Some foods, as well as contributing essential nutrients to the body, also contain additional components that improve disease resistance and general health status over and above that induced by ingestion of conventional foods. The so-called functional foods, and prebiotics and probiotics exemplify the relationship that exists between nutrition, the gut (the largest element of the body’s immune system) and its flora, immunology and health.

This important book contains chapters covering the basic principles of nutrition, gut microecology and immunology, as well as chapters which discuss the way in which this knowledge may be used to explain the positive and negative effects of food consumption, metabolism, probiotics and prebiotics. Food hypersensitivity and allergic reactions, carcinogenesis, and the role of nutrition in the reduced immunity of the aged are also discussed in detail.

The editors of this exciting and informative book, who between them have a vast wealth of knowledge of the area, have drawn together and carefully edited international contributions from many well known and respected workers in the area. Gut Flora, Nutrition, Immunity and Healthprovides essential information for a range of professionals including nutritionists, dietitians, food scientists, microbiologists, gastroenterologists, immunologists and all personnel working in the development and use of functional foods and supplements, prebiotics and probiotics. Libraries in universities and research establishments where these subjects are studied and taught, and pharmaceutical and food companies should have multiple copies of this very useful book on their shelves.

Roy Fuller is a consultant in gut microecology, based in Reading, UK; Gabriela Perdigónis based at the Centro de Referencia para Lactobacillus (CERELA) and at the Faculty of Biochemistry, Chemistry and Pharmacy of Tucuman University, Argentina.

Live bacterial cultures enhance yoghurt's healthfulness. In introducing 11 contributed chapters, Fuller, a UK microecologist, and Perdig<'o>n (biochemistry, chemistry and pharmacy, Tucuman U., Argentina) note that foods can have beneficial health effects beyond sustenance. Contributors discuss basic principles of nutrition, gut microecology, and immunology, and the introduction of "good" bacteria through probiotics/prebiotics to enhance the intestinal microflora and immune system in disease and aging. They discuss food allergies, cancer, and irritable bowel syndrome but not inflammatory bowel disease.
Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Reviewing the interactions between bacteria in the human intestinal tract, the effects on nutrition and the immune system, this volume covers probiotics, functional foods, the immune system in health and disease, oral tolerance, food and allergic disease and carcinogenesis.

CHAPTER 1: THE INTESTINAL MICROFLORA.

CHAPTER 2: FOOD AND THE LARGE INTESTINE.

CHAPTER 3: THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF PROBIOTICS AND PREBIOTICS.

CHAPTER 4: INTESTINAL MICROFLORA AND METABOLIC ACTIVITY.

CHAPTER 5 OVERVIEW OF THE IMMUNE SYSTEM.

CHAPTER 6: BEHAVIOUR OF THE IMMUNE SYSTEM IN EATING DISORDERS.

CHAPTER 7: MUCOSAL IMMUNE SYSTEM AND MALNUTRITION.

CHAPTER 8: IMMUNE ACTIVATION VERSUS HYPORESPONSIVENESS AND TOLERANCE IN THE GUT.

CHAPTER 9 FOOD HYPERSENSITIVITY AND ALLERGIC DISEASES.

CHAPTER 10: NUTRITIONAL AND MICROBIAL MODULATION OF CARCINOGENESIS.

CHAPTER 11: THE ROLE OF NUTRITION IN IMMUNITY OF THE AGED.

CHAPTER 12 CONCLUSIONS