Influence of functional ingredients of baby food on immunity

Abstract

In order to prevent the development of chronic diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, overweight and obesity, diabetes mellitus, cancer and allergic pathology, it is necessary to adhere to a balanced diet from an early age, with the inclusion of functional ingredients, including dietary fiber, vitamins and vitamin-like compounds, minerals, polyunsaturated fatty acids, prebiotics and probiotics. Combined enrichment of dairy products with prebiotics and probiotics helps to combine their positive and effective impacts. There has been an improvement in the survival of probiotic microorganisms in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). It has been shown that the addition of prebiotics and probiotics to the diet helps to change the composition of the intestinal microbiota towards a more balanced structure, thereby increasing the barrier function of the intestine and the formation of optimal immune interactions. The general effects of prebiotics and probiotics include maintaining homeostasis and integrity of the intestinal mucosa, providing colonization potential for pathogens, production of short-chain fatty acids and vitamins, metabolism of bile acids, regulation of transit through the gastrointestinal tract, and increased regeneration of enterocytes. The combination of bifidobacteria or lactobacteria with fructo-oligosaccharides in symbiotic products is most commonly used in human nutrition. In our study, patients aged 8 to 18 months, reconvalescents of acute respiratory disease for which antibacterial therapy was prescribed, included in their diet for 3 months drinking yoghurts enriched with Bifidobacterium Lactis BB12 and inulin. Inclusion of yoghurt in the diet of children contributed to the normalization of intestinal microbiota composition after antibacterial therapy, as well as strengthening immunity by stimulating the synthesis of protective factors secretory immunoglobulin A and lysozyme.