Probiotics and Prebiotics in Animal Health and Food Safety

This book discusses the role of probiotics and prebiotics in maintaining the health status of a broad range of animal groups used for food production. It also highlights the use of beneficial microorganisms as protective agents in animal derived foods. The book provides essential information on the characterization and definition of probiotics on the basis of recently released guidelines and reflecting the latest trends in bacterial taxonomy. Last but not least, it discusses the concept of “dead” probiotics and their benefits to animal health in detail. The book will benefit all professors, students, researchers and practitioners in academia and industry whose work involves biotechnology, veterinary sciences or food production. Front Matter ....Pages i-vi Probiotics and Prebiotics: An Overview on Recent Trends (Georgia Zoumpopoulou, Maria Kazou, Voula Alexandraki, Angeliki Angelopoulou, Konstantinos Papadimitriou, Bruno Pot et al.)....Pages 1-34 Role of the Gut Microbiota in Health and Disease (Hyunjoon Park, Soyoung Yeo, Karina Arellano, Hyeon Rae Kim, Wilhelm Holzapfel)....Pages 35-62 Protective Cultures for the Safety of Animal-Derived Foods (Jordi Rovira, Beatriz Melero)....Pages 63-107 Probiotics and Prebiotics for the Health of Pigs and Horses (Spyridon K. Kritas)....Pages 109-126 Probiotics and Prebiotics for the Health of Poultry (Rebin Aswad Mirza)....Pages 127-154 Probiotics and Prebiotics for the Health of Cattle (Laureano Sebastián Frizzo, Marcelo Lisandro Signorini, Marcelo Raúl Rosmini)....Pages 155-174 Probiotics and Prebiotics for the Health of Companion Animals (Loredana Baffoni)....Pages 175-195 Probiotic Applications for Finfish Aquaculture (Ana Rodiles, Mark D. Rawling, David L. Peggs, Gabriella do Vale Pereira, Sam Voller, Rungtawan Yomla et al.)....Pages 197-217 Probiotics for Honeybees’ Health (Francesca Gaggìa, Loredana Baffoni, Daniele Alberoni)....Pages 219-245 Paraprobiotics as Potential Agents for Improving Animal Health (Caroline Nunes de Almada, Carine Nunes de Almada, Anderson de Souza Sant’Ana)....Pages 247-268 Probiotics and Prebiotics in Animal Health and Food Safety: Conclusive Remarks and Future Perspectives (Diana Di Gioia, Bruno Biavati)....Pages 269-273 "Prebiotics: Development and Application" is a one-volume account of the emerging area of prebiotics, non-digestible food ingredients that stimulate the growth and activity of beneficial bacteria in the colon. Prebiotics can be incorporated into many foodstuffs to improve the health of the individual and are receiving much commercial interest. The book takes a broad view of prebiotics from the conceptual stage, definition, production, evaluation of individual food products and their effect on microbial flora, and their potential relation to diseases. Contents include: an introduction to the pr The prebiotic concept works on the basis that many potentially health-promoting microorganisms are already present in humans. Prebiotics are non-digestible food ingredients that stimulate activity in targeted microorganisms, to improve the health of the individual. Prebiotics can be incorporated into many foodstuffs such as beverages, health and sports drinks, infant formulae, cereals, bread, savoury products and so forth, and are receiving much commercial interest. Prebiotics: Development and Application is the first book to consolidate research in this emerging area of 'functional f The human embryo is virtually sterile, but at birth microbial colonisation of the gastrointestinal tract occurs, with the neonate receiving an inoculum from the birth canal (Fuller, 1991; Zetterstrom et al., 1994).