University of Reading professor supports prebiotics

PROFESSOR Bob Rastall, head of the Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences at the University of Reading in the UK, was a speaker at the ILSI Region Conference held from 8-9 October in Singapore. Prof. Rastall is also a member of the virtual network of minds of the BENEO-Institute, which plays a significant role in research and development in the field of nutritional science, and provides prebiotic products.

At the two-day meeting which focused on the theme “The Gut, its Microbes and Health - new knowledge and applications for Asia,” he spoke on prebiotic metabolism. He said, “The colonic microbiota is a complex dynamic ecosystem. As the historically available methods helping to obtain data have proven to be unreliable for its complexity, it is time to use modern methods. Additionally, there is often a lack in scientific studies showing health benefits in human population coupled with studies on gut microbiota. Robust data can be gained with studies conducted with fructans, either inulin or oligofructose and galacto-oligosaccharides.”

The ILSI SEA Region Conference is organised by the International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI), a non-profit organisation based in Singapore, and whose objective is to provide science to improve health and well-being and the environment through health & nutrition promotion, food and water safety, risk science and toxicology; and sustainable agriculture and nutrition security.