ScFOS a prebiotic for synbiotic associations

Summary Prebiotic and probiotic ingredients are increasingly used together in food products and sometimes called synbiotics. However, not all pre- and probiotic associations have synergistic effects on health benefits and each association should be evaluated carefully. This article reviews most of the studies evaluating association of short-chain fructo-oligosaccharides (scFOS) as prebiotics with one or several probiotic strains. The effects of scFOS on the growth and resistance of the probiotics are assessed as well as the potential benefits of these blends upon human health and well being.