21-4 |
Animal digestive physiology responses as affected by oligosaccharides |
G. C. FAHEY, JR., Dept. of Animal Sciences, Univ. of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, 166 Animal Sciences Lab., MC 630, 1207 W. Gregory Dr., Urbana, IL 61801 As is the case for humans, prebiotics may be considered as functional food ingredients for animals. They have attracted considerable interest from livestock producers, pet owners, pet food manufacturers, and feed manufacturers. The most common form of prebiotics are nondigestible oligosaccharides, including fructans, mannanoligosaccharides, glucooligosaccharides, xylooligosaccharides, and galactooligosaccharides. These nondigestible oligosaccharides are not degraded by enzymes present in the mammalian small intestine, but are fermented by bacteria present in the hingut. Some oligosaccharides are naturally present in plants, while others are synthesized from simple precursors by select strains of microorganisms. Consumption of prebiotic oligosaccharides elicits several purported health benefits. For example, in companion animals, prebiotics have been shown to improve gut microbial ecology and enhance stool quality. They also decrease concentrations of certain protein catabolites known to have negative effects on the intestinal environment. In production livestock and poultry, prebiotics are employed to control pathogenic bacteria, reduce fecal odor, and enhance growth performance. Positive effects of prebiotics on health status and performance of animals have been demonstrated at physiological concentrations in diets. Animal research with prebiotics, while important in the nutrition and management of the species in question, adds to the database in this area as regards human nutrition, especially from the mechanistic standpoint.
Session 21, Health benefits and functionality of fructooligosaccharides
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