An Overview of Prebiotics and Their Applications in the Food Industry

Prebiotics are bioactive compounds added to or naturally found in some foods that serve as substrates for specific host microorganisms of the gastrointestinal tract, conferring health benefits. The objective of this work was to demonstrate, through an updated bibliographic survey, the importance of prebiotics, considering their performance in food technology, as well as their benefits in the health of their consumers. The definition of functional foods and prebiotics was presented, which are classified into three main classes: polyols, oligosaccharides, and dietary fibers. Prebiotics are widely used in the production of beverages, bakery, dairy products, and meats, both for their health benefits and for their technological properties. They are also added along with probiotics in symbiotic foods, promoting increased viability, growth, and development of probiotic bacteria during processing and digestion. Benefits such as improved lipid metabolism, constipation relief, reduced risk of gastrointestinal diseases, increased absorption of vitamins and minerals, prevention of type II diabetes, help in controlling blood glucose, weight loss, and stimulation of the immune system have already been proven through in vivo and in vitro studies. These studies demonstrate that prebiotics present countless benefits to health, and these benefits vary according to the type of prebiotic consumed. For this reason, it is of the utmost importance to know the functional foods supplemented with prebiotics, as well as their functionality. Along with the studies of new prebiotics, new health benefits will emerge, making it increasingly necessary to have a functional diet through diets with the inclusion of prebiotics.