Provide funds for Dr. Glenn Gibson to visit NSRDEC
Abstract
The human gut is an intensively colonised area containing bacteria that are health promoting, as well as pathogenic. This has led to functional food developments that fortify the former at the expense of the latter. Probiotics have a long history of use in humans as live microbial feed additions. In contrast, a prebiotic is a non-digestible food ingredient that beneficially affects the host by targeting indigenous components thought to be positive. Dietary carbohydrates, such as fibers are candidate prebiotics but most promise has been realized with oligosaccharides. As prebiotics exploit non-viable food ingredients, their applicability in diets is wide ranging. Main prebiolic targets at the moment are bifidobacteria and lactobacilli (although this is changing as our knowledge of the microbiota diversity and functionality expands). Any dietary component that reaches the colon intact is a potential prebiotic, however much of the interest in the development of prebiotics is aimed at non-digestible oligosaccharides such as inulin type fructooligosacchariedes (FOS) and traos-galactooligosaccharides (TOS). In Europe, FOS and TOS have been shown to be prebiotics, through numerous volunteer trials, as evidence by their ability to positively change the gut flora composition after a short feeding period. Other prebiotics are emerging. Some prebiotics occur naturally in several foods such as leek, asparagus, chicory, Jerusalem artichoke, garlic, artichoke, onion, wheat, banana and oats. However, these foods contain only trace levels, so developments have taken the approach of removing the active ingredients from such sources and adding them to more frequently consumed products in order to attain levels whereby a prebiotic effect may occur, e.g. cereals, confectionery, biscuits, yoghurts, table spreads, bread, sauces, drinks, etc. As gastrointestinal disorders are prevalent in terms of human health, both probiotics and prebiotics serve an important role in the prophylactic management of various acute and chronic gut derived conditions. Examples include protection from gastroenteritis and some inflammatory conditions, including obesity. รก The purpose of these discussions is to assess possible military applications of prebiotics (and probiotics). We will explore gut model use as screening tools of efficacy; types of dietary intervention; methods of analysis; delivery systems; healthcare outcomes for the warfighter (including cognitive function) and how to demonstrate these.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Oct 06, 2018
- Source ID
- W911NF1710315
Entities
People
- Glenn Gibson
Organizations
- Army Contracting Command
- United States Army
- University of Reading