ABSTRACT
Prebiotics are non-digestible functional ingredients that can facilitate the growth of helpful bacteria in the gut, responsible for several health benefits. The concept has thus received escalating attention from nutraceutical industries and prompted an interest toward the identification of new molecules that can promote health. Currently, edible mushrooms have emerged as an excellent source of prebiotics as they contain numerous bioactive components of which polysaccharides, β-(1→3)-D-glucans and polysaccharide-peptide/protein complexes are of special significance. The constituents cannot only tolerate gastro-intestinal (GI) conditions, but also be fermented by beneficial members of the colonic population resulting in superior production of short chain fatty acids. The consequence contributes to improved gut barrier integrity, nutrient absorption and gastrointestinal as well as systemic immunity. In this review, 272we aimed to summarize the current knowledge on the effect of macrofungi on improvement of gut dysbiosis and prevention of diabetes, osteoporosis, colitis, and metabolic disorders that may pave the way for translating the health benefits observed during investigation into real-life outcomes.
