Prebiotics are non-digestible fiber compounds that pass undigested through the upper part of the gastrointestinal tract and stimulate the growth and/or activity of advantageous bacteria that colonize the large bowel by acting as substrate for them. They were first identified and named by Marcel Roberfroid in 1995.[1] As a functional food component, prebiotics, like probiotics,
are conceptually intermediate between foods and drugs. Depending on the
jurisdiction, they typically receive an intermediate level of
regulatory scrutiny, in particular of the health claims made concerning them.
Roberfroid offered a refined definition in the March 2007 Journal of Nutrition[2] stating:
A prebiotic is a selectively fermented ingredient that allowsAdditionally, in his 2007 revisit of prebiotics, Roberfroid stated
specific changes, both in the composition and/or activity in the
gastrointestinal microflora that confers benefits upon host well-being
and health.
that only two particular prebiotics then fully met this definition:
trans-galactooligosaccharide and inulin.[3] Other authorities also classify fructooligosaccharide (FOS) and lactulose as prebiotics. Mannan Oligosaccharides (MOS) have been termed as prebiotics but would more correctly be termed immunosaccharides.
Researchers now also focus on the distinction between short-chain,
long-chain, and full-spectrum prebiotics. "Short-chain" prebiotics, e.g.
oligofructose, contain 2–8 links per saccharide molecule and are
typically fermented more quickly in the right side
of the colon providing nourishment to the bacteria in that area.
Longer-chain prebiotics, e.g. inulin, contain 9-64 links per saccharide
molecule, and tend to be fermented more slowly, nourishing bacteria
predominantly in the left-side colon.
Full-spectrum prebiotics provide the full range of molecular
link-lengths from 2-64 links per molecule, and nourish bacteria
throughout the colon, e.g. Oligofructose-Enriched Inulin (OEI). The
majority of research done on prebiotics is based on full-spectrum
prebiotics, typically using OEI as the research substance.[4][5][6][7][8]
