Handbook of prebiotics and probiotics ingredients : health benefits and food applications

While there is little dispute that probiotics and prebiotics, alone and together, have been proven to promote gastrointestinal health and proper immune function, the challenge faced by researchers is finding not only the right combinations, but also finding those that are fully compatible with the formulation, processing, packaging, and distribution of functional foods. The Handbook of Prebiotics and Probiotics Ingredients: Health Benefits and Food Applications comprehensively explores these variables and highlights the most current biological research and food applications. In this volume, a team of experts offers insight into the many facets of these products, describing the prebiotic, probiotic, and synbiotic applications in use today as well as those currently being studied. The book first examines the sources of prebiotics and probiotics and then describes the physiological functions of both products. The contributors discuss promising applications for a plethora of disorders, including inflammatory bowel disease, pediatric diarrhea, cancer, and various chronic diseases. The Handbook of Prebiotics and Probiotics Ingredients: Health Benefits and Food Applications contains chapters contributed by experts from around the world. The book takes a global perspective, providing a thorough reference for product developers and regulatory agencies, as well as for nutritionists and forward-thinking professionals.