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- Commensal obligate anaerobic bacteria and health: production, storage, and delivery strategiesPublication . Andrade, José Carlos; Almeida, Diana; Domingos, Melany; Seabra, Catarina Leal; Machado, Daniela; Freitas, Ana Cristina; Gomes, Ana MariaIn the last years several human commensals have emerged from the gut microbiota studies as potential probiotics or therapeutic agents. Strains of human gut inhabitants such as Akkermansia, Bacteroides, or Faecalibacterium have shown several interesting bioactivities and are thus currently being considered as food supplements or as live biotherapeutics, as is already the case with other human commensals such as bifidobacteria. The large-scale use of these bacteria will pose many challenges and drawbacks mainly because they are quite sensitive to oxygen and/or very difficult to cultivate. This review highlights the properties of some of the most promising human commensals bacteria and summarizes the most up-to-date knowledge on their potential health effects. A comprehensive outlook on the potential strategies currently employed and/or available to produce, stabilize, and deliver these microorganisms is also presented.
- Nanoprobiotics: when technology meets gut healthPublication . Machado, Daniela; Almeida, Diana; Seabra, Catarina Leal; Andrade, José Carlos; Gomes, Ana Maria; Freitas, Ana CristinaNanotechnology is a fast-rising industry not defined by a single field of research, but as the convergence of disciplines, such as chemistry, biology, physics, mathematics, and engineering, which exploits the benefits of nanoscale dimensions and characteristics for application in the macroworld. Current applications vary widely from nanorobotic industry to simple household items. However, the combination of such phenomena with probiotic science, another emerging and potentially promising area for the prevention and treatment of several human gastrointestinal and extraintestinal disorders using beneficial microorganisms, gives birth to “nanoprobiotics,” a field that focuses on the application of nanoscience into the probiotic-related world. In this chapter, we will navigate through the basic nanotech and probiotic knowledge and the current technologies employed with success for probiotic delivery and, ultimately, discuss what possibilities lie ahead in the nanoprobiotic future.