Document Type : Review articles
Authors
1
Department of Botany and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, 12592, Egypt
2
Department of Botany and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza 12613, Egypt
3
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, National Research Centre 12622 Dokki, Giza, Egypt
Abstract
Postbiotics, defined as bioactive compounds produced during microbial fermentation, have emerged as a promising alternative to traditional probiotics, offering unique therapeutic potential and applications across various sectors. This review comprehensively explores postbiotics' classification, mechanisms of action, and therapeutic applications, focusing on their use in the food industry, human health, functional foods, and biomedical applications. In the food industry, postbiotics enhance food safety, shelf life, and functional properties while promoting gut health through non-living microbial metabolites. Postbiotics can help improve human health by affecting the immune system, enhancing metabolism, and aiding digestion, making them good options for treating long-term illnesses like inflammatory bowel disease and metabolic syndrome. Additionally, incorporating postbiotics into functional foods offers the possibility of delivering health benefits beyond basic nutrition. In the biomedical field, their potential applications range from wound healing to tissue regeneration, where postbiotics' anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties can play a key role. This review highlights the growing evidence supporting the broad spectrum of postbiotics' therapeutic capabilities, positioning them as a versatile and sustainable option in modern medicine and industry. Despite the promising outlook, we need further research with clinical trials to fully understand their efficacy and establish appropriate guidelines for their application.
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