Word |
Description |
Acidophilus
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Lactic acid producing bacteria, thought to have beneficial effects on digestion and general health. The term generally refers to Lactobacillus acidophilus bacteria, although it is often also employed to describe products containing one or more species of Lactobacillus bacteria, particularly in the US.
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Adherence |
An essential step in bacterial colonisation is to effectively adhere to host surfaces. Especially important for intransitive bacteria, to allow them to colonise effectively.
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Anti-microbial |
Active to kill or prevent the growth of bacteria. |
Bacteria |
Single-celled prokaryotic organisms. Although some bacteria are pathogenic, most have beneficial roles in human health and also throughout the biochemical world.
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Bacterial cultures |
Live bacteria used in the manufacture of foods such as sausages, cheese, yoghurts, breads and sauerkraut. These bacteria are not usually alive in the final product.
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Bacterial Species |
A bacterial species is defined as a collection of strains that share morphological, physiological and biochemical characteristics, and differ considerably from other strains.
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Bacteriocins |
Bacteriocins are products of fermentation and lyophilised cells of probiotic bacteria. They can give the same benefits as live probiotic bacteria in the treatment of digestive upsets, but in a more stable form. They can also exhibit very strong anti-microbial effects against common pathogenic bacteria.
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Bacteriotherapy |
Medical treatment involving the use of beneficial bacteria to replace pathogenic bacteria.
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Beneficial bacteria |
Bacteria that can give active benefits to the body. An alternative name for Probiotics, Lactic acid Bacteria, "friendly bacteria".
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Bifidobacteria
Bifidobacterium |
A family of gram-positive, lactose-fermenting bacteria, commonly used in probiotic products.
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Bifidogenic |
Encourages the growth of Bifidobacteria, often increasing their numbers to the exclusion of pathogenic bacteria.
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Bowel |
Lower part of the digestive tract, where waste is made and stored before it exits the body, also called large intestine
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Colonisation |
Act of moving in to a distant area where their kind is sparse or not yet existing to set up new populations.
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Colony Forming Units (cfu) |
Bacterial populations are commonly measured in terms of cfu/g, which is a measure of the concentration of viable bacteria. In general, probiotic products are between 10 6 and 10 12 per gram.
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Commercially available strains |
Strains that have been studied and well documented as to their safety and properties.
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Cultured |
Probiotic bacteria grown in a growth media/food source, allowing maximum growth in numbers and production of metabolites.
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Diarrhoea |
Frequent passage of large watery stools, commonly the result of intestinal infection. Can lead to dehydration and in severe cases death.
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Digestion |
Breakdown of foodstuff into their component parts, either chemically or enzymatically. Proteins to amino acids, Starch to glucose, fats to glycerol and fatty acids.
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DuoLac |
Double-coated probiotic bacteria, coated to make it more stable, and better able to survive until it reaches the intestine.
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Effective dose |
It is widely accepted that 100 million bacteria (1x108) per dose/portion are required to give the probiotic effects in the body. Yoghurts are usually 1 million per gram (1x106). Clinical studies and recovery from illness requires higher numbers.
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Fermentation |
Anaerobic metabolism. Used generally in alcoholic fermentation of sugars, also production of acetic, lactic and citric acids by micro-organisms in pickling and manufacture of vinegar.
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Fermented milk |
Milk is fermented with a mixture of bacteria. Lactose is converted to lactic acid. This acid prevents the growth of potentially hazardous micro-organisms. Yoghurt.
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Food Supplement |
Food supplements can be used to supplement the intake of certain nutrients in the diet, including, but not restricted to, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, essential fatty acids, fibre and some herbal and plant extracts.
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Freeze dried |
Dehydration process used to preserve perishable material. Freeze drying damages the tissues much less that other drying processes, which involve high temperatures.
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Functional Food |
A generic term used to describe any food product that aims to offer health benefits beyond those of basic nutrition.
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Gastric upsets |
Intestinal problems, usually resulting in pain, bloating, gas production and diarrhoea
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Glycaemic response |
Change in blood glucose after eating carbohydrate-containing foods. A measure of the rate of digestion of the carbohydrate
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Gram positive/negative |
A method of classifying bacteria depending on whether or not they retain crystal-violet dye (Gram stain).
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Human origin |
Species naturally found in the human intestine, and thus natural to our bodies. Now grown and cultured from strain banks.
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Intestinal balance |
Balance of bacteria in the intestine. In a healthy person this should predominantly be probiotic bacteria. This balance is easily upset during sickness causing discomfort and diarrhoea
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Intestine |
Part of the digestive system where the greater part of digestion and absorption takes place.
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Intransient bacteria |
Bacterial species that are normally present in healthy human gut. These bacteria are able to adhere to the lining of the intestine and thus do not normally need replacing. Need to be replaced only when the digestive system is upset
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LAB |
Lactic acid bacteria: Probiotic bacteria that produce lactic acid during their growth. This acid can lower the pH of the intestine, which helps to prevent the growth of pathogenic bacteria
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Lactobacilli |
Any of a number of species of bacteria capable of fermenting lactose into lactic acid. Lactobacilli are naturally present in the colon. They are beneficial for a healthy digestion, and fight pathogenic bacteria.
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Lactose fermenting |
Bacteria capable of fermenting lactose, the milk sugar, to lactic acid. Used for the manufacture of yoghurts and also useful to lactose intolerant people to assist in the digestion of lactose (for which they are lacking the enzyme).
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Lactose intolerance |
Impaired ability to digest lactose in the small intestine. The undigested sugars are fermented by bacteria in the large intestine, resulting in pain and diarrhoea
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Lyophilised |
Freeze dried including all culture medium and beneficial products of metabolism
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Metabolism |
Breakdown of complex food particles into the compounds that are used as energy by the body. Helps to release the nutritional value held within the food.
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Metabolites |
Metabolites are the intermediates and products of metabolism. Primary metabolites are directly involved in normal growth and development. Secondary metabolites such as antibiotics and pigments can also have an important ecological function.
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Nutraceutical |
Foods or food-derived substances aimed to have medicinal or health benefits.
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Nutrients |
Essential dietary factors such as Vitamins, Minerals, Amino acids and Fatty acids.
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Pathogen |
A disease-causing micro-organism, such as Salmonella or Listeria, which cause gastric upsets in both animals and humans. Which may be bacteria, fungi, parasites or viruses.
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Prebiotics |
Prebiotics are commonly defined as non-digestible food ingredients that beneficially affect the consumer by encouraging growth and activity of one or a limited number of 'friendly' bacteria in the colon. Prebiotics are fermented in the colon only, and thus, unlike probiotics, their survival in the gut is not in doubt.
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Probiotic |
A live microbial food or feed ingredient or supplement that is beneficial to health. The name 'probiotic' is taken from the Greek, meaning 'for life'. On order for the product to contribute to the intestinal microbial balance, and afford the consumer some positive effect, the probiotic must survive passage through the digestive tract.
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Probiotic cultures |
Bacterial cultures chosen for their ability to colonise the intestinal tract and for their probiotic effects. Used purely for their effect in the body, and often coated to ensure they are still alive when ingested.
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Probiotic effect |
Probiotics can help maintain the levels of good intestinal bacteria, which help in digestion of foods, prevention of intestinal disorders, nutrient absorption, lactose tolerance, low cholesterol levels and improve glycaemic response.
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Prophylactic |
Acting to prevent or defend against disease. As opposed to "therapeutic" (see below).
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Proteolysis |
The hydrolytic breakdown of proteins into simpler, soluble components, such as amino acids and peptides, as occurs during digestion.
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Resident bacteria |
Bacteria usually present in the healthy human gut. Includes both intransient and transient species, and varies thought our life cycle and depending on our dietary habits
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Strain |
A strain is one particular type of bacteria within a species. Some strains of a given species may be pathogenic, whilst the others are beneficial.
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Strain bank |
Central collection of bacteria that have been isolated and classified from around the world. Pure and well documented supply of commercially available strains
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Symbiotic |
Symbiotic products contain a mixture of pro- and prebiotics, and are designed to maximise the beneficial effects of both.
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Therapeutic |
Having or demonstrating healing capability. |
Transient bacteria |
Bacterial species that will normally grow in a healthy human intestine but are not able to adhere. These need to be consumed on a regular basis in our diet to keep our intestinal systems healthy and functioning well.
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Viable Bacteria |
Viable bacteria are active and can multiply through cell division. Semi-viable bacteria are those that cannot divide (reproduce) but are still active. Non-viable bacteria are not active and do not multiply.
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Yoghurt |
Yoghurt is produced by introducing a bacterial culture, usually Lactobacillus bulgaricus or Streptococcus thermophilus, into permitted dairy ingredients, so that the product ferments. These bacteria are killed by post-fermentation heat treatment.
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Yoghurt cultures |
Bacterial cultures used to ferment yoghurt, often chosen for their ability to make good yoghurts, but can also be actively probiotic if still alive in the final product.
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