Probiotics, prebiotics & postbiotics

Jarrow calls for Congressional hearings to address NDI guidance woes

19-Jun-2012 By Elaine Watson

Jarrow Formulas has raised its concerns about the FDA’s draft guidance on new dietary ingredients (NDIs) with House Speaker John Boehner as part of its campaign to alert members of Congress to the dangers the “fatally flawed” document presents to the...

LGG probiotic may protect day care kids from respiratory illness: Study

18-Jun-2012 By Stephen Daniells

Long term consumption of milk containing the probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain may protect children in day care from respiratory illness, says a new study from Finland.

"will most certainly advance further research into probiotics and prebiotics”

€138m, 5-year Human Microbiome Project completion excites probiotic community

14-Jun-2012 By Shane Starling

The 5-year, $173m (€138m) Human Microbiome Project has completed with a 14-article publication blitz in journals like Nature that spells out some of its pioneering findings into the make-up and behavior of the human microbiota.

Our brand-building strategy is paying off, says Schiff Nutrition boss

11-Jun-2012 By Elaine Watson

Schiff Nutrition’s decision to pump all available cash into branding and innovation instead of deep discounts has paid off for its Move Free joint care brand, with posted a 25% surge in sales in the third quarter in a category that was “basically flat”,...

Pomegranate peel extract shows prebiotic potential

08-Jun-2012 By Stephen DANIELLS

Polyphenol-rich extracts from pomegranate peel may selectively enhance the growth of potentially beneficial gut bacteria, suggesting prebiotic activity for the extract, says a new study.

Ganeden takes BC30 probiotic into instant coffee

05-Jun-2012 By Stephen Daniells

Ganeden Biotech has announced that its BC30 probiotic ingredient will soon be available in instant coffee, as the company builds on success in teas and other beverage formats.

Cereal fibers show prebiotic potential in bread: Puratos study

04-Jun-2012 By Stephen Daniells

Bread enriched with specific cereal fibers may beneficially modify bacterial populations in the gut without any adverse effects, says a new study by scientists from the University of Reading, UK and Puratos.

DISPATCHES FROM VITAFOODS EUROPE 2012

EndoSeaRch: A new way to modify gut health?

30-May-2012 By Nathan GRAY

A new approach to modifying gut bacteria via orally delivered minerals has been gaining a lot of interest from probiotics players, says Aquapharm.

'Cobiotics' firm secures $1.5m cash injection to support growth plans

24-May-2012 By Elaine Watson

NuMe Health - the New Orleans-based firm behind NM504, a novel ‘cobiotic’ ingredient targeting prediabetics - has secured a $1.5m cash injection to support plans to commercialize it.

Vitamin Shoppe: US supplement user confidence soars to 93% as usage increases

18-May-2012 By Stephen Daniells

Taking dietary supplements can boost confidence about health, according to The Vitamin Shoppe's annual survey, with usage up to 63% of the US population.

Yakult unveils US volume surge as good bacteria message gathers pace

16-May-2012 By Elaine Watson

US consumers now drink around 142,000 bottles of Yakult's probiotic fermented dairy drink a day, 24% more than they were gulping down this time last year.*

Sexier mice eat probiotic yogurt: researcher hints at human implications

11-May-2012 By Ben Bouckley

The co-author of a research paper that found that mice fed probiotic yogurt displayed 'mouse swagger' and better sexual performance has told DairyReporter.com that the findings were potentially relevant to humans.

Probiotics have benefits for antibiotic induced diarrhoea: Meta-analysis

10-May-2012 By Nathan Gray

Consumption of probiotics is associated with a reduced risk of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea, according to a review and meta-analysis of previous studies.

Red wine polyphenols show prebiotic potential: Study

09-May-2012 By Stephen Daniells

Polyphenol compounds in red wine may selectively boost the growth of certain bacteria in the gut, says a new study from Spain.

‘Cobiotics’ firm launches mission to defuse ticking time bomb of prediabetes

09-May-2012 By Elaine Watson

Targeting the 79m adults in the US with prediabetes represents a “significant untapped opportunity” in the foods and supplements market, says the firm behind a new ‘cobiotic’ ingredient claimed to help maintain healthy blood sugar levels - and a healthy...

Prebiotics may reduce severity of colitis, say researchers

04-May-2012 By Nathan Gray

Prebiotic supplements could help to reduce bacterial infection and inflammation so reducing the severity of colitis, according to new research.

Probiotic research must better combine technology and functionality, argue researchers

25-Apr-2012 By Nathan Gray

Probiotic research needs to change in its basic paradigm, so that it takes an over-arching approach to addressing issues with both technology and functionality, according to new research.

Dispatches from the IPA World Congress

Sports nutrition offers big opportunities for $775M US probiotic supplement market

23-Apr-2012 By Stephen Daniells in Universal City, CA

Sports nutrition offers a great opportunity to expand the $2.7 bn global probiotic supplement market, with products like Gaspari’s Myofusion leading the field.

Yakult's first US manufacturing plant to open in the fall, 2013

20-Apr-2012 By Elaine Watson

The first bottles of Yakult will start rolling off the production line at the Japanese probiotic pioneer’s first US factory in Fountain Valley, CA, in the fall of 2013.

Chr Hansen shares jump 9% on strong H1 profits

19-Apr-2012 By Shane Starling

First half EBIT profits for 2011-12 surged 19% to €83m at Chr Hansen as it shrugged off the effects of severe fluctuations in the price of red colorant carmine, and ongoing probiotic health claim uncertainty in Europe – its biggest yet most stagnant market.

Yakult gets GRAS for shirota probiotic strain

18-Apr-2012

Japanese probiotic pioneer Yakult has received self-affirmed GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) status for its Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota probiotic.

Probiotic BLIS K12 may protect against oral yeast growth

17-Apr-2012 By Stephen Daniells

Supplements containing the probiotic BLIS K12 ingredient may inhibit the growth of the yeast responsible for oral thrush, suggests new in vitro data that supports the oral health potential of the ingredient.

Cargill on inulin: Today it’s about fiber and weight… tomorrow it will be about prebiotics and mineral absorption

05-Apr-2012 By Elaine Watson

While US firms using inulin and oligofructose are still primarily interested in adding fiber or reducing fat and sugar, they are starting to move beyond generic fiber claims into discussing more specific health benefits, says Cargill.

Probiotics fail to reduce risk of cold and ‘flu in seniors

27-Mar-2012

Drinking Yakult daily did not affect the risk of developing upper respiratory tract infections like the cold and ‘flu, according to randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

NuLiv Science announces self-affirmed GRAS for AstraGin ingredient

26-Mar-2012

California-based NuLiv Science USA has announced that its ingredient AstraGin has received GRAS status following a review by AIBMR Life Sciences.

Indian market shows Eastern promise for probiotics

26-Mar-2012 By Lynda Searby

Indians are dosing up on probiotics to counter gastrointestinal health problems, reports Swedish biotech company Probi, as it announces a deal that will see its Probi Digestis probiotic formulation dispensed to millions of Indian consumers.

Breaking news

New Chapter: 'Countless opportunities await' under new owner, P&G

19-Mar-2012 By Elaine Watson

 New Chapter will continue to run as a standalone business under new owner Procter & Gamble, but will get a "turbocharge" to its mission, according to bosses at the Vermont-based supplement firm.

Prebiotic supplements could aid mineral absorption: Rat study

19-Mar-2012 By Nathan Gray

Supplementation with fibre rich prebiotics could help to boost bone density by increasing the levels of important minerals absorbed in the gut, according to new research in rats.

Resistant starch shows blood sugar benefits for men

14-Mar-2012 By Stephen Daniells

Thirty grams per day of resistant starch may improve sensitivity to insulin by a whopping 73% for men, but not women, suggests a new study from National Starch.

Sabinsa scores industry first with patent-pending synbiotic bilayer tablet

14-Mar-2012 By Elaine Watson

Sabinsa is set to score an industry first this year when it unveils the first bi-layer synbiotic tablet featuring prebiotics in one layer and probiotics in the other.

Pre and probiotics in formula could boost infant immunity

06-Mar-2012 By Nathan Gray

The addition of pre and probiotics to infant formula could help to boost immune responses by colonising newborn babies’ guts with a stable population of beneficial bacteria, say researchers.

RCT supports gut health boosting potential of wheat bran extract

06-Mar-2012 By Stephen Daniells

Three weeks of supplementation with a wheat bran extract may beneficially alter markers of gut health, say results of a placebo-controlled cross-over human intervention trial from Belgium.

Functional foods offer ‘protective matrix’ for probiotic delivery, confirm researchers

23-Feb-2012 By Nathan Gray

A new model to evaluate probiotic survival in the gut has confirmed that many bacteria strains survive better when consumed in a functional food matrix such as fermented milks – so allowing a greater chance to promote health, say the researchers.

Danone launches new global probiotics group to “talk with lawmakers”

22-Feb-2012 By Shane Starling

Danone has formed the Global Alliance for Probiotics (GAP) with other sector giants like Yakult, DuPont-Danisco and Chr Hansen as the frustrated industry seeks to win a first European Union health claim.

Private label supplements maker Reliance moves into new site

08-Feb-2012 By Elaine Watson

New Jersey-based private label supplements maker Reliance has opened a new eco-friendly facility that will consolidate all of its activities under one roof.

Dispatches from Probiotic Summit

Danone: “Probiotics category could disappear”

07-Feb-2012 By Shane Starling in Brussels

Global probiotics leader Danone continues to prepare for the worst under the European Union’s uber-strict health claims regime that may this year deliver a barren, claimless landscape to the world’s biggest-selling functional food category, an official...

Novel pectin fractions, ‘molecular decoys’ and the future of prebiotics

06-Feb-2012 By Elaine Watson

Novel oligosaccharides produced from biomass such as citrus pectin could become the next generation of prebiotic ingredients, according to one leading researcher in the field.

New probiotic strains will win health claims (but not for 10-15 years): Prof

03-Feb-2012 By Shane Starling

Advances in genomics and understanding the human gut microbiota will lead to the discovery of probiotic bacterial strains that will deliver biomarker-measured health benefits – but it may take 10-15 years, according to a leading researcher.

US per capita spending on probiotic supplements expected to nearly double by 2016

02-Feb-2012 By Elaine Watson

Per capita spending on probiotic supplements is forecast to almost double over the next five years in the US, according to market researcher Euromonitor International.

Sugar coated probiotics have increased survival and can reduce infection: Study

24-Jan-2012 By Nathan Gray

A sugary outer coating produced by probiotic bacteria could help them to survive in the good and may also offer clues to how they block some bacterial infections, say researchers.

Probiotic-prebiotic combination may ease eczema in kids: Study

17-Jan-2012 By Stephen Daniells

Combining probiotics and prebiotics to produce a symbiotic may reduce the severity of eczema in children, suggests new research from Taiwan with 60 children.

Study provides framework for gut microflora-obesity advances

16-Jan-2012 By Stephen Daniells

Scientists have identified the gut microbial pattern that corresponds with excess body weight, and deepen our understanding of how the gut microflora interacts with host metabolism.

What’s hot in 2012? African Mango, organic supplements and brain food, says SPINS

13-Jan-2012 By Elaine Watson

African Mango, probiotics, chia, fermented drinks, organic supplements and cognitive health will be top of the health food pops this year, according to TrendWatch 2012, a new report from natural products specialist SPINS.

Blueberry & broccoli may boost bowel health

13-Jan-2012 By Stephen Daniells

Adding blueberries or broccoli to the diet may shift the balance of bacteria colonizing the gut, and improve inflammation associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), suggests new data from a mouse study.

Danone, Yakult announce 5th year of research grants for probiotic and gut health

11-Jan-2012

Danone and Yakult are handing out another $100,000 for research into the role of probiotics and gastrointestinal microbiota in health and wellness.

Probiotic may minimize severity of C. difficile-induced colitis: Ganeden study

10-Jan-2012 By Stephen Daniells

Dietary supplements with Ganeden’s BC30 bacterial strain may reduce the severity of infection with C. difficile and speed recovery, suggests new data from a study with animals.

Modified probiotics may protect against food borne illnesses: Study

10-Jan-2012 By Nathan Gray

Modified probiotics could help to reduce the risk of food borne infections such as Listeria by blocking the bacteria from entering the body in the gut, say researchers.

Fiber-rich vegetarian diet leads to better gut microflora profile: Study

09-Jan-2012 By Stephen Daniells

Consuming a vegan or vegetarian diet results in different profiles of gut microflora, with lower levels of potentially pathogenic bacteria such as E. coli, says a new study.

Probiotics and stevia extracts among new FCC proposed standards

05-Jan-2012 By Caroline Scott-Thomas

US Pharmacopeia has drafted new ingredient quality standards for inclusion in the Food Chemicals Codex (FCC), for probiotics, steviol glycosides, benzoates, infant formula and flavoring ingredients, and is seeking industry comments.

Probiotic gum beats placebo for bad breath: Study

05-Jan-2012 By Shane Starling

Lactobacillus reuteri-containing gum can significantly reduce halitosis, Danish researchers have found, although the mechanism of action remains a mystery.