Research in Intestinal Flora and Functional Foods

Abstract

During the last 5 decades research in intestinal flora made rapid progress: 1) development of comprehensive culture method; 2) establishment of classification and identification of intestinal anaerobic bacteria; 3) accumulation of microecological evidences as well as beneficial and harmful function of intestinal flora in human health. Thus, it is of great importance to promote beneficial bacteria such as bifidobacteria and to suppress harmful bacteria such as clostridia among the intestinal flora. Recent advances of research in intestinal flora are the background for the appearance of functional foods, which act directly or indirectly, through the modulation of intestinal flora, on health of the host. The functional foods enhance bioregulation such as stresses, appetite and absorption, bio-defence such as immunity and antiallergy, prevent diseases including diarrhea, constipation, cancer, cholesterolemia and diabetes, and suppress aging through immunostimulation as well as suppression of mutagenesis, carcinogenesis, oxidation processes, intestinal putrefaction and cholesterolemia. This lecture reviews progresses of the research in intestinal bacteriology and how such progresses had an influence on the development of functional foods focusing on our study.