Investigating the potential of prebiotics to rebalance and maintain health
Objectives
A prebiotic is a food ingredient that selectively stimulates growth and/or the activity of microbial species inhabiting the host, which may bring about health benefits.
A better understanding of mechanisms of prebiotics is still needed. The task force aims at providing mechanistic insights linking prebiotics to individual health benefits.
Impact
- The recent publication on ‘Short-chain fatty acids in human gut and metabolic health’ has been cited already 37 times and adapted for dissemination in a Belgian journal for clinicians.
- The collaboration with the Probiotics Task Force resulted in a Concise Monograph that summarises the science and principles valid for prebiotics, probiotics and synbiotics today. This publication is often used as teaching material by students and SMEs.
- The publication ‘Prebiotic Effects: Metabolic and Health Benefits’ summarising beneficial health effects of specific prebiotics consumption has been cited 1,863 times.
For more detailed information, please contact Naomi Venlet at nvenlet@ilsieurope.be or Toula Aslanidis at taslanidis@ilsieurope.be
Task Force Members
Dr Anirikh Chakrabarti – Chair | Cargill | Senior Scientist | BE |
Dr Stephan Theis – Vice-Chair | Südzucker Group | Head of Nutrition Science | DE |
Prof. Kristin Verbeke – Co-Chair | Translational Research Center for Gastrointestinal Disorders (TARGID) | Professor and Head of TARGID | BE |
Prof. Paul de Vos* | University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG) | Professor | NL |
Dr Sofia Forssten | IFF | Group Leader Nutrition and Health | FI |
Dr Damien Guillemet | Nexira | Scientific Development Director | FR |
Dr Thomas Heidebach | ADM | S&T Head of Smart Sweetening Solutions | DE |
Dr Aleksandra Maruszak | Clasado | R&D Project and IP Manager | UK |
Dr Alexandra Meynier | Mondelēz International | Nutrition Scientist | FR |
Dr Frédérique Respondek | CP Kelco | Director Scientific Regulatory Affairs | FR |
Dr Bernd Stahl | Danone Nutricia Research | Director of Human Milk Research & Analytical Science | NL |
Dr Clémentine Thabuis | Roquette | Nutrition Research Manager | FR |
Dr Elaine Vaughan | Sensus | Scientific & Regulatory Affairs | NL |
Ms Naomi Venlet | ILSI Europe | Scientific Project Manager | BE |
*Scientific Advisor
Expert Groups
Prediction of individual responses to prebiotics and probiotics intervention (in collaboration with Probiotics Task Force) – NEW
Background & Objectives
Individuals show a broad range of responses to dietary interventions and vary widely in their susceptibility to nutritional challenges or stressors. Consequently, anticipating individual-specific responses to a given pre- or probiotic intervention and selection of the most appropriate target population for demonstrating the benefits of such an intervention is challenging.
This activity will review state-of-the-art in silico, in vitro, and in vivo approaches for the rational design and testing of personalised interventions. The main objective is to provide a path forward, highlighting tools and approaches that enable personalised pre/probiotic interventions that improve human health and well-being.
Output
The outcome of this activity will be a perspective paper, expected to propose a way forward and novel approaches to optimize target population stratification for nutritional interventions based on individual gut microbiota differences.
Understand the Relationship Between the Molecular Structure and the Effects of Prebiotic Compounds on Microbiota and its Metabolites
Background & Objectives
Prebiotic compounds display great variability and so far, there is no clear conclusion about the relationship between structure-function.
The activity generally considers fermentable carbohydrates (prebiotics, candidate prebiotics and oligosaccharides) to:
- determine the relationship between specific structure characteristics of fermentable carbohydrates and the impact on the composition and activity of the gut microbiota;
- investigate the metabolic capacity of human gut microbiota and;
- consider potential direct effects of the fermentable carbohydrates on the host (without being fermented first) as a secondary objective.
Output
The outcome from this activity, in the form of a peer- reviewed paper, will support the understanding of how carbohydrate bioengineering tools to manufacture next generation prebiotics can be reasonably applied.
Joint Nutrition Cluster Activity on ‘Mechanistic Insights into the Gut-Brain Axis’ – In collaboration with Early Nutrition and Long-Term Health; Health Benefits Assessment of Foods; Nutrition, Immunity & Inflammation; Nutrition & Brain Health and Probiotics Task Forces
Background & Objectives
Currently, half of the literature available on the gut-brain axis is state-of-the-art reviews or correlative studies and comprehensive mechanistic insights underlining the bidirectional communication between the gut and the brain are lacking.
In this context, several Nutrition Task Forces decided to join forces to understand where we stand today regarding the mechanisms. Together the Task Forces will:
- focus on translational aspects from pre-clinical to clinical studies;
- focus on lifespan-related changes (but not diseaserelated) in gut structure and function which play a role in long-term immune and brain health;
- discuss the nutritional and lifestyle interventions with positive impact on the lifespan gut structure/function and thus on immune and brain health.
Output
A workshop held in December 2019 brought together key experts from different fields of expertise to debate and discuss on the current knowledge and data gaps.
A perspective paper on this gap analysis is under construction. This publication will be followed by a series of web-seminars to discuss the identified gaps in more details.
Revealing the Mechanistic Role in Human Physiology and Beneficial Aspects of Short Chain Fatty Acid (SCFA) Production in the Gastro-Intestinal Tract (GIT) – Completed
Background & Objectives
Increased SCFA production from prebiotic consumption is considered as (part of) the mechanism through which prebiotics exert beneficial effects on gut health and metabolic function. Since SCFA production is often not considered as a health benefit as such, this activity is intended to:
- review and evaluate coherent evidence of the beneficial action(s) of SCFAs,
- clarify whether it is scientifically justified and appropriate to consider alterations in SCFA production as a health benefit/ biomarker;
- and obtain a consensus view on microbial SCFA formation as a benefit for human physiology.
Output
The conclusions on the link between health and SCFA production were refined during the workshop ‘The Role of Gut Derived Short Chain Fatty Acids in Human Health’ (28-29 November, Brussels, Belgium). An enlarged panel of multidisciplinary experts contributed to this refinement.
These conclusions will provide guidance to facilitate the design and interpretation of academic and industrial prebiotic research. Furthermore, the consensus may support the development of health claims (procedures) on prebiotics.
Expert Group Members
Prediction of individual responses to prebiotics and probiotics intervention (collaboration with Probiotics Task Force) – NEW
Prof. Sean Gibbons – Chair | Institute for Systems Biology | Assistant Professor | US |
Dr Gabriele Gross – Vice-Chair | Reckitt Benckiser/Mead Johnson Nutrition | Principal Scientist / Project Leader | NL |
Prof. Dr Ana Lucia Barretto Penna | São Paulo State University | Professor | BR |
Dr Anirikh Chakrabarti | Cargill | Senior Scientist | BE |
Dr Veerle Dam | Sensus | Science and Regulatory Affairs Specialist | NL |
Prof. Amandine Everard | Catholic University of Louvain | Research Associate | BE |
Dr Almudena Goas | University of Surrey | Undergraduate student | UK |
Prof. Thomas Gurry | University of Geneva | Senior Research Associate | CH |
Prof. Michiel Klerebeezem | Wageningen University | Professor | NL |
Prof. Johanna Lampe | Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center | Research Professor | US |
Dr Jonathan Lane | H&H Group | Senior Manager, Global Research | IE |
Dr Pia-Johanna Maukonen | IFF | Global Health & Nutrition Science Lead | FI |
Dr Bruno Pot | Yakult Europe | Science Director | NL |
Prof. Ana Valdes | University of Nottingham | Professor | UK |
Dr Gemma Walton | University of Reading | Associate Professor | UK |
Dr Adrienne Weiss | Yili Innovation Center Europe | Innovation Project Leader | NL |
Dr Yoghatama Cindya Zanzer | Südzucker Group | Manager Nutrition Science | DE |
Ms Naomi Venlet | ILSI Europe | Scientific Project Manager | BE |
Understand the Relationship Between the Molecular Structure and the Effects of Prebiotic Compounds on Microbiota and its Metabolites
Prof. Robert Rastall – Chair | University of Reading | Professor | UK |
Dr Alexandra Meynier – Vice-Chair | Mondelēz International | Nutrition Scientist | FR |
Dr Sofia Forssten | IFF | Group Leader Nutrition and Health | FI |
Prof. Bruce Hamaker | Purdue University | Professor | US |
Dr Javier Moreno | Universidad Autónoma de Madrid | Research Scientist | ES |
Dr Frédérique Respondek | CPKelco | Director Scientific & Regulatory Affairs | FR |
Dr Bernd Stahl | Danone | Director of Human Milk Research & Analytical Science | NL |
Dr Koen Venema | University of Maastricht | Professor | NL |
Dr Maria Wiese | University of Luxemburg | Post-doctoral Fellow | LU |
Ms Naomi Venlet | ILSI Europe | Scientific Project Manager | BE |
Joint Nutrition Cluster Activity on ‘Mechanistic Insights into the Gut-Brain Axis’ – In collaboration with Early-Life and Long-Term Health; Health Benefits Assessment of Foods; Nutrition, Immunity & Inflammation; Nutrition & Mental Performance and Probiotics Task Forces
Dr Anirikh Chakrabarti | Cargill | Senior Scientist | BE |
Dr Lesley Hoyles | Nottingham Trent University | Associate Professor | UK |
Dr Patricia Iozzo | Italian National Research Council | Group Leader | IT |
Prof. Aletta Kraneveld | Utrecht University | Vice Dean Research | NL |
Dr Giorgio La Fata | DSM | R&D Scientist | CH |
Dr Elaine Patterson | Novozymes OneHealth | Health Science and Technology Lead, Brain Health Venture | IE |
Dr Bruno Pot | Yakult Europe | Science Director | NL |
Prof. Colette Shortt | Food Observatory | Regulatory Consultant | UK |
Dr David Vauzour | University of East Anglia | Senior Research Fellow | UK |
Dr Matthieu Flourakis | ILSI Europe | Scientific Unit Coordinator | BE |
Ms Naomi Venlet | ILSI Europe | Scientific Project Manager | BE |
Revealing the Mechanistic Role in Human Physiology and Beneficial Aspects of Short Chain Fatty Acid (SCFA) Production in the Gastro-Intestinal Tract (GIT) – Completed
Prof. Ellen Blaak – Chair | University of Maastricht | Professor | NL |
Dr Stephan Theis – Vice-Chair | Südzucker Group | Senior Manager Nutrition Science | DE |
Prof. Gary Frost | Imperial College London | Professor | UK |
Prof. Bert Groen | University of Groningen | Professor | NL |
Prof. Gilles Mithieux | Université de Lyon - Inserm U1213 | Laboratory Director | FR |
Dr Arjen Nauta | FrieslandCampina | Senior Scientist | NL |
Prof. Karen Scott | University of Aberdeen | Senior Research Fellow | UK |
Dr Bernd Stahl | Danone | Director of Human Milk Research & Analytical Science | NL |
Dr Elaine Vaughan | Sensus | Scientific & Regulatory Affairs | NL |
Dr Ric van Tol | TNO Quality of Life | Director | NL |
Prof. Kristin Verbeke | Translational Research Center for Gastrointestinal Disorders - Targid | Professor and Head of TARGID | BE |
Dr Michela Miani | ILSI Europe | Scientific Project Manager | BE |
Posters
Understanding the Prebiotics Metabolic and Health Effects
Publications
All Publications
Short-chain fatty acids in human gut and metabolic health
2020
Beneficial Microbes, 11 (5)- Pages: 411 – 455 (2020). Commissioned by the Prebiotics Task Force
Systematic Review of the Effects of the Intestinal Microbiota on Selected Nutrients and Non-Nutrients
2017
European Journal of Nutrition 2018;57(1):25-49. Commissioned by the Functional Foods and the Prebiotics Task Forces.
Gut Microbiota Functions: Metabolism of Nutrients and other Food Components
2017
European Journal of Nutrition 2018;57(1):1-24. Commissioned by the Functional Foods and the Prebiotics Task Forces.
Towards Microbial Fermentation Metabolites as Markers for Health Benefits of Prebiotics
2015
Nutrition Research Reviews. 2015;28:42–66. Commissioned by the Prebiotics Task Force.
Probiotics, Prebiotics and the Gut Microbiota
2013
ILSI Europe Concise Monograph. 2013:1-32. Commissioned by the Prebiotics and Probiotics Task Forces. Translation available in Portuguese and Japanese.
Multimedia
- Prebiotics Task Force – One Pager
- The Prebiotics Task Force Task Force in a nutshell, an introductory video*
* The video was developed on the occasion of the Annual Symposium
‘Understanding Prebiotic and Probiotic Mechanisms that Drive Health Benefits’
Watch the Webinar
‘Webinar on Microbial Metabolism Associated with Health’
Watch the Webinar