Unlocking health potential of postbiotics: Exploring there potential and overcoming challenges

Compressive wellness and nutritional practices have garnered increasing support from a growing number of individuals in the 21st century, with the aim of mitigating subhealth issues. Probiotics and postbiotics have steadily gained prominence in the scientific and nutritional sectors. Postbiotics, as innovative products of the new era, present both significant advantages and notable challenges for optimization. A panel of scientists assembled by the International Scientific Association of Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) recently defined the term “postbiotic” as follows: “a preparation of inanimate microorganisms and/or their components that confers a health benefit on the host.” This definition places a strong emphasis on the primary microbial cells or cell fragments, rather than on the metabolites, proteins, or carbohydrates they may produce. While these microbe-produced elements may indeed serve as functional ingredients in the preparation, their presence in a postbiotic is not considered essential according to this definition. In this context, terms such as “paraprobiotics,” “heat-inactivated probiotics,” “nonviable probiotics,” “cell fragments,” or “cell lysates,” among others, align with the description of postbiotics. Despite the myriad applications of postbiotics, there remain instances where they exhibit limitations. This review delves into the challenges and shortcomings of current data regarding postbiotics and highlights what the scientific community should consider in order to transition this innovative therapeutic approach from laboratory research to practical clinical application. It underscores the imperative for increased knowledge and research pertaining to the nature of bioactive compounds and the development of high-performance biotechnology methods for harnessing these compounds within various industries.