Prebiotics and Probiotics on Infant Health and Growth

• The adequate establishment of the intestinal flora after birth plays a crucial role in the development of gut barrier function, the innate and adaptive immune system, and GI motility to prevent the expression of clinical gastrointestinal disease states. • Taking breast feeding as the natural example of functional food able to induce effects behind nutritional needs, the prebiotic/probiotic formula should be considered as a physiological approach to influence intestinal microbiota early in the life and so the related intestinal functions. • Bifidobacteria and lactobacilli are the most popular micro-organism for probiotic applications and the most effective ones are of human origin. There are several reports of probiotic and prebiotic in disease prevention or enhancement of immune function, reinforcement of the gut defense, and maturation of gastrointestinal motility. • Most of the studies to date using probiotics and prebiotics to manipulate the intestinal microbiota and to prevent or treat disease have been empiric and much more needs to be learned about the indigenous flora and their interactions with the developing intestinal tract before we can be comfortable in routinely manipulating the intestinal microbial ecosystem.