Role of Lactic Acid Bacteria and Bifidobacteria in Synbiotic Effect

Jagoda Šušković*, Blaženka Kos, Jadranka Goreta and Srećko Matošić

Department of Biochemical Engineering, Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology, Pierottijeva 6, P.O.B. 625, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia

Article history:
Received March 23, 2001 
Accepted June 20, 2001

Key words:
lactic acid bacteria, bifidobacteria, probiotic, prebiotic, synbiotic

Summary:
Some genera of lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria are the main subjects of this review because they are most commonly incorporated in probiotic products. Since these bacteria are also  indigenous to the colon, a strategy for increasing their numbers and/or activity is the use of prebiotics, non-digestible oligosaccharides, that stimulate autochthonous and allochthonous (probiotic) bacteria. At the same time, the potential for using probiotics and prebiotics in combination was recognised and the term synbiotic was proposed for products containing both supplements.

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