Research and Application Progress of the Active Metabolites of Probiotics

Probiotics is an intriguing research focus due to its multiple beneficial effects on host, which is closely associated with its bioactive metabolites, including extracellular polysaccharides, bacteriocins, vitamins, organic acids and short-chain fatty acids. They are widely used in medical treatment, food antiseptic, animal husbandry and other industrial areas for their broad beneficial effects, such as anti-inflammation, anti-oxidation, immune regulation and preventive and therapeutic properties against metabolic diseases. Even though the functionalities and application potential of probiotics are extensively studied, further efforts are needed to focus on the increase of their productivity, reducing the cost of production and purification and exploring the cellular and molecular mechanisms. Here we review the category, functions and applications of probiotic metabolites, and would provide more insights for their utilizations in food, medicine, health care and animal husbandry.