'Postbiotics' - An Evolving Concept in the Field of Functional Foods

摘要

Food is the basic need of life that fulfil the elementary nutritional necessities of an individual viz., proteins, fats, and carbohydrates for its development and maintenance, as well as myriad non-nutrient factors such as fibre, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals which positively modulate human physiology and enhances health condition. As a matter of fact, the concept of functional foods was introduced in Japan as Foods for Specific Health Use (FOSHU) referred as foods that demonstrated physiologicalbenefits or reduced disease risks, in addition to performing their normal basic functions (Ashwell, 2002). With increasing consumer awareness and acceptance of functional foods, the annual demand of functional food industry has raised globally @ 8% withan economic thrust of >US$180 billion (Nataraj et al, 2020).