Postbiotics are preparations of inanimate microorganisms and/or components conferring a health benefit, while paraprobiotics often refer to inactivated cells. The review covers cell-wall fragments, metabolites and signaling molecules, proposed barrier, immune and microbiome mechanisms, and human and animal nutrition applications. Stability, storage and risks associated with live organisms may improve over probiotics, but heterogeneous strains and processing prevent class-wide efficacy claims.
Key findings
- Postbiotics may improve stability, safety and formulation; omics can identify active components and AI may support matching formulations to outcomes; products and mechanisms remain heterogeneous and require formulation-specific validation.
Why this matters globally
Potential applications include limited cold-chain settings, vulnerable populations and stable animal nutrition, but market growth requires definitions, potency standards and restrained claims.
Thai researcher contribution
Muhammad Waqar of Walailak University contributes to the international synthesis of food biochemistry and microbiome-based functional foods.
Limitations to consider
The short abstract omits review methods, preventing assessment of selection bias and evidence quality. Many mechanisms derive from in-vitro or animal work and do not transfer automatically across strains or inactivation methods. Long-term safety, allergenicity and dose response are product specific.