Investigating the potential of prebiotics to rebalance and maintain health
Task Force Information
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.
Task Force Members
Clémentine Thabuis-Chair | Roquette | Senior Nutrition & Health Research Manager | FR |
Elaine Vaughan-Vice-Chair | Sensus | Scientific & Regulatory Affairs | NL |
Kristin Verbeke, Co-Chair | Translational Research Center for Gastrointestinal Disorders (TARGID) | Researcher | BE |
Paul de Vos | University of Groningen | Full Professor | NL |
Annick Pollet | Cargill | Ingredient Chemistry R&D Manager | BE |
Stephan Theis | Südzucker Group | Head of Nutrition Science | DE |
Georgina Dodd | Clasado | R&D Senior Scientist | UK |
Sofia Forssten | IFF | Senior Scientist | FI |
Damien Guillemet | Nexira | Scientific Development Director | FR |
Alexandra Meynier | Mondelez International | Nutrition Scientist | FR |
Frédérique Respondek | CPKelco | Director Innovation | FR |
Bernd Stahl | Danone Nutricia | Director Research & Innovation | NL |
Danica Bajic | DSM-Firmenich | Scientist | DK |
Jessica Van Harsselaar | Südzucker Group, | Manager Nutrition Science | DE |
Georgia Chatonidi | ILSI Europe | Scientific Project Manager | BE |
*Scientific Advisor
For more detailed information, please contact Georgia Chatonidi at gchatonidi@ilsieurope.be
Activity Overview
Ongoing
- Role of prebiotics in bacterial and viral infection, and vaccination efficiency
Recent research suggests a beneficial effect of nondigestible carbohydrates-type prebiotics consumption on immunity and resistance to infections. The purpose of this activity is to review and collect and assess the scientific evidence and provide academic and industry scientists working in the prebiotic field with answers regarding the potential impact on viral and bacterial diseases and vaccination efficacy.
Start date: September 2022 | End date: Q4 2024
- Prebiotics sandpit: Identifying knowledge gaps and a roadmap for building a health claims portfolio
The Task Force is organising a workshop taking place on 25 Oct 2023 as a side-event of the ILSI Europe Annual Symposium.
This activity seeks to bring together leading scientific experts, industry leaders and independent regulatory advisors in an interactive and creative environment to identify current gaps in our mechanistic understanding of prebiotics, and propose next steps to fill these gaps. A follow up report will be submitted for publication.
Start date: Q2 2023 | End date: Q3 2024
- Role of prebiotics in cognitive functioning
The Expert Group will soon start working on the role of prebiotics in cognitive functioning. A perspective paper will provide a short synopsis of the field, and propose a list of recommendations to move it forward.
Start date: Oct 2023 | End date: Q3 2024
Upcoming
- Implementation of NAMs in
prebiotic research
With the Task Force on New Approach Methodologies (NAMs), the Prebiotics Task Force has developed a new project to address the implementation of NAMs in prebiotic research through a gap analysis and a strategic mapping of existing models.
Expected kick-off: Q4 2024
- Markers of the gut microbiota
The group aims to identify key markers for assessing microbiota improvement, focusing on measurable indicators of microbiota composition. The activity is shared with the Probiotics Task Force.
Kick-off: Q4 2024 - End: Q1 2026
Expert Groups
Role of prebiotics in cognitive functioning: What do we know and where to go next?
Background and objectives
The aim of the activity will be to produce a perspective article that provides a short synopsis of the field, and proposes a list of recommendations to move the field forward. Specifically, it will highlight the need to perform studies in healthy participants that test the potential “rescuing” effects of prebiotics under conditions where cognition may be transiently compromised. Ultimately, such studies would allow better estimation of the magnitude of effects of prebiotics, since current studies largely yield null findings.
Output
- Perspective paper
Expert group members
Boushra Dalile | Translational Research Center for Gastrointestinal Disorders - Targid | Researcher | BE |
Yannick Vermeiren | Wageningen University | Assistant Professor | NL |
Kathrin Cohen Kadosh | University of Surrey | Researcher | UK |
Harriet Schellekens | University College Cork | Lecturer Anatomy & Neuroscience | UK |
Simon McArthur | Queen Mary University of London | Senior Lecturer in Neuroscience & Pharmacology | UK |
Robert-Jan Brummer | Örebro University | Professor | SE |
Neil Boyle | University of Leeds | Research Fellow | UK |
Anirikh Chakrabarti | Cargill | Microbiome Program Lead | BE |
Veerle Dam | Sensus | Health Science and Regulatory Affairs Specialist | NL |
Frédérique Respondek | CPKelco | Director Innovation | FR |
Yoghatama Cindya Zanzer | Beneo | Manager Nutrition Science | BE |
Georgina Dodd | Clasado | R&D Senior Scientist | UK |
Role of prebiotics in bacterial and viral infection, and vaccination efficiency
Background and Objectives
This review aims at collecting and assessing the scientific evidence of the potential impact on viral and bacterial diseases and vaccination efficacy. The review will give the current status for prebiotics impact on infections, both prevention or recovery, and in supporting vaccination efficacy, for academics and industry scientists in this field.
Output
This activity aims to understand the extent and mechanisms by which prebiotics impact the human host to support immunity in infection situations and vaccination efficacy. Output of this review will assess the scientific evidence and provide academic and industry scientists working in the prebiotic field with answers regarding the potential impact on viral and bacterial diseases and vaccination efficacy. The review will cover all age groups from infants to elderly as effects can differ to the development of the immune system.
Expert Group Members
Paul de Vos – Chair | University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG) | Professor | NL |
Elaine Vaughan – Vice-Chair | Sensus | Scientific & Regulatory Affairs | NL |
Hediye Arioz Tunc | University of Southampton | Postgraduate Research Student | UK |
Alissa Cait | Malaghan Institute of Medical Research | Postdoctoral Researcher | NZ |
Philip Calder | University of Southampton | Professor of Nutritional Immunology, Head Human Development & Health | UK |
Lucien Harthoorn | Clasado | Director Research & Development | UK |
Olivier Gasser | Malaghan Institute of Medical Research | Translational Immunology | NZ |
Damien Guillemet | Nexira | Scientific Development Director | FR |
Daniel James | University of Reading | UK | |
Anna Lubkowska | Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin | Head of Functional Diagnostics and Physical Medicine | PL |
Alexandra Meynier | Mondelēz International | Nutrition Scientist | FR |
Weronika Ratajczak | Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin | Chair of Functional Diagnostics and Physical Medicine | PL |
Frédérique Respondek | CPKELCO | Director Scientific Regulatory Affairs | FR |
Clémentine Thabuis | Roquette | Nutrition Research Manager | FR |
Stephan Theis | Südzucker Group | Head of Nutrition Science | DE |
Gemma Walton | University of Reading | Associate Professor | UK |
Georgina Dodd | Clasado | Senior Scientist | UK |
"Prebiotics Sandpit" Workshop: Identifiyng Knowledge Gaps and a Roadmap for Building an Health Claims Portfolio
Background and Objectives
The Task Force has organised the interdisciplinary workshop “Prebiotics sandpit: Identifying knowledge gaps and a roadmap for building a health claims portfolio”. This activity seeks to bring together leading scientific experts, industry leaders and independent regulatory advisors, in an interactive and creative environment to identify current gaps in our mechanistic understanding of prebiotics, and propose next steps to fill these gaps. The workshop took place on 25 Oct 2023 as a side-event of the ILSI Europe Annual Symposium. This paper gives an overview of the regulatory requirements for authorised health claims in the EU, key areas of prebiotic research, and findings to date in relation to digestive, immune, metabolic and cognitive health.
Output
- Interactive interdisciplinary workshop.
- Workshop report.
The review emphasizes the need for robust clinical studies to confirm prebiotics' health benefits, potentially driving industry investment and guiding regulatory bodies like EFSA in setting clearer guidelines. This could lead to more authorized health claims for prebiotics in the EU and stimulate innovation in food products targeting European consumers.
Expert Group Members
Kieran Tuohy | University of Leeds | UK |
Ellen Blaak | Maastricht University Medical Centre | NL |
Philip Burnet, | University of Oxford | UK |
Nathalie Delzenne | UCLouvain | BE |
Paul de Voos, | University Medical Center Groningen | NL |
Louise Dye | University of Sheffield | UK |
Lesley Houghton, | University of Leeds | UK |
Seppo Salminen, | University of Turku | FI |
Gemma Walton, | University of Reading | UK |
Philip Calder, | University of Southampton | UK |
Anirikh Chakrabarti, | Cargill | BE |
Elaine Vaughan, Vice-Chair | Sensus | NL |
Lucien Harthoorn | Clasado | UK |
Damien Guillemet | Nexira | FR |
Publications
Oldest to Newest
Prebiotic Effects: Metabolic and Health Benefits
2010
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.
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.
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.
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.
Multimedia
Completed Expert Groups
Overview of completed activities
- Prediction of individual responses to prebiotics and probiotics intervention (collaboration with Probiotics Task Force)
- Understanding the Relationship Between the Molecular Structure and the Effects of Prebiotic Compounds on Microbiota and its Metabolites
- Joint nutrition cluster activity on ‘mechanistic insights into the gut-brain axis' in collaboration with Early Nutrition and Long-Term Health; Health Benefit Assessment of Foods; Nutrition, Immunity & Inflammation; Nutrition & Brain Health; and Probiotics Task Forces
- Updated concise monograph - Dietary Probiotics, Prebiotics and the Gut Microbiota in Human Health (collaboration with Probiotics Task Force)
- Revealing the Mechanistic Role in Human Physiology and Beneficial Aspects of Short Chain Fatty Acid (SCFA) Production in the Gastro-Intestinal Tract (GIT)