The mucus, mainly composed of the glycoproteins mucins, is a rheological substance that covers the intestinal epithelium and acts as a protective barrier against a variety of harmful molecules, microbial infection and varying lumen environment conditions. Alterations in the composition or structure of the mucus could lead to various diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease or colorectal cancer. Recent studies revealed that an exogenous intake of probiotic bacteria or other dietary components (such as bioactive peptides and probiotics) derived from food influence mucus layer properties as well as modulate gene expression and secretion of mucins. Therefore, the use of such components for designing new functional ingredients and then foods, could constitute a novel approach to preserve the properties of mucus. After presenting some aspects of the mucus and mucins in the gastrointestinal tract as well as mucus role in the gut health, this review will address role of dietary ingredients in improving mucus / mucin production and provides new suggestions for further investigations of how dietary ingredients / probiotics based functional foods can be developed to maintain or improve the gut health.

粘液主要由糖蛋白粘蛋白组成，是一种覆盖肠上皮的流变物质，可作为针对各种有害分子，微生物感染和不同内腔环境条件的保护性屏障。粘液成分或结构的改变可能导致各种疾病，例如炎症性肠病或结直肠癌。最近的研究表明，来自食物的益生菌或其他饮食成分（例如生物活性肽和益生菌）的外源摄入会影响粘液层的性质以及调节粘蛋白的基因表达和分泌。因此，使用此类成分设计新的功能成分，然后设计食物，可以构成一种新颖的方法来保存粘液的特性。