Role of lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria in synbiotic effect

Some genera of lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria are the main subject s of this review because they are most commonly incorporated in probiotic p roducts. Since these bacteria are also indigenous to the colon, a strategy for increasing their numbers and/or activity is the use of prebiotics, non- digestible oligosaccharides, that stimulate autochthonous and allochthonous (probiotic) bacteria. At the same time, the potential for using probiotics and prebiotics in combination was recognised and the term synbiotic was pr oposed for products containing both supplements.