Probiotics: What we know and what we need to know

Abstract

Prebiotics is a non-digestible food ingredient that beneficially affects the host by selectively stimulating the growth and/or activity of one or a limited number of bacteria in the colon (Roberfroid, 1998; Theuer et al., 1998; Young, 1998; Femia et al., 2002). Probiotics are live microbial cultures fed by mouth and surviving transit through the large intestine where they colonise the system (Frost and Sullivan, 2000; Saarela et al., 2000) SA has large variety of probiotic products in the market comprising fermented milks, tablets and capsules. These South African industries are worth R45 m, with over 11million doses taken annually (ca. 30 000 doses are daily)