Probiotic Cultures as Functional Foods
Journal Title: Advances in Food Technology and Nutritional Sciences - Open Journal - Year 2015, Vol 1, Issue 6
Abstract
Probiotics are novel functional ingredients that can be applied to influence the host’s microbiota, playing an important role in the nutrition, development and health of the host. This review presents the definitions of probiotics and summarizes the fields of their applications and benefits, and highlights the need of more research to properly describe the severity of adverse events related to probiotics. Research identifying the mechanisms of action for probiotic function and the development of assays to measure them are greatly needed to better understand if such changes have an essential impact on probiotic efficacy.
Authors and Affiliations
Maria Ursula Rosales-Hartshorn
The Berry Fruit Açai (Euterpe oleracea Mart): Bringing Health Benefits and Exotism to the Modern Table
The palm Amazonian fruit açai (Magnoliophyta: Arecaceae, Euterpe oleraceae Martius) has been applied in folk medicine.1 Nowadays, this exotic berry fruit is commonly used to make beverages (i.e. juices) and food preparat...
Feed Efficiency: A Key Production Trait and A Global Challenge
Animal agriculture is facing substantial challenges from a steep projected increase in global demand for high quality animal protein and the need to adapt to higher temperature due to climate change. Indeed, with predict...
Phytoestrogens as Pharma Foods
Phytoestrogens are a diverse group of plant-derived compounds that structurally or functionally mimic mammalian estrogens and show potential benefits for human health. They can serve as potential alternatives to the synt...
Leptin Activates NLRP3 Inflammasome-Associated with Type II Diabetes and Obesity
Obesity is a major health problem worldwide and is often associated with leptin resistance and inflammation.1 In this editorial, we will briefly describe the leptin system and the (NOD)-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) in...
Impact of Dietary Oxidized Lipids on Energy Metabolism
Consumption of dietary fat is known to influence metabolic rate and metabolic pathways. Dietary intake of unoxidized polyunsaturated fatty acids was shown to lead to an increased metabolic rate. Identification of the und...