ABSTRACT
The emergence of refined molecular tools has confirmed the complexity of the gut microflora and its involvement in gastrointestinal health and diseases. The increased occurrence of antibiotic-resistant pathogens and a rising incidence of diet-related gastrointestinal disorders have prompted interests in improving gut health by dietary means. The probiotic, prebiotic, and synbiotic approaches have been developed with the aim of increasing the activities and numbers of intestinal bacterial species exerting beneficial effects in the host. A growing number of appropriate epidemiological studies and randomized clinical trials strongly support the positive effect of such microbial management strategies in chronic and acute diseases. The potential for developing new compounds with probiotic and prebiotic effects is immense. It is expected that high-throughput techniques will provide a powerful means of exploration of the gut microflora, allowing an insight of the mechanism of action
in vivo
of pro-, pre-, and synbiotics. However, there is a need for establishing the framework within which efficacy of pro-, pre-, and synbiotics can be assessed and subsequent products commercialized. In this chapter, major issues concerning the safety and efficacy of pro-, pre-, and synbiotics will be examined. The technologies now available for measuring the biological effects of pro-and prebiotics will be reviewed. Current data available from clinical studies as well as future areas of utilization will be outlined.
