Dapre definisyon prebyotik, kritè yo pou konnen si yon sibstans jije kòm prebyotik se jan sa a:
① Not digested or absorbed by the host's gastrointestinal tract, and can reach the large intestine intact;
②It can only be used by one or several kinds of beneficial bacteria resident in the intestinal tract to promote its growth and reproduction or metabolic activity;
③It can improve the composition of intestinal flora. promote host health;
①Induce systemic immunity in the intestinal lumen and improve the host's constitution.
Evalyasyon efikasite oligosakarid fonksyonèl ak lòt prebiotik mande pou etid eksperimantal in vitro ak in vivo. Dapre pwogrè rechèch ki egziste deja, rezilta eksperimantal efè fizyolojik oligosakarid ki pa -dijèstibl sou kò imen an ka divize an twa nivo. jan yo montre nan tablo ki anba a. De prebyotik komèsyal, fructooligosaccharides ak inulin, te pote soti nan eksperyans ki pi detaye nan vitro ak evalyasyon in vivo, epi yo te jwenn yon gwo kantite done jijman imen.