Probiotics are not only a food supplement, but they have shown great potential in their nutritional, health and therapeutic effects. To maximize the beneficial effects of probiotics, it is commonly achieved by adding prebiotics. Prebiotics primarily comprise indigestible carbohydrates, specific peptides, proteins, and lipids, with oligosaccharides being the most extensively studied prebiotics. However, these rapidly fermenting oligosaccharides have many drawbacks and can cause diarrhea and flatulence in the body. Hence, the exploration of new prebiotic is of great interest. Besides oligosaccharides, protein hydrolysates have been demonstrated to enhance the expression of beneficial properties of probiotics. Consequently, this paper outlines the mechanism underlying the action of protein hydrolysates on probiotics, as well as the advantageous impacts of proteins hydrolysates derived from various food sources on probiotics. In addition, this paper also reviews the currently reported biological activities of protein hydrolysates. The aim is a theoretical basis for the development and implementation of novel prebiotics.
Keywords: Probiotics; biological activity; mechanisms; protein hydrolysates.