You've heard of probiotics. Probably prebiotics too. But there is a third concept that science is examining with growing interest — and which is perhaps the most intriguing of the three: postbiotics.
It's not a trend. It's not a marketing term. Postbiotics are a real scientific phenomenon — and you are very likely already encountering them in your life without knowing what they're called.
First – a quick reminder of the trio
Before we get to postbiotics, let's place the three concepts side by side:
Probiotics are live microorganisms — bacteria that you ingest and which, in sufficient quantities, have a positive effect on your microbiome. The classic example is yogurt.
Prebiotics are food for these bacteria — fibres and substances that live cultures break down and use for energy. Inulin is a typical example.
Postbiotics are what results afterwards — the products and metabolites that bacteria produce during the fermentation process. In short: if probiotics are the workers and prebiotics are the raw material, then postbiotics are the result of their work.
What exactly are postbiotics?
In 2021, the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) gave an official definition: postbiotics are "preparations of inanimate microorganisms and/or their components that confer a health benefit on the host."
In practice, this includes a wide spectrum of bioactive substances produced during fermentation: organic acids, short-chain fatty acids, enzymes, peptides, vitamins, and yes — even the natural CO₂ that carbonates your homemade fermented drink.
Importantly, these substances do not require live cells to act. They are stable, bioactive, and already present in the liquid after fermentation.
Why is science excited about them?
Research on postbiotics has accelerated significantly in recent years. Here is what published scientific data shows — without exaggeration, only facts:
Postbiotics act as mediators in the complex interaction between the gut microbiome and the immune system. They participate in the fermentation of carbohydrates, the production of enzymes, peptides, and vitamins — substances the body works with daily.
A study published in Food Science and Biotechnology (2024) describes how postbiotics include "organic acids, exopolysaccharides, bioactive peptides, and cellular components" — substances with the potential to support antimicrobial activity and intestinal barrier function.
Home fermentation as a postbiotic process
When you ferment fruit juice with a live lactic acid starter culture, you are not simply making a carbonated drink. You are creating an environment in which live cultures produce precisely these postbiotic substances — organic acids, CO₂, and bioactive metabolites — directly in the liquid you then consume.
The result is a drink that, with certain fruit combinations and correctly completed fermentation, approaches the postbiotic profile described in the scientific literature.
This is not coincidental. This is the logic of fermentation, known to humanity for thousands of years — science has simply found the words for it.
Pro, pre and post – together they work best
The true power lies not in any one of the three separately. When probiotics (live cultures), prebiotics (inulin and fibre), and postbiotics (the metabolites from fermentation) are present simultaneously — we speak of a synbiotic effect: a system in which each component amplifies the action of the others.
This is precisely the logic behind Balance Synbiotic by Onbiome – a combination of live lactic acid cultures and inulin. And the homemade fermented drink with the soy yogurt starter culture is a practical example of how you can create a postbiotic environment at home, with simple ingredients and a little patience.
In conclusion
Postbiotics are not the future. They are the present — found in yogurt, in fermented vegetables, in a homemade fruit drink. Science is only now naming and studying them systematically.
The curious thing is that you don't need a laboratory to have them on your table.
If you want to understand how to make your own postbiotic drink at home, read our guide → Homemade naturally carbonated drink with live cultures
And if you have questions – find us at biom.bg.
