Premium
Advances in the modulation of the microbial ecology of the gut in early infancy
Author(s) -
Chierici R,
Fanaro S,
Saccomandi D,
Vigi V
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
acta pædiatrica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1651-2227
pISSN - 0803-5253
DOI - 10.1111/j.1651-2227.2003.tb00647.x
Subject(s) - lactoferrin , inulin , bifidobacterium , context (archaeology) , bacteria , food science , gut flora , prebiotic , lactobacillus , biology , lactic acid , probiotic , microbiology and biotechnology , zoology , medicine , fermentation , biochemistry , paleontology , genetics
It is now generally accepted that the microbiota of the human gut may influence health and well‐being. Lactic acid bacteria are the most important microorganisms associated with these beneficial effects and the elevated bifidobacterial count may be one of the greatest advantages that breastfed infants have over infants fed with milk formulas. Several studies relative to the selective growth stimulation of bifidobacteria, both in vitro and in vivo , are reported in this review. Over the years, diverse human milk components have been identified as the specific factors able to modulate the growth of bifidobacteria. Even if there is a certain agreement that the bifidogenic activity of human milk may be based not on single growth substances, but on a complex set of interacting factors, the present state of knowledge indicates that the use of non‐digestible but fermentable carbohydrates may be an easy and reliable method to influence the growth of lactic acid bacteria. In this context, some of the characteristics of the major physiological effects of inulin‐type fructans, of galacto‐oligosaccharides, but also of lactoferrin, a milk whey protein fraction with purported bifidogenic activity, are briefly examined.