Wiktionary
a. 1 occurring before the advent of life 2 (context of a food English) non digestible but beneficial
Wikipedia
Prebiotics are substances that induce the growth or activity of microorganisms (e.g., bacteria and fungi) that contribute to the well-being of their host. The most common example is in the gastrointestinal tract, where prebiotics can alter the composition of organisms in the gut microbiome. However, in principle it is a more general term that can refer to other areas of the body as well. For example, certain hand moisturizers have been proposed to act like prebiotics to improve the activity or composition of skin microbiota.
In diet, prebiotics are typically non-digestible, fiber compounds that pass undigested through the upper part of the gastrointestinal tract and stimulate the growth or activity of advantageous bacteria that colonize the large bowel by acting as substrate for them. They were first identified and named by Marcel Roberfroid in 1995. As a functional food component, prebiotics, like probiotics, are conceptually intermediate between foods and drugs. Depending on the jurisdiction, they typically receive an intermediate level of regulatory scrutiny, in particular of the health claims made concerning them.
Prebiotic may refer to:
- Prebiotic (chemistry), inorganic or organic chemistry in the natural environment before the advent of life on Earth
- Prebiotic (nutrition), non-digestible food ingredients
Usage examples of "prebiotic".
It allowed the polymerization of volatile reactive organics and the hydrolysis of prebiotic oligomers into biomolecules.
In that enzyme-seeded brew, the prebiotic molecules of the fragments-porphyrins, carotenoids, polypeptides, and cellulose-were converted to edible fats, starches, sugars, and proteins.