Compared with the same probiotic delivered as a capsule or added to the yogurt before fermentation, BB-12 added to yogurt post-fermentation significantly reduced the secretion of TNF-alpha, an inflammatory biomarker, according to findings published in the European Journal of Nutrition.
“Probiotics are often considered to act independently of the matrix used to deliver them. BB-12 is commonly formulated in dairy products, especially yogurt; however, BB-12 can also be consumed in capsule form,” explained researchers from Pennsylvania State University. “Furthermore, BB-12 can be added into yogurt products either prior to or following the yogurt fermentation process, and this varies among manufacturers.”
“Little is known about the timing of the addition of BB-12 to dairy products on the efficacy and functionality of BB-12, even though these differences in manufacturing processes may influence the health benefits of the probiotic organism.”
Data from their randomized, partially blinded, 4-period crossover, free-living study indicate that the timing and the matrix do indeed affect the efficacy of the probiotic.
Results of their study, which included 30 healthy adults aged 18-40, showed that while probiotic capsules and yogurt smoothies containing BB-12 added pre-fermentation did modulate the markers of immunity and inflammation, these changes were significantly smaller than in subjects who consumed yogurt smoothies containing BB-12 added post-fermentation.
“These findings are not only the first to demonstrate that consumption of a yogurt smoothie containing BB-12 could modulate cytokine secretion from cultured [peripheral blood mononuclear cells] (PBMCs), but also indicate that the matrix of BB-12, and the timing of its addition to yogurt in relation to the fermentation process influenced the immunological effects of BB-12.,” they wrote.
Study details
Led by Dr Connie Rogers, Assistant Professor in the Penn State’s Department of Nutritional Sciences, the researchers randomly assigned the 30 volunteers to one of four groups: Yogurt smoothie alone (control group); the yogurt smoothie with BB-12 added pre- or post-fermentation, or BB-12 in a capsule for four weeks. All of the interventions provided daily BB-12 doses of log10 CFUs/day. After each four week intervention they went through a two week “washout period” before crossing over to another group. By the end of the study they had all received each intervention for four weeks.
“Yogurt is rich in various nutrients, including peptides, free amino acids, free fatty acids, folic acid, and calcium, which can support the growth, survival, and activity of BB-12,” they wrote. “Following consumption, the acidic environment and buffering system provided by yogurt may confer a survival advantage to BB-12 while traveling through the human GI tract. The nutrient composition and buffering capacity of yogurt may also directly influence the efficacy of BB-12 by modifying the probiotic effect of BB-12 in the intestine.
“However, these effects may be dependent on the timing of BB-12 addition to the yogurt cultures, as we did not observe a significant reduction in TNF-alpha secretion from PBMCs in participants who consumed yogurt smoothies with BB-12 added pre-fermentation.
“The yogurt fermentation process may reduce the efficacy and probiotic activity of BB-12 or may be altering the metabolites produced by BB-12, which may influence the immune response. The effect of timing of BB-12 addition during the yogurt manufacturing process on immune response warrants further study.”
Source: European Journal of Nutrition
Published online ahead of print, doi: 10.1007/s00394-015-1109-5
“Consumption of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB-12 in yogurt reduced expression of TLR-2 on peripheral blood-derived monocytes and pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion in young adults”
Authors: H. Meng et al.