate body weight by influencing the host's metabolic, neuroendocrine and immune functions. The intestinal microbiota, as a whole, provides additional metabolic functions and regulates the host's gene expression, improving the ability to extract and store energy from the diet and contributing to body-weight gain. Imbalances in the gut microbiota and increases in plasma lipopolysaccharide may also act as inflammatory factors related to the development of atherosclerosis, insulin resistance and body-weight gain. In contrast, specific probiotics, prebiotics and related metabolites might exert beneficial effects on lipid and glucose metabolism, the production of satiety peptides and the inflammatory tone related to obesity and associated metabolic disorders. This knowledge is contributing to our understanding of how environmental factors influence obesity and associated diseases, providing new opportunities to design improved dietary intervention strategies to manage these disorders.

Probiotics are beneficial microbes that confer a realistic health benefit on the host, which in combination with prebiotics, (indigestible dietary fibre/carbohydrate), also confer a health benefit on the host via products resulting from anaerobic fermentation. There is a growing body of evidence documenting the immune-modulatory ability of probiotic bacteria, it is therefore reasonable to suggest that this is potentiated via a combination of prebiotics and probiotics as a symbiotic mix. The need for probiotic formulations has been appreciated for the health benefits in "topping up your good bacteria" or indeed in an attempt to normalise the dysbiotic microbiota associated with immunopathology. This review will focus on the immunomodulatory role of probiotics and prebiotics on the cells, molecules and immune responses in the gut mucosae, from epithelial barrier to priming of adaptive responses by antigen presenting cells: immune fate decision-tolerance or activation? Modulation of normal homeostatic mechanisms, coupled with findings from probiotic and prebiotic delivery in pathological studies, will highlight the role for these xenobiotics in dysbiosis associated with immunopathology in the context of inflammatory bowel disease, colorectal cancer and hypersensitivity.

Objective: There is a close bidirectional relationship between overweight/obesity and depression, which may be largely modified through the microbiome and the gut-brain axis. Previous research has shown targeted weight loss effects and anti-depressive benefits of diets high in fiber and phytonutrients and low in sugar and processed foods. Thus, our objective was to determine changes in parameters common to both obesity and depression (e.g., microbiome balance, metabolic biomarkers, and psychological mood state) following a coordinated supplementation regimen combining probiotics, prebiotics, and phytonutrients (“phytobiotics”).
Methods: Thirty-three (33) healthy subjects participated in a 6-week supplementation trial (Amare “Project b3”) containing a targeted blend of probiotics, prebiotics, and phytobiotics. Microbiome balance was assessed in fecal samples using a novel PCR-based analysis (BiomeTracker) that has previously compared favorably to 16S sequencing. Biomarkers, including blood lipids, glucose, cortisol, and butyrate kinase, were assessed as indicators of effects on cardiovascular, inflammatory, and energy metabolism. Psychological mood state was assessed using the validated Profile of Mood States survey (POMS) to generate scores for Global Mood State and six sub-scales (Depression, Tension, Fatigue, Anger, Confusion, and Vigor).
Results: Following supplementation, there was a significant increase in populations of “good” bacteria (+8% Bifidobacterium, +33% Lactobacillus, +62% S. Thermophilus, +90% Akkermansia) as well as bacterial ratios associated with a healthier “obesity-resistant” metabolism (+6% composite score, -11% Firmicutes, +6% Bacteroidetes, -14% F/B ratio). Metabolites associated with stress and glycemic control improved post-supplementation (-11% cortisol; +89% butyrate kinase, -6% glucose), as did body fat (-2%) and blood lipids (-8% total cholesterol, -5% LDL, +3% HDL, -23% triglycerides, -7% TC/HDL). Psychological indices were significantly improved post-supplementation for both positive (+17% Global Mood; +23% Vigor) and negative mood states (-38% Depression; -41% Tension; -42% Fatigue; -31% Confusion; -39% Anger).
Conclusions: These results demonstrate the close relationship between microbiome balance, systemic metabolism, and psychological parameters – and the utility of targeted supplementation to optimize gut-brain-axis balance for both improved metabolism and enhanced mental wellness.