Evaluation in human volunteers of the potential anticarcinogenic activities of novel nutritional concepts: prebiotics, probiotics and synbiotics (the SYNCAN project QLK1-1999-00346).
Prebiotics is a recent novel food concept that includes food ingredients that are not digested in the human upper intestinal tract and hence arrive in the colon where they are selectively fermented by a limited number of colonic bacteria. Amongst these are bifidobacteria and lactobacilli, which are considered indicators of a well-balanced intestinal flora. Probiotics are bacteria that, while passing through the intestine, may exert specific beneficial effects on the host's physiology. In general, probiotics are members of the group of the lactic acid-producing bacteria. By means of a variety of experimental models it was demonstrated that prebiotic carbohydrates and probiotics consistently reduced processes of carcinogenesis and tumorigenesis. Synergistic chemopreventive actions were observed with combinations of the two, which together are called synbiotics. One of the most important causes of death in the ageing western population is colon cancer, which is typically associated with a western-style diet. On the basis of the available experimental data, an EU-funded research project (the SYNCAN project QLK1-1999-00346) was set up to evaluate whether synbiotics and prebiotics can be added to food without detriment to (and hopefully eventually improving) organoleptic properties. They are, as such, a good vector for importing nutritionally interesting properties into our diet.
Van Loo
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J
Jonkers
N
N
D000818:Animals; D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000235:genetics / Q000517:prevention & control; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D004064:Digestive System / Q000382:microbiology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004357:Drug Synergism; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005285:Fermentation; D006801:Humans; D008325:Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D019936:Probiotics / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology
D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates