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Navigating the Probiotic-Postbiotic Transition: Mechanisms, Stability Challenges and Next-Generation Applications

Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Introduction: The paradigm of microbial therapeutics is shifting from live probiotics to postbiotics, which comprise inactivated microorganisms or their bioactive components that confer health benefits to the host. Although probiotics are widely used for gastrointestinal health, their clinical application is limited by poor stability, low physiological survivability, and safety concerns, including the risk of bacteremia in immunocompromised individuals and the horizontal transfer of antibiotic-resistance genes (ARGs). Objectives: This review aims to evaluate postbiotics as a safer and more stable alternative to probiotics by examining their classification, mechanisms of action, therapeutic applications, industrial advantages and commercially available regulatory-approved products. Methods: A comprehensive literature review was conducted to classify postbiotics into six categories i.e. metabolites, cell wall components, functional proteins, exopolysaccharides, vitamins and cell-free supernatants. Their biological mechanisms, therapeutic potential, industrial applications and regulatory status were critically analyzed using available scientific evidence. Results: Postbiotics exert beneficial effects through five principal mechanisms: immunomodulation, anti-inflammatory signaling, antimicrobial activity, metabolic regulation and antioxidant action. Evidence supports their applications in gastrointestinal, metabolic and oncological disorders. In addition, their intrinsic heat stability eliminates the need for cold-chain storage, offering significant advantages for food and pharmaceutical industries. Several commercially available and regulatory-approved postbiotic products further demonstrate their translational potential. Conclusions: Postbiotics represent a promising and resilient alternative to probiotics, addressing major limitations related to stability and safety. Although challenges remain regarding production standardization and the need for large-scale clinical validation, postbiotics hold considerable promise for advancing personalized preventive medicine and next-generation functional food technology.
Language: English
Subfield: Food Science
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7217355253
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