2Federal Institute of Science and Technology of Rio de Janeiro (IFRJ), Department of Food, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
3Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC), Department of Food Science and Technology, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil
4Federal Institute of Paraná (IFPR), Campus Paranavaí, Paranavaí, PR, Brazil
Abstract
The functional food market is constantly expanding and updating, due to the consumers’ demand for foods with functional benefits and a more balanced diet. Functional foods usually are described as foods fortified with special constituents that offer some beneficial action to human health. Among the foods that have a long history of functionality are the dairy products added with prebiotics and/or synbiotics. The daily consumption of prebiotics and/or synbiotics contributes significantly to human health, as in the prevention or treatment of irritable bowel syndrome, colon cancer, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. In addition, there is a great market demand for innovations in functional foods. With the current definitions of prebiotics and synbiotics updated and clarified (approaching two different categories of synbiotics, the complementary and the synergistic synbiotic), it became much easier for the industry and researchers to explore and create new prebiotics/synbiotics products. In this sense, recently, it was observed an increased quantity of scientific studies using prebiotics or synbiotics ingredients with prospective health claims in dairy products. This chapter will present the main updates on prebiotic and synbiotic dairy products and their health benefits.
Keywords: Functional foods, prebiotics, synbiotics, health benefits
2.1 Introduction
The increasing incidence of chronic diseases related to an unbalanced diet has aroused great interest from the food industries in offering products that could reduce the risks of diseases and/or promoting health [1]. Thus, the nutritional aspect and the benefits that food can bring to health have been watched carefully by consumers. Consumers have been looking for a healthier diet because they are concerned about the relationship between food and health [2]. In this class of foods, we can highlight those with functional properties.
There is no globally accepted definition for functional foods yet [3]. The term “functional foods” was used in Japan in 1984 to describe products fortified with special constituents that offer some beneficial action to human health [3]. In this sense, several official agencies, such as the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA, European Union), the Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency (ANVISA, Brazil), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA, United States) proposed different concepts for functional foods [4]. Therefore, the products developed must respect the criteria of each of these agencies individually to be marketed, such as being validated by human intervention trials [4]. Nowadays, some of the functional ingredients more used by the industry are carotenoids, chlorophylls, fibers, organosulfur compounds, phytosterols, polyphenols, probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics [4]. Table 2.1 shows the potential beneficial effects of ingredients and functional compounds on human health.
The functionality of a food can be associated with the addition of a functional compound/ingredient, but can also be associated with the elimination or replacement of dietary components considered “unhealthy”, such as sugar, salt, and fat [3]. The market for functional foods is extensive and includes several types of food (dairy, vegetables, meat, baked goods, beverages, etc.). This market has the prospect of reaching $ 275.77 billion in 2025 [5]. The dairy sector stands out in this sector representing about 40% of the functional foods in the market [6]. Fermented dairy products (yogurts and fermented milk) are the majority of functional dairy products in the market, most of them added with the functional ingredients probiotics, prebiotics and/or synbiotics [6]. These products were the first dairy products commercialized with a functional claim and still dominate the functional beverage market [7]. In addition to dairy products, prebiotics may be used in several kinds food products, such as health drinks and beverages, meat products, infant formula, as well as supplements and animal feeds [8].
Table 2.1 Potential beneficial effects of ingredients and functional compounds on human health. Adapted from Granato et al. [4].
| Functional compound or ingredient | Health benefits | |
| Carotenoids | β-Carotene | Antioxidant, reduces the risk of diseases in eyes, provitamin A, antimutagenic, and radioprotective, etc. |
| Lutein | Antioxidant, antiatherogenic, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, antihypertensive, reduction of risk of cancer, antiulcer, reduces the risk of diseases in eyes. | |
| Lycopene | Antioxidant, cardiovascular disease reduction, cancer risk reduction | |
| Zeaxanthin | Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, provitamin A, better cognitive function, cardiovascular disease reduction, reduction of risk of cancer. | |
| Curcumin | Antioxidant, reduction of diabetes mellitus risk, neurological disorder reduction, cardiovascular disease reduction, and inflammatory mediator reduction. | |
| Chlorophylls | Chlorophyll A and B | Antioxidant, decrease in cancer risk. |
| Fibers | β-Glucan | Cardiovascular disease reduction, controls diabetes, stimulates the immune system. |
| Inulin | Prebiotic effect, reduction of atherosclerosis, improve the satiety. | |
| Organosulfur compounds | Glucosinolates | Reduction of risk of metastasis and cancer, avoid redox imbalance in the cells, reduce inflammatory chronic diseases. |
| Isothiocyanates | Reduction of neurological disorder and reduction of cancer risk. | |
| Phytosterols | Sterol and stanol | Reduction of total cholesterol and LDL-C (total cholesterol), anti-inflammatory, and reduction of neurological disorder |
| Polyphenols | Anthocyanins, Proanthocyanidins | Antioxidant, prevent and treat hyperuricemia and/or gout, and reduce cardiovascular disease. |
| Isoflavones | Decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease, reduce the LDL-C, reduce osteoporosis, reduction of diabetes mellitus risk, and reduce liver disease. | |
| Lignans | Reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and hormonal cancer. | |
| Resveratrol | ||
