Prebiotics: Why definitions matter

Robert W. Hutkins; Janina A. Krumbeck; Laure B. Bindels; Patrice D. Cani; George Fahey; Yong Jun Goh; Bruce Hamaker; Eric C. Martens; David A. Mills; Robert A. Rastal; Elaine Vaughan; Mary Ellen Sanders

doi:10.1016/j.copbio.2015.09.001

Prebiotics: Why definitions matter

Robert W. Hutkins, Janina A. Krumbeck, Laure B. Bindels, Patrice D. Cani, George Fahey, Yong Jun Goh, Bruce Hamaker, Eric C. Martens, David A. Mills, Robert A. Rastal, Elaine Vaughan, Mary Ellen Sanders

Food Science and Technology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

304 Scopus citations

Abstract

The prebiotic concept was introduced twenty years ago, and despite several revisions to the original definition, the scientific community has continued to debate what it means to be a prebiotic. How prebiotics are defined is important not only for the scientific community, but also for regulatory agencies, the food industry, consumers and healthcare professionals. Recent developments in community-wide sequencing and glycomics have revealed that more complex interactions occur between putative prebiotic substrates and the gut microbiota than previously considered. A consensus among scientists on the most appropriate definition of a prebiotic is necessary to enable continued use of the term.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	1-7
Number of pages	7
Journal	Current Opinion in Biotechnology
Volume	37
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copbio.2015.09.001
State	Published - Feb 1 2016

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Biotechnology
Bioengineering
Biomedical Engineering

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10.1016/j.copbio.2015.09.001

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title = "Prebiotics: Why definitions matter",

abstract = "The prebiotic concept was introduced twenty years ago, and despite several revisions to the original definition, the scientific community has continued to debate what it means to be a prebiotic. How prebiotics are defined is important not only for the scientific community, but also for regulatory agencies, the food industry, consumers and healthcare professionals. Recent developments in community-wide sequencing and glycomics have revealed that more complex interactions occur between putative prebiotic substrates and the gut microbiota than previously considered. A consensus among scientists on the most appropriate definition of a prebiotic is necessary to enable continued use of the term.",

author = "Hutkins, {Robert W.} and Krumbeck, {Janina A.} and Bindels, {Laure B.} and Cani, {Patrice D.} and George Fahey and Goh, {Yong Jun} and Bruce Hamaker and Martens, {Eric C.} and Mills, {David A.} and Rastal, {Robert A.} and Elaine Vaughan and Sanders, {Mary Ellen}",

note = "Funding Information: LBB is a Postdoctoral Researcher from the F.R.S.-FNRS (Fond National de la Recherche Scientifique, Belgium). PDC is a research associate at FRS-FNRS (Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique), Belgium and recipient of FNRS , FRFS-WELBIO under grant: WELBIO-CR-2012S-02R and is a recipient of ERC Starting Grant 2013 ( European Research Council , Starting grant 336452-ENIGMO ). DAM acknowledges NIH awards R01AT008759 and R01AT007079 . Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2015 Elsevier Ltd.",

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doi = "10.1016/j.copbio.2015.09.001",

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AU - Hutkins, Robert W.

AU - Krumbeck, Janina A.

AU - Bindels, Laure B.

AU - Cani, Patrice D.

AU - Fahey, George

AU - Goh, Yong Jun

AU - Hamaker, Bruce

AU - Martens, Eric C.

AU - Mills, David A.

AU - Rastal, Robert A.

AU - Vaughan, Elaine

AU - Sanders, Mary Ellen

N1 - Funding Information: LBB is a Postdoctoral Researcher from the F.R.S.-FNRS (Fond National de la Recherche Scientifique, Belgium). PDC is a research associate at FRS-FNRS (Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique), Belgium and recipient of FNRS , FRFS-WELBIO under grant: WELBIO-CR-2012S-02R and is a recipient of ERC Starting Grant 2013 ( European Research Council , Starting grant 336452-ENIGMO ). DAM acknowledges NIH awards R01AT008759 and R01AT007079 . Publisher Copyright: © 2015 Elsevier Ltd.

PY - 2016/2/1

Y1 - 2016/2/1

N2 - The prebiotic concept was introduced twenty years ago, and despite several revisions to the original definition, the scientific community has continued to debate what it means to be a prebiotic. How prebiotics are defined is important not only for the scientific community, but also for regulatory agencies, the food industry, consumers and healthcare professionals. Recent developments in community-wide sequencing and glycomics have revealed that more complex interactions occur between putative prebiotic substrates and the gut microbiota than previously considered. A consensus among scientists on the most appropriate definition of a prebiotic is necessary to enable continued use of the term.

AB - The prebiotic concept was introduced twenty years ago, and despite several revisions to the original definition, the scientific community has continued to debate what it means to be a prebiotic. How prebiotics are defined is important not only for the scientific community, but also for regulatory agencies, the food industry, consumers and healthcare professionals. Recent developments in community-wide sequencing and glycomics have revealed that more complex interactions occur between putative prebiotic substrates and the gut microbiota than previously considered. A consensus among scientists on the most appropriate definition of a prebiotic is necessary to enable continued use of the term.

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Prebiotics: Why definitions matter

Abstract

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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