Ju Mei,†,‡,∥ Nelson L. C. Leung,†,‡,∥ Ryan T. K. Kwok,†,‡ Jacky W. Y. Lam,†,‡ and Ben Zhong Tang*,†,‡,§ †HKUST-Shenzhen Research Institute, Hi-Tech Park, Nanshan, Shenzhen 518057, China ‡Department of Chemistry, HKUST Jockey Club Institute for Advanced Study, Institute of Molecular Functional Materials, Division of Biomedical Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, Division of Life Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China Guangdong Innovative Research Team, SCUT-HKUST Joint Research Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China

Aggregation-Induced Emission: Together We Shine, United We Soar!

Prebiotics are non-digestible (by the host) food ingredients that have a beneficial effect through their selective metabolism in the intestinal tract. Key to this is the specificity of microbial changes. The present paper reviews the concept in terms of three criteria: (a) resistance to gastric acidity, hydrolysis by mammalian enzymes and gastrointestinal absorption; (b) fermentation by intestinal microflora; (c) selective stimulation of the growth and/or activity of intestinal bacteria associated with health and wellbeing. The conclusion is that prebiotics that currently fulfil these three criteria are fructo-oligosaccharides, galacto-oligosaccharides and lactulose, although promise does exist with several other dietary carbohydrates. Given the range of food vehicles that may be fortified by prebiotics, their ability to confer positive microflora changes and the health aspects that may accrue, it is important that robust technologies to assay functionality are used. This would include a molecular-based approach to determine flora changes. The future use of prebiotics may allow species-level changes in the microbiota, an extrapolation into genera other than the bifidobacteria and lactobacilli, and allow preferential use in disease-prone areas of the body.

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Dietary modulation of the human colonic microbiota: updating the concept of prebiotics

Antimicrobial properties of chitosan and mode of action: A state of the art review

Antimicrobial nanomaterials for water disinfection and microbial control: Potential applications and implications

Strain specificity in antimicrobial activity of silver and copper nanoparticles

Preparation and antibacterial activity of chitosan nanoparticles.

Effects of dietary fructooligosaccharide on digestive enzyme activities, intestinal microflora and morphology of male broilers

The effectiveness on water quality, population density of bacteria, and shrimp production in ponds treated with commercial probiotics was tested in Penaeus vannamei ponds in Hai-yan, China. Six ponds with replicates for treatment and control were used. Results showed that the probiotics could improve the population density of beneficial bacterial flora, reduce concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus, and increase yields of shrimp. The average counts of Bacillus sp., ammonifying bacteria, and protein mineralizing bacteria were found to be significantly higher in treated ponds compared to control ponds (P < 0.05). In control ponds, an increase in presumptive vibrios was observed and the average density was up to 2.09 × 103 cfu/mL, whereas that was only 4.37 × 102 cfu/mL in treated ponds (P < 0.05). The use of probiotics also significantly increased dissolved oxygen (P < 0.05) and reduced dissolved reactive-phosphorus, total inorganic nitrogen and chemical oxygen demand (P < 0.05). An average of 8215±265 kg shrimp/ha was obtained in treated ponds with a feed conversion ratio (FCR) of 1.13±0.05 and survival rate of 81.00±6.25% compared with 4985±503 kg shrimp/ha, 1.35±0.12 and 48.67±3.51%, respectively, in control ponds. This indicates that the addition of the commercial probiotics had a noticeable influence on water quality of shrimp ponds and shrimp production.

Zirong Xu

Papers

Preparation and antibacterial activity of chitosan nanoparticles.

Effects of dietary fructooligosaccharide on digestive enzyme activities, intestinal microflora and morphology of male broilers

The effectiveness of commercial probiotics in northern white shrimp Penaeus vannamei ponds

Lead sorption from aqueous solutions on chitosan nanoparticles

Effects of different selenium source on selenium distribution, loin quality and antioxidant status in finishing pigs