Some foods, as well as contributing essential nutrients to the body, also contain additional components that improve disease resistance and general health status over and above that induced by ingestion of conventional foods. The so-called functional foods, and prebiotics and probiotics exemplify the relationship that exists between nutrition, the gut (the largest element of the body's immune system) and its flora, immunology and health.

Preface. Acknowledgements. 1. The Intestinal Microflora (G.W. Tannock). 2. Food and the Large Intestine (S. MacFarlane and G.T. Macfarlane). 3. The Health Benefits of Probiotics and Prebiotics (G.R. Gibson, R.A. Rastall and R. Fuller). 4. Intestinal Microflora and Metabolic Activity (A. Perez Chaia and G. Oliver). 5. The Role of the Immune System (C.M. Riera, M. Maccioni and C.E. Sotomayor). 6. Behaviour of the Immune System in Eating Disorders. 7. Mucosal Immune System and Malnutrition (M.E. Roux, N.H. Slobodianik, P. Gauffin Cano and G. Perdigon). 8. Immune Activation versus Hyporesponsiveness and Tolerance in the Gut (J. Chin and A. Mullbacher). 9. Food Hypersensitivity and Allergic Diseases (R.K. Chandra). 10. Nutritional and Microbial Modulation of Carcinogenesis (R. Hughes and I. Rowland). 11. The Role of Nutrition in Immunity of the Aged (S. Walrand, M.-P. Vasson and B. Lesourd). 12. Conclusions (G. Perdigon and R. Fuller). Index.