ABSTRACT
The term postbiotic was defined by the International Scientific Association of Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) as "a preparation of inanimate microorganisms and/or their components that confers a health benefit on the host." Although the ISAPP definition is widely cited, some concerns were aired after publication, and alternative definitions of postbiotic, as well as different terms for inactivated microbes, have been previously suggested. This paper addresses questions about the ISAPP definition that have been raised in different forums, including scientific meetings, social media commentary and personal communications. We focus on the rationale, scope, wording, composition and commercial implementation, as well as what is expected of postbiotics regarding safety, efficacy, quantification and mechanisms of action. We hope that exploring these questions will further clarify the definition and its scope and support a common understanding of the concept of postbiotics.
ABSTRACT
Recent and ongoing developments in microbiome science are enabling new frontiers of research for probiotics and prebiotics. Novel types, mechanisms, and applications currently under study have the potential to change scientific understanding as well as nutritional and healthcare applications of these interventions. The expansion of related fields of microbiome-targeted interventions, and an evolving landscape for implementation across regulatory, policy, prescriber, and consumer spheres, portends an era of significant change. In this review we examine recent, emerging, and anticipated trends in probiotic and prebiotic science, and create a vision for broad areas of developing influence in the field.
