Define characteristics of prebiotics?
Characteristics of prebiotics
- Are non-digestible dietary/food ingredients
- Are not hydrolyzed/absorbed in the upper GIT, reach the large intestine in an intact form and have a specific metabolism therein - directed towards beneficial /advantageous bacteria than those which are adverse/detrimental for host health
- Fermented in colon
- Alter composition of colonic microbiota towards a healthier community
- May induce systemic effects beneficial to host