Significance of Prebiotics, Probiotics and Synbiotics as Health Potentiators

Worldwide, the demand of synbiotic foods is growing rapidly due to the increased awareness of the consumers for their health. Synbiotic describes synergism or synergistic relationship. It is a supplement that contains both a prebiotic and probiotic component working together to improve the 'friendly flora' of the human intestine. Fermented milk products e.g. yoghurt and kefir are considered to be synbiotic products since they supply the live bacteria and the food for live bacteria to survive. However, evidently not all fermented products promote symbiosis. The best synbiotic combinations currently available include bifidobacteria and fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS), Lactobacillus GG and inulins, bifidobacteria and lactobacilli with FOS or inulins and Lactowise - Lactobacillus sporogenes and Fenumannan. For many of the potential benefits of probiotics, research is limited and only preliminary results are available.