Themed collection Probiotics, Prebiotics and Gut Health

Guest editors Michael Conlon and David Topping introduce this themed collection on foods, the large bowel microbiota and health outcomes.

This review discusses in vitro available approaches to study delivery and uptake of bioactive compounds and the associated challenges.

This paper reviews the potential of prebiotic-containing foods in the prevention or postponement of certain diet-related diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases with hypercholesterolemia, osteoporosis, diabetes, gastrointestinal infections and gut inflammation.

Microbial colonization of the infant gut plays a key role in immunological and metabolic pathways impacting human health.

The microbiota inhabiting the human gastro-intestinal tract is reported to have a significant impact on the health of an individual.

Slow glucose bioavailability through neurohormonal feedback activated by location-specific nutrient deposition.

We recently identified three metabotypes (0, A and B) that depend on the metabolic profile of urolithins produced from polyphenol ellagic acid (EA).

Environmental exposure to pollutants such as heavy metals is responsible for various altered physiological functions that are detrimental to health.

This study provides a new insight into the well-recognized beneficial effects of dietary fucoidan by demonstrating its positive modulations on gut microbiota.

The attributed effects of gum odina as a novel prebiotic and immunomodulatory agent are studied.

The present study aims to investigate whether nucleotides ameliorate alcoholic liver injury and explores the possible mechanism.

Advantageous addition of a prebiotic mixture in petit-suisse cheese, improved the probiotic strains survival under gastrointestinal conditions simulated in vitro throughout 28 days of storage.

Plant-derived dietary fibre and/or flavonoids may mediate the protective effects of fruits and vegetables (F&V) in lowering the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and cancers particularly through their interaction with the gut microbiota.

Encapsulation in alginate improved the viability of lactococcal probiotics.

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of daily chewing, for 12 weeks, of 2 different probiotic gums compared with placebo on saliva flow rate, saliva IgA levels and saliva pH.

The pharmacological effects of glutinous rice (GR) and GR amylopectin (GRA) on the gastrointestine were investigated in rhubarb-induced spleen deficiency rats by determining the levels of gastrointestinal hormones such as the peptides serum gastrin, amylase motilin, and somatostatin.

Solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) can be used for oral delivery of phenolic compounds in order to protect them from the harsh conditions of digestion and improve their bioavailability in the intestinal epithelium.

Bread melanoidins are partially degraded in the small intestine and induce a dramatic decrease of enterobacteria during batch fermentation.

Human mucin films mediate the absorption of model bioactives.

The use of prebiotics such as fructans has increased in human and animal nutrition because of their productive performance and health benefits.

In order to promote ‘Valle Agricola’ lentil a thorough investigation of its biochemical and nutritional properties has been carried out.

Barley malt has been shown to give high levels of butyric acid in the cecum and serum of rats.

A Lentinula edodes-derived heteropolysaccharide L2 can partly reverse the age-altered composition of gut microbiota.

Oral administration of steamed roots of Rehmannia glutinosa Libosch for eight weeks resulted in significantly decreased waist circumference and the alteration of the gut microbial community.

This study developed a synbiotic food through the fermentation of whole oat flour with Lactobacillus plantarum TK9 and Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. Lactis V9.

The ellagic acid-derived gut microbiota metabolite, urolithin A, at concentrations achievable in the human colorectum, enhances the anticancer effects of 5-FU-chemotherapy on three different colon cancer cells.

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of prebiotic compounds (cellulose and inulin), food ingredients (milk whey, β-lactoglobulin and calcium caseinate) and several probiotic microorganisms on the bioaccessibility of beauvericin (BEA), enniatins (ENs A, A1, B, B1), deoxynivalenol (DON) and zearalenone (ZEA) present in wheat crispy bread produced with wheat flour previously fermented with F. tricinctum, F. culmorum and G. zeae.

Fructooligosaccharides (FOS), one of the most studied prebiotics, selectively stimulate the growth of health-promoting bacteria in the host.

Aloe vera mucilage is reported to be rich in acemannan that is a polysaccharide with a backbone of β-(1→4)-D-mannose residues acetylated at the C-2 and C-3 positions and contains some side chains of galactose and arabinose attached to the C-6 carbon.

Gentio-oligosaccharides (GnOS) from Leuconostoc mesenteroides NRRL B-1426 dextransucrase showed potential prebiotic activity and selective inhibition of human colon carcinoma (HT-29) cells.

We sought to evaluate whether a soy milk and fiber mixture could improve high cholesterol diet-induced changes in gut microbiota and inflammation.

E. coli Nissle 1917 probiotic extract inhibits colonic motility in the rat large intestine ex-vivo, consistent with its anti-diarrheal effect in humans.