PREBIOTICS, PROBIOTICS and SYNBIOTICS NEW OR OLD CONCEPT? doc

PREBIOTICS, PROBIOTICS and SYNBIOTICS

NEW OR OLD CONCEPT?

Although the concept of prebiotics and probiotics started in the

1970’s, it was dormant until 1994 when Danone, an European dairy and

confectionary manufacturer, launched Actimel probiotic drinking yogurt in

100 ml daily-dose bottles. Actimel revolutionizes the dietary supplements

market and is now considered as the leading “immunity” yogurt brand

worldwide. Actimel earned over $1.8 billion in retail sales in 2007. The

concept of prebiotics and probiotics reached its peak in April 2008 when the

International Probiotics Association had its World Congress in Los Angeles,

CA. It was the first global prebiotics and probiotics event attended by

industry, academia and health care representatives. A world congress on

nutrients that were ignored or unheard of just 10 years ago.

Worldwide, prebiotics, probiotics and synbiotics are gaining

popularity and their claimed beneficial health effects are now accepted and

trusted by the general population. Daily intake of these supplements (i.e.,

drinking yogurt) is now fashionable among affluent families and young