Shelf-stable multi-serving powder and emulsion concentrates have been difficult to develop because many probiotic strains require refrigeration once in liquid form, explained the company in a press release, and this is why probiotics are generally found as capsules or in yogurts.
Virun has developed technology to that combines lactoferrin with probiotics and has been shown to increase their survival rate, Philip Bromley, CEO and Co-founder of Virun, told NutraIngredients-USA. The company’s probiotic powders and emulsions will be branded as Probiferrin.
“Current peer reviewed and scientific journals show that Lactoferrin can increase the survival rate of Probiotics in the gut,” said Bromley. “Virun has shown that Lactoferrin also increases the survival rate of Probiotics in application. One such mechanism of action that explains this phenomenon is that iron-saturated Lactoferrin inhibits the growth of bad bacteria which, in turn, increases the survival rate of good bacteria. Lactoferrin combined with Probiotics not only improves survival rate but third party test results have shown that Lactoferrin in Virun patent and patent pending compositions actually help colonize and increase probiotic growth.”
The patent and patents-pending technology can help stabilize and increase the survivability of traditional strains such as Bifidobacterium lactis and infantis and Lactobacillus acidophulus, said the company.
Bromley told us that the company currently has three-month ambient stability in a liquid emulsion and in dry powder. “We have studies with 4 different strains. It appears our emulsion technology is more effective and results are more reproducible than powder,” he said. The stability testing has been verified by a third party, he added.
Probiferrin comes in multiple flavors such as Cherry and Grape. The packaging for Probiferrin will be an easy to squeeze, multi-serving 8 or 16 oz bottle or multi-dose oral syringes. Servings and probiotic strength will be between 1 and 50B CFU per gram of 5 mls depending on the strain and customer specification.
“We are in discussion with several finished product brands and expect to see “Lactoferrin” on probiotic product labels soon!” said Bromley.