What is a probiotic and a prebiotic?

Probiotics - definition, probiotic products, forms of administration

According to the definition of the World Health Organization (WHO), probiotics are defined as all living microorganisms that, when administered in sufficient quantity, will provide a health benefit to the host. 

The most common form of administration of probiotics is ingestion. 

Probiotics can be found in fermented products of the dairy industry, i.e. kefir, yogurt, some types of cheese, vegetables such as pickled cucumbers, cabbage, beets, or even in some types of beer. 

There are also commercially prepared preparations containing sometimes one microorganism and sometimes many different species. As a form of administration, the most common are capsules, tablets, powders, drinks and shots.

Prebiotics - definition, examples

Unlike probiotics, despite many attempts by the scientific world, there is no complete consensus on the definition of prebiotics.

In 2010, the most commonly repeated definition of a prebiotic today was adopted as follows:

A dietary prebiotic, is a selectively fermented ingredient that exhibits specific changes in the composition and/or activity of the intestinal microbiota, and therefore benefits the health of the host.

The best-known prebiotics include inulin, fructooligosaccharides, isomaltooligosaccharides and palatinose.