Probiotics, prebiotics & postbiotics

‘Novel’ synbiotic is well tolerated and linked to increases in beneficial gut species

29-Aug-2014 By Stephen Daniells

A combination of probiotic Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM and prebiotic cellobiose may boost populations of bacteria in the gut associated with improved host health, says a new study from Denmark and Finland.

"We've identified a bacterial population that protects against food allergen sensitisation"

Gut bacteria that protect against food allergies offer probiotic promise

27-Aug-2014 By Nathan Gray

Common gut bacteria from the class Clostridia could prevent sensitisation to allergens in food, according to new research that may pave the way for probiotic products aimed at battling food allergies and intolerances.

Microbiome 'disruption' in early life linked to obesity in adulthood

26-Aug-2014 By Nathan Gray

Certain gut bacteria could help to shape our metabolism in early life, while disrupting these bacteria appears to increase the risk of obesity in later adulthood, say researchers.

Patent Watch

Danone files patent on probiotic to improve enteric nervous system

22-Aug-2014 By Kacey Culliney

Danone has filed a patent for a probiotic strain that improves the function of the enteric nervous system, claiming it can therefore be used to treat and/or prevent gut disorders such as IBS.

Chr. Hansen wins landmark probiotics health claim in South Korea

18-Aug-2014 By Anne Bruce

Bioscience company Chr. Hansen’s Urex product has become the first probiotic to win an approved health claim in South Korea.

Danone sets its sights on becoming number one in milk formula as it is rumoured to be selling its medical nutrition business

13-Aug-2014 By Diana Cowland

Will Danone silence the rumour mill by selling its medical nutrition business? Euromonitor health and wellness analyst Diana Cowland explains why the sale makes sense for the world's biggest yoghurt maker.

Does sporting activity improve gut function?

13-Aug-2014 By Anne Bruce

Improved diversity of the intestinal microbiota in sports people could be due to gut barrier function, experts have suggested.

Is strain-specificity of prebiotics a limitation or opportunity?

11-Aug-2014 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

Strain-specificity of prebiotics is not a limiting factor but rather an opportunity to develop the ‘next generation’ of synbiotic formulations, says Winclove Probiotics in response to unflattering results of a study on synbiotics.

Inside the EC elderly nutrition report

Can food supplements help European pensioners to two extra healthy years by 2020?

08-Aug-2014 By Shane STARLING

The European Commission this week issued a report that found evidence lacking for the ability of most food supplements to benefit Europe’s burgeoning elderly population.

EU health claims – lining functional coffins or an unseen silver lining?

06-Aug-2014 By Marlon Bouman

The EU nutrition and health claims regulation (NHCR) put many health-related product marketeers noses out of joint. But having survived two years since legislative enforcement, are we now witnessing a positive and unpredicted consequence? argues Pegasus's...

GM probiotics reduce insulin resistance and body fat: Mouse data

31-Jul-2014 By Lynda Searby

Mice lost weight and had significantly lower insulin resistance and body fat after taking genetically modified bacteria that produce the lipid compound NAPE in the gut, researchers from Vanderbilt University have found.

EFSA’s live culture: Help agency revise its gut and immune health claim guidance

29-Jul-2014 By Shane STARLING

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is calling for input from all stakeholders as it goes about revising its controversial gut and immune health claim guidance that dates back to 2011.

Irish firm moves on omega-3, omega-6 encapsulation

29-Jul-2014 By Anne Bruce

Irish encapsulation specialist AnaBio has lodged a patent for encapsulation of long-chain fatty acids for use in infant formula and elsewhere.

Is Danone feeling the need for Mead?

28-Jul-2014 By Shane STARLING

Danone shares rose today as rumours strengthened the French dairy giant would sell its medical and paediatric nutrition business (Nutricia), but is the firm streamlining its activities around its core foods businesses or just shifting infant-medical...

Probiotics can improve blood pressure: 9-study review

25-Jul-2014 By Anne Bruce

Long-term probiotics consumption may control blood pressure, says a research review in the American Heart Association journal Hypertension.

science short

Probiotics linked to liver fat reduction in rat study

23-Jul-2014 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

Probiotic consumption for thirty days was associated with a reduction of fat accumulation in the liver of obese rats, say Spanish researchers.

Synbiotic gut health benefits limited, say researchers

18-Jul-2014 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

Potential gut health benefits of synbiotics may be limited since only specific combinations enhance probiotic survival and growth, say researchers.

IAHS: “VAT on health food supplements would be a tax on health.”

Irish 23% health tax hike: Herbals, glucosamine, coQ10, probiotics remain in firing line

17-Jul-2014 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

Proposals to push VAT (value-added tax) on some health food supplements and teas to the maximum upper bracket of 23% will discriminate against healthful products, according to The Irish Association of Health Stores (IAHS).

Soluble corn fiber may boost calcium absorption for teens

17-Jul-2014 By Stephen DANIELLS

Daily intake of soluble corn fiber may enhance the absorption of calcium for adolescents, says a new study from Purdue University with implications for bone health.

Japanese dairy backs bifidobacteria

16-Jul-2014 By Anne Bruce

Scientists have called new discoveries from leading Japanese dairy product company Morinaga Milk Industry on popular probiotic genus bifidobacteria, “an interesting first step”.

EFSA health claim opinion

Clasado ‘surprised and disappointed’ by latest EFSA prebiotic rejection; promises action

15-Jul-2014 By Shane STARLING

UK prebiotic specialist Clasado will contest the latest rejection of its gut health prebiotic science by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).

New study deepens substantiation for Epicor’s gut and immune health benefits

10-Jul-2014 By Stephen DANIELLS

The potential gut and immune health benefits of EpiCor, the yeast fermentate from Embria, may be linked to an ability to modulate both the total bacterial composition in the gut, and which specific species stick to the intestinal wall, according to a...

Chia seed, tartary buckwheat gluten-free bread ticks nutritional boxes: Research

09-Jul-2014 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

Gluten-free bread made with omega-3 and flavonoid-rich chia seed and tartary buckwheat flour has 12 times greater alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) content and 75% greater total antioxidant capacity than wheat bread, according to researchers.

Smooth transition: Yogurt is doing fine without digestive health claims

09-Jul-2014 By Rachel Arthur

Sales of yogurt in the UK have remained healthy, despite ditching digestive health positioning, according to Euromonitor.

Camel milk company Desert Farms sees big potential

Camel milk chocolate, cheese and cosmetics – the future is bright for next ‘superfood’

08-Jul-2014 By Rachel Arthur

Camel milk will be the next ‘superfood’ in the US, predicts the founder of Desert Farms, a company launched in January to offer the product to the American market.

BioGaia drives niche market for newborns with colic

TwoPac €1.7m packaging plant expansion for baby probiotics

03-Jul-2014 By Jenny Eagle

TwoPac, a wholly owned subsidiary of BioGaia healthcare company, will invest €1.7m in a factory expansion in Eslöv, Sweden.

Could probiotics boost performance and increase power for athletes?

03-Jul-2014 By Stephen Daniells

A combination of a probiotic with a slow digested protein may increase athletic performance in healthy resistance-trained individuals, suggest results from a pilot study.

EFSA adopts essential infant formula composition opinion

01-Jul-2014 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

EFSA has adopted its opinion on the essential infant formula composition following a period of public consultation which saw nearly 400 comments stream in on the likes of omega-3 form DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), probiotics, fluoride and sucrose's...

Probiotics may help elite athletes fight infections: Rugby study

24-Jun-2014 By Stephen Daniells

Daily probiotic supplements may reduce the incidence of gastrointestinal and upper respiratory tract infections for professional rugby players, says a new study from New Zealand.

How to win or lose on the functional foods market

23-Jun-2014 By Sarah Hills

Health matters but convenience matters more, according to a report that looked at why functional foods succeeded or failed in the market place.

Quest Vitamins' probiotic encapsulation hankers for 'clean label' claims

19-Jun-2014 By Nicola Cottam

UK-based Quest Vitamins says its plant-based probiotic encapsulation, DRcaps Capsules, taps into consumer interest in ‘clean label’.

Exercise and high protein diet may increase gut microbiota diversity: Research

18-Jun-2014 By Nicola Cottam

Exercise and ‘extreme' high protein diet could have beneficial impact on gut microbiota diversity, according to research published in the British Medical Journal.

Review links prebiotics with reduction in acute infection risk in children

17-Jun-2014 By Sarah Hills

Prebiotics may help reduce the risk of serious infections in children under two years but more research is required, according to meta-analysis.

SNE chips in on EFSA’s infant formula draft opinion

17-Jun-2014 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

Specialised Nutrition Europe (SNE) said it was disappointed that certain nutrients were deemed "unnecessary" in the European Food Safety Authority's (EFSA) recent draft opinion on infant formula.

Carbohydrates may offer IBS relief: Nutritional expert

16-Jun-2014 By Nicola Cottam

Reducing consumption of carbohydrate foods containing naturally occurring fibres and sugars may offer almost 'instant' relief from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), according to nutrition consultant.

"There's likely to be a huge difference between the pharmaceutical-grade probiotics that show promise in clinical trials and the 'probiotic' yoghurts and supplements sold in shop": NHS

NHS probiotics advice 'flagrant understatement': ISAPP

16-Jun-2014 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

Probiotics association says the UK's updated National Health Service (NHS) advice on probiotics underestimates the potential health benefits of probiotics outside the digestive tract.

Prebiotic fibers may improve metabolic factors in obese individuals: Study

16-Jun-2014 By Stephen Daniells

Daily supplements of inulin-type fructans prebiotics may boost levels of beneficial Bifidobacteria species in the gut of obese people, and reduce metabolic risk factors, says a new study from the Université Catholique de Louvain in Belgium.

ISAPP consensus: Gut, yes. Immunity, no (for now)

Time to recognise ‘core benefits of certain probiotics’: ISAPP

11-Jun-2014 By Shane STARLING

The evidence has grown so strong for the best-documented probiotic strains that a generic digestive health claim should exist, according to a consensus statement from leading international researchers published this week in Nature Reviews: Gastroenterology...

Patent watch

Nestlé files patent for bite-size sports snacks

10-Jun-2014 By Kacey Culliney

Nestlé has filed a patent for high-carb and high-protein bite-size dough snacks for athletes and health-conscious consumers looking to manage nutritional intake before and during exercise.

Mongolian dairy probiotics may alleviate allergies: Mouse study

09-Jun-2014 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

Probiotics isolated from Mongolian dairy products could alleviate allergy symptoms through intestinal immunity and helper cell balance, research using mice has suggested.

Dispatches from the IPA World Congress in Athens, Greece

Psychobiotics can feed gut-brain health axis: 'It’s really an exciting frontier,' says professor

05-Jun-2014 By Shane STARLING

Evidence is building that links the gut microbiome and brain function and ‘psychobiotics’ are at the heart of that, says a leading Irish researcher working in the field for more than five years.

DuPont adds cholesterol-fighting probiotic in deal with Spanish company

04-Jun-2014 By Hank Schultz

DuPont Nutrition and Health teamed up with a Spanish company to add a probiotic formulation targeting healthy cholesterol levels to its HOWARU line of probiotics.

“Clasado never at any point sought to make any misleading or exaggerated claims.”

UK clams Clasado prebiotic claims; cans ‘transition period’ argument

04-Jun-2014 By Shane STARLING

UK-Jersey prebiotic specialist Clasado has had web-based, gut-immunity claims slapped down by the UK advertising watchdog the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) which found they were unauthorised under the EU nutrition and health claims regulation...

Spanish probiotic to feature in 10 EU countries for mastitis

03-Jun-2014 By Shane STARLING

Spanish supplier Biosearch Life has signed a deal with an Austrian pharma firm to supply its breast milk probiotic-based strain to food supplements in 10 central and eastern European countries.

DuPont hopes win on Swiss probiotic claim will help unlock EFSA process

03-Jun-2014 By Hank Schultz and Shane Starling

DuPont has won official approval for probiotic-based gut health claims based on its strains in Switzerland after working with a local retailer. The company hopes the latest victory will help unlock the process of approving probiotic health claims for...

Review links ulcerous stomach bacteria with obesity

02-Jun-2014 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

The gradual decrease of the ulcer-causing stomach bacteria Helicobacter pylori could be linked to the global obesity endemic, according to an international research review.

DuPont wins rare European probiotic gut health claims

02-Jun-2014 By Shane STARLING

DuPont-Danisco has won official approval for probiotic-based gut health claims based on its strains in Switzerland after working with a local retailer.

‘A basis for the future selection of probiotics’: Study shows how gut bacteria communicate with host to regulate weight

28-May-2014 By Stephen Daniells

Bacteria in the gut may regulate weight gain and serum cholesterol levels by producing proteins that modify bile acids in the intestine, says a new study with implications for probiotics.

Dispatches from the IPA World Congress in Athens, Greece

Game of spoons: France’s 144,000 tonne, €420 million probiotic yoghurt health claim hit

23-May-2014 By Shane STARLING

France’s formally buoyant multi-billion euro probiotic yoghurt market will shed €420m between now and 2018 directly because of tough EU health claim laws, according to new analysis that isolates ‘the health claims effect’ for the first time.