The concept is built on the basis that human, animal and environmental health are interconnected, and achieving optimal health outcomes requires a collaborative, multidisciplinary approach across these domains.
For Vinot, this means “thinking more circularly and integratively, abandoning the comfortable idea of separate silos”.
Her work with French probiotic toll manufacturer Bioprox Healthcare and Cybele Agrocare, the spin-off dedicated to the development, production and commercialization of microbial biofertilizers and biostimulants for agriculture, has focused on supporting human nutrition through plant and soil health.
"There will be no human health without soil health, plant health and animal health," Vinot told NutraIngredients. "The sooner we realize that and act on it, the higher the chance everyone wins."
A One Health History
As Vinot explained, the One Health concept stemmed from finding links between antimicrobial resistance and antibiotics used in animal farming, as well as reports that up to three-quarters of human infections are estimated to originate from zoonoses—disease which can be transmitted to humans from animals.
However, the One Health concept goes beyond antimicrobial resistance and zoonoses, incorporating an all-encompassing, holistic outlook to health.
It began to gain traction within the nutraceutical industry reportedly around the 2010s, influenced by broader trends in health science.
Now it is increasingly encouraged by both consumer and industry concerns about sustainability, biodiversity and the environmental impact of the nutraceutical industry, with movements being made to adopt One Health principles to promote products that support overall ecosystem health.
How does it apply?
As Vinot explained, the One Health premise has a direct impact on the nutraceutical industry.
"The quality of botanicals and their concentration in active substances, just like foods, depends on how they are grown and the presence of abundant life in the soils, water and air they grow in," she said.
She explained that soil health is the main contributor to the nutritional quality of crops and that the micronutrient and beneficial compounds like polyphenols are more concentrated in organic and regenerative farming systems.
"We now know that the soil microbiome is a direct contributor to the gut microbiome, to its diversity," she noted. "It makes total sense because plants also rely on their bacterial and mycorrhizal symbionts to reach nutrients further and to solubilize minerals that plants themselves don’t have the enzymatic toolkit to collect."
Exposure to soil or soil-like material enriched with a diverse microbial community, particularly slow-growing bacteria, has been shown to enhance immune regulation.
Lack of exposure to the natural microbial diversity of the environment has been linked to dysregulation of the immune system and non-communicable diseases, such as allergies and autoimmune disorders. In addition, recent research indicates that urban indoor gardening enhanced immune regulation and diversified skin microbiota.
Soil microbiome has also been found to impact human health indirectly through its role in mitigating climate change and supporting biodiversity, and there are many links between anthropogenic activities, microbiomes and threats to human health.
For instance, microplastics provide habitats for harmful bacteria with antimicrobial resistance, and exposure to Bisphenol A has been shown to impact the gut microbiota and is associated with a higher body mass index and risk of obesity.
Next steps
Vinot advises that companies in the nutraceutical sector use One Health thinking and source botanical ingredients that are richer in beneficial molecules, a process that seems to be enhanced when soil life is improved.
Additionally, these companies must consider the entire life cycle of their products as contributing to issues like microplastic pollution can undermine their positive impact on the community.
Public health also stands to benefit from the use of probiotics, she added, which, through competitive behavior and bacteriocin production, can boost immunity, help fight infections and potentially reduce the need for antibiotics—a critical factor in combating the rise of antimicrobial resistance.
However, as technology advances, a balance must be maintained, Vinot explained. While heavy field machinery can harm soil health by compacting it, AI-powered machines offer the promise of precision farming, with biotechnology playing a crucial role.
Advancements in soil metagenomics and the understanding of bacterial and mycorrhizal biostimulants and biofertilizers are essential, she added.
“These technologies could deepen our understanding of plant-symbiont relationships, better nurture soil life, reduce dependence on synthetic fertilizers, and contribute to overall health,” Vinot concluded.