title: Food-derived oligosaccharides exhibit pharmaceutical properties.
abstract: Breast feeding is considered as the best nutrition for growth and development of an infant. Human milk consists of a unique combination of nutritional components each with different characteristics. Oligosaccharides or non-digestible carbohydrates as one of these components, are generally accepted to have a beneficial effect by selectively stimulating the growth and/or activity of one or a limited number of bacterial species. Recently more evidence is rising for direct effects of oligosaccharides on the immune system. Oligosaccharides often used as dietary supplements for their beneficial effects on the host and its immune system, are derived from nutritional sources. In this review we aim to summarize the pharmaceutical properties of these food-borne oligosaccharides early in life.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Danone Research-Centre for Specialised Nutrition, Wageningen, The Netherlands. anneke.rijnierse@danone.com
authors.forename: Anneke
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rijnierse
authors.forename: Prescilla V
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Jeurink
authors.forename: Betty C A M
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: van Esch
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Garssen
authors.forename: Léon M J
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Knippels
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001942:Breast Feeding; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007154:Immune System Diseases / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000737:chemistry; D009844:Oligosaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D058616:Synbiotics
chemical_list: D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D009844:Oligosaccharides