Nutritive and Health Attributes of Dairy Ingredients 417saccharides; FOS), galactooligosaccharides
(GOS), and lactulose. They are defi ned as
non - digestible food ingredients that benefi -
cially affect the host by selectively stimulat-
ing the growth and activity of one or limited
number of bacteria in the colon that have the
potential for improving the health of the host.
They stimulate probiotic organisms such as
bifi dobacteria and lactobacilli. Prebiotics
provide nutrients for colonic bacteria, thereby
sustaining balance among various popula-
tions of enteric bacteria. Health attributes of
prebiotics reported in the literature include
prevention of colon cancer initiation, stimu-
lation of immune response, providing a
barrier against pathogenic organisms, pre-
vention of adhesion of pathogens and toxins,- Reducing symptoms of eczema and skin
diseases associated with the gut immune
system
Because many health benefi ts of cultures
are strain - specifi c, the recent trend is to use
proven strains in dairy foods. Table 16.20
lists the documented health attributes of
defi ned strains of probiotic cultures.
Yogurt and fermented milks are com-
monly supplemented with various functional
ingredients. In addition to probiotics, they
include prebiotics and fi ber, plant sterol
esters, omega - 3 fatty acids, minerals, and
vitamins.
Prebiotics and fi ber include polysaccha-
rides (inulin), oligosaccharides (fructooligo-
Table 16.20. Specifi c strains of probiotics and their documented benefi ts.
Strain Benefi ts reported in human trials
L. acidophilus NCFM Lactose digestion, reduction of bacterial overgrowth in
small intestine
L. acidophilus(CUL60) +
B. bifi dum (CUL20)Reduction of fecal toxin of C. diffi cile
L. casei DN114 - 001 Enhanced immune function
L. casei Shirota YIT9029 Enhanced immune function, balanced intestinal
microbiota, combating recurrence of superfi cial
bladder cancer
L. helveticus R0052 + L. rhamnosus R0011 Controlling diarrhea in children, eradicating
Heliobacter pylori infection
L. johnsonii La1/Lj1 Enhanced immune function, eradication of Heliobacter
pylori infection
L. plantarum 299V Relief of irritable bowel syndrome, postsurgical gut
nutrition
L. reuteri SD2112 Controlling diarrhea, improvement in immune function
L. reuteri RC14 + L. rhamnosus R0011 Controlling diarrhea in children, eradicating
Heliobacter pylori infection
L. rhamnosus GG Prevention of infectious diarrhea in children and
atopic dermatitis, enhancing immune function
L. salivarius UCC118 Alleviation of infl ammatory bowel disease
B. animalis DN173 - 010 Normalizing intestine transit time
B. infantis 35624 Alleviation of irritable bowel syndrome
B. lactis BB - 12 Enhancing immune function, alleviation of diarrhea in
children
B. lactis HN019 (DR10) Enhancing immune function in the elderly
B. longum BB536 Alleviation of allergy symptoms, balancing microbial
ecology
VSL #3 (blend of S. thermophilus, four strains of
lactobacillus, and three strains of bifi dobacterium)Alleviation of infl ammatory bowel conditions
S. thermophilus (many strains) Assistance in lactose digestion
Sachharomyces cerevisiae (boulardii) lyo Alleviation of antibiotic - induced diarrhea and C.
diffi cile infections.Adapted from Sanders (2007)