Summarizing the role of prebiotics in health and disease, this book studies all major categories of prebiotics, highlighting the scientific evidence gathered over the past 10 years. It includes contributions from scientists actively involved in prebiotic research. They provide up-to-date, scientific information in the new and rapidly growing field. Both precise and comprehensive, this book fills a need as the first book devoted entirely to prebiotics. It covers all pertinent aspects involved in the prebiotics including metabolic pathways involved in prebiotics digestion, experimental data on human and animal trials, and nutritional facts about prebiotics for all age groups.