The potential health benefits of turmeric and the curcuminoids it contains (curcumin, demethoxycurcumin and bisdemethoxy curcumin) include support for brain, cardiovascular, joint, and muscle health.
Consumer awareness and understanding of the botanical’s potential benefits are now very high, with data from the ITC Insights 2020 Consumer Survey showing that 86% of supplement consumers are familiar with curcumin/turmeric.
The fermentlife-branded Turmeric reportedly provides all the health benefits of turmeric, such as the antioxidant properties of curcuminoids, while also offering other bioactive ingredients, including postbiotics and paraprobiotics.
Postbiotics are defined as a “preparation of inanimate microorganisms and/or their components that confers a health benefit on the host”.
Paraprobiotics are defined as: “inactivated microbial cells (non-viable) that confer a health benefit to the consumer”.
The result, says Cellavent, is “a new kind of turmeric, with a range of benefits for gut health and superior bioavailability, as well as improved taste, smell and solubility”.
fermentlife Turmeric is created with three certified Lactobacillus strains, which produce numerous metabolites during the fermentation process. In addition to the postbiotics and paraprobiotics, the ingredient is also said to contain a range of other bioactive ingredients, including essential oils, saponins and peptides.
The bioavailability issue
Turmeric has limited solubility and absorption from the gut, and ingredient suppliers have focused on optimizing the delivery of curcumin and its metabolites for supplement and functional foods. Albert Knuth, Sr. Business Development Manager, told NutraIngredients that, while bioavailability wasn't the main focus for the company when they developed this post- and parabiotic turmeric, "fermentation does indeed increase bioavailability.
"Bacteria use complex enzymes to break down the turmeric cell walls, releasing bound micronutrients and degrading "absorption inhibiting" antinutrients. The fermentation acts as a kind of predigestion, making valuable plant compounds more readily available to the body," he said.
"Fermentation with Lactobacilli (similar to the human intestine) converts curcuminoids into more functionally effective and soluble metabolites (e.g., tetrahydrocurcuminoids). This enzymatic conversion has already been studied extensively for L. plantarum and has been linked to increased antioxidant potential as well as improved bioavailability. Even for the fermented full matrix of turmeric, the results show that fermented turmeric has higher bioavailability, which correlates with higher polyphenolic compound concentrations in rat plasma."
“This is just the beginning…”
“When we set out to create fermentlife, our goal wasn’t just to increase bioavailability or curcuminoid content, but to offer the full spectrum of turmeric’s unique bioactive profile,” said Marcus Haag, CEO of Cellavent.
“We knew that fermentation was the key to unlocking that potential, but we also knew that getting the process right was crucial. Over the course of two years, we’ve developed a highly controlled fermentation system.
“This is just the beginning, because we now have technology in place that will allow us to create new and unique fermented products for a healthier world. And because our capabilities are reproducible and scalable, our customers will have opportunities to do the same.”
The launch marks Cellavent’s first venture into the fermented botanical sector. The company’s new fermentlife business unit will combine traditional fermentation methods with advanced technology.
Cellavent said that the ingredient, which is available globally, is certified organic in the EU.