Probiotics, prebiotics & postbiotics

Italy publishes probiotics guidelines

23-Jan-2012 By Shane Starling

The Italian Ministry of Health has revised probiotic characterisation, labelling and claim guidelines that may open claim-making around the idea of microflora balance.

Academics attempt to bridge probiotic science and marketing gap

18-Jan-2012 By Shane Starling

“Currently, there is a gap between the point where the biomedical science ends (with the publication of a paper in a scientific journal) and the point where the business begins (with the claim for a health benefit).”

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.

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.

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.

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.

Disptaches from Microbiota 2011

IPA co-founder: EU probiotic approach is “dirty pool”

23-Dec-2011 By Shane Starling

Jarrow Rogovin, never a man to mince his words, says it is high time the IPA and other trade groups stepped up to the plate to defend a sector that has been under regulatory siege on both sides of the Atlantic for several years.

Yakult never presented the basic evidence for probiotic health claim, says consultant

21-Dec-2011 By Shane Starling

Yakult failed to present the most basic evidence and sought a too-complicated immunity claim in the controversially rejected immunity health claim for its probiotic drinks, a UK consultant has said.

Beneo: Prebiotic health claim rejections have put prospects “on hold”

21-Dec-2011 By Shane Starling

The second part of this exclusive interview sees Beneo executive board member, Yves Servotte, explaining the cooling but not crushing effect of EU prebiotic health claim rejections on its inulin-chicory business.

Gut microbe diversity is key in fight against allergies, study suggests

20-Dec-2011 By Nathan Gray

Children with a diverse variety of bacteria in their gut may have better protection against allergies, according to new research.

Yakult: Health claim rejection doesn’t affect our claims

20-Dec-2011 By Shane Starling

Japanese probiotics giant Yakult says the writing into law of its rejected EU health claim for upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) benefits won’t alter its core sell in European markets that remained, “stable”.

Beneo board: “Let us not forget that functional food responds to a clear demand of the consumer”

20-Dec-2011 By Shane Starling

In the first part of this exclusive interview, Beneo Group executive board member, Yves Servotte, explains how European Union health claim rules have informed strategic thinking at one of Europe’s biggest and most vocal ingredient vendors.

Dispatches from Microbiota 2011

Genomics fires Microbiota 2011 to new heights

15-Dec-2011 By Shane Starling in Paris

Mapping the microbiome and the increasing sophistication of gene sequencing and analysis have in just a few years completely changed the research landscape for microbiota, and looks set to answer many to-date unresolved ‘mechanism of action’ questions.

Dispatches from Microbiota 2011

Big future forecast for pre- and probiotics

13-Dec-2011 By Shane Starling

The Boston-based Human Microbiome Project is three years into a five-year project that is throwing up revelations about how human microorganisms behave – and its leader predicts a big future for pre- and probiotics.

Probiotics may boost immune health markers for smokers: Study

12-Dec-2011 By Stephen Daniells

Daily supplements of the probiotic Lactobacillus casei Shirota strain may boost activity of key immune cells in smokers, says a new study.

'Ground-breaking' designer dairy poised for lift-off with plant isolates, NIZO

09-Dec-2011 By Ben Bouckley

Dutch-based food research firm NIZO has evolved a wild plant isolate of Lactococcus lactis (L.Lactis) that it says could open the floodgates to fermented dairy products with new functionalities.

Dispatches from FIE 2011

Beneo: “We need to have a new future now”

05-Dec-2011 By Shane Starling from Paris

Today the European Commission meets to decide whether or not to send the controversial European Union health claims register to the European Parliament – now is no time to abort the process says European ingredients giant, Beneo.

Probiotic ice cream shows oral health potential: Study

01-Dec-2011 By Stephen Daniells

Eating ice cream containing probiotic strains may reduce levels of the bacteria in the mouth responsible for tooth decay, says a new study from India.

Probiotics again show oral health potential

28-Nov-2011 By Stephen Daniells

At least seven strains of lactic acid bacteria show potential oral health benefits, according to Spanish researchers.

European Scientific League for Probiotics launches QC scheme in Belgium

25-Nov-2011 By Shane Starling

The quality of probiotic supplements sold in Belgian pharmacies is set to rise following the establishment of a new voluntary programme to highlight products “consumers can trust”.

Chr Hansen targets fresh juice with pellet probiotic that can live 10 weeks

24-Nov-2011 By Shane Starling

Danish probiotics giant Chr Hansen today launched probiotic pellets into a “big gap” in the global juice market for long-life probiotics, with carton maker, TetraPak onboard to deliver the technology.

Coffee may offer womb cancer protection, say Harvard researchers

24-Nov-2011 By Nathan Gray

Long-term coffee consumption may be associated with up to a 25% reduced risk of womb (endometrial) cancer, according to new research.

Glucans win while Danone and soy industry loses in EU health claims raffle

15-Nov-2011 By Shane Starling

Food, drink and supplement makers across the European Union’s 27-member states are free to make cholesterol-lowering health claims after an oat beta-glucan health claim passed into EU law books yesterday.

EFSA calls for characterisation work as probiotic resubmissions loom

10-Nov-2011 By Shane Starling

EFSA has approached an expert who has already worked with its health claims panel to make a report on the characterisation of probiotic strains – an issue that led to the rejection of 260 out of 300 probiotic health claim dossiers - and most of which...

Probi teams with mystery food giant to win EU probiotic health claim

03-Nov-2011 By Shane Starling

Swedish probiotics supplier Probi has announced an alliance with an unnamed “major multinational” food company that will assist it in its quest to win the first probiotic health claim in the European Union.

Chr. Hansen claims 'solid performance' allows hike in R&D investments

03-Nov-2011 By Jane Byrne

Chr. Hansen’s full-year results are in line with expectations, says an analyst, but positives noted were the suppliers’ expectations for its EBIT margin growth and the better performance for its probiotics division in Q4.

Calcium may enhance probiotic survival in the gut, cut cholesterol levels

28-Oct-2011 By Stephen Daniells

Combining calcium phosphate supplements with probiotic Lactobacillus paracasei may enhance the colonization of the probiotic in the gut, and boost reductions in LDL cholesterol levels, says a new study with humans.

Probiotics may influence carbohydrate metabolism: ‘Elegant’ study

27-Oct-2011 By Stephen Daniells

Probiotic bacteria consumed in a yogurt may not change the host’s gut populations, but they do influence carbohydrate metabolism by the resident microbes, according to an ‘elegant’ new study using identical twins and germ-free mice.

Fugeia wins novel foods approval for wheat bran prebiotic ingredient

24-Oct-2011 By Nathan Gray

The European Commission has granted novel food status to Belgium based functional ingredients company Fugeia NV for its wheat bran product Brana Vita, opening up the use of the ingredient in foods and beverages.

Bad science? ANH presents MEPs with 30 dodgiest EFSA health claim decisions

21-Oct-2011 By Shane Starling

The Alliance for Natural Health International (ANH-I) has mailed MEPs a litany of what it considers the 30 most ‘wayward’ health claim opinions to arise from the European Food Safety Authority’s Parma, Italy headquarters – with a prune-digestion rejection...

Researchers isolate iron as probiotic blocker during active IBD

20-Oct-2011 By Shane Starling

Certain probiotic strains underperform in the presence of iron-rich environments created during the active phase of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), UK researchers have found.

IDF taskforce doubles microbial species on safe list

18-Oct-2011 By Shane Starling

An International Dairy Federation taskforce has updated a 2002 inventory of safe microbial species including some probiotic species – from 112 to 221 – a list the group hopes will allow exemption from EU Novel Foods and US New Dietary Ingredient (NDI)...

Increasing ‘good’ cholesterol may lower CVD risk for diabetics

10-Oct-2011 By Nathan Gray

Raising levels of ‘good’ HDL cholesterol could reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke in people with diabetes, says new research.

Buckwheat sugar shows anti-diabetic and potential prebiotic activity

04-Oct-2011 By Stephen Daniells

A sugar extracted from buckwheat called D-fagomine may help maintain healthy blood sugar levels and displays potential prebiotic activity at small doses, according to new research.

Chr Hansen eyes first EFSA probiotic approval with uber-“pharma-style” immune study

04-Oct-2011 By Shane Starling

Chr Hansen has commissioned a 1000-person+ trial seeking to demonstrate the immunity benefits of one of its flagship strains, Lactobacillus casei, as the leading Danish probiotics supplier continues to fight for Europe’s first approved probiotic health...

European probiotic conferences given fresh push via William Reed acquisition

30-Sep-2011 By Shane Starling

William Reed Business Media (WRBM), the publisher of NutraIngredients.com, has taken control of two leading European probiotic conferences – Probiotech and Microbiota – from French firm Gate2Tech.

Ingredient suppliers grasping opportunity inside Asia’s many markets

29-Sep-2011 By Shane Starling

Intra-regional finesse is a necessity not a luxury when it comes to doing business in the many markets of the Asia-Pacific, as leading suppliers Chr Hansen and Danisco relayed at the recent Vitafoods Asia trade show in Hong Kong.

Novel ‘raffinose-derived’ oligosaccharides show prebiotic promise

27-Sep-2011 By Shane Starling

Forms of oligosaccharides derived from some vegetables, grains like lupine, cottonseed and soy whey could have commercial applications following an in vitro study that demonstrated prebiotic gut health benefits.

Chr Hansen inks Japanese probiotic-plant extract deal

27-Sep-2011 By Shane Starling

Danish probiotics giant Chr Hansen says its just-announced alliance with a Japanese botanical supplement maker will yield plant-probiotic combination food supplement products on European and global markets kicking off in Q1 2012.

Review backs prebiotics for prevention of gut infections

23-Sep-2011 By Nathan Gray

Despite the recent regulatory challenges in Europe, prebiotics can be predicted to continue their success as functional foods, according to a new review.

Vésale Pharma opens Belgian probiotic production plant

21-Sep-2011 By Shane Starling

Belgian supplier Vésale Pharma has opened a production facility for the patent-pending probiotic microencapsulation technology it kicked into life at the start of the year.

Antioxidant vitamins may boost/hinder probiotic formulations

19-Sep-2011 By Stephen Daniells

The inclusion of antioxidant vitamins in probiotic encapsulant formulations may have beneficial or detrimental effects on the bacterial strains used, depending on the vitamin used, says a new study.

Soluble fiber may help shed 1.5kg in 12 weeks: Roquette study

16-Sep-2011 By Stephen Daniells

Daily consumption of soluble fiber may boost feelings of fullness and lead to measurable reductions in body weight, says a new study from Roquette using its Nutriose ingredient.

EC expects "smooth adoption" of article 13 health claims list in Q1 2012

16-Sep-2011 By Shane Starling

The European Commission’s directorate for health and consumer affairs, DG Sanco, has said it is close to finalising the 2758 claim-strong list of generic claims for publication in the European Union register of claims.

Immunity and hypertension ingredients sector set for 45% growth: Frost

14-Sep-2011

Market analyst Frost & Sullivan has fingered immunity and hypertension as two promising nutrient areas, with events such as the recent Swine flu crisis feeding consumer interest in nutritional solutions to health issues.

Probiotic intake linked to fewer birth complications

13-Sep-2011 By Stephen Daniells

Regular consumption of dairy-based probiotic formulations are associated with a 20% reduction in the risk of pre-eclampsia, suggests new data from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health.

Probiotics again show immune boosting activity: Study

08-Sep-2011 By Stephen Daniells

Daily supplementation with beneficial bacterial strains may boost measures of immune function by about 50%, say new findings from Chr. Hansen.

Scientists find way of producing good quality breads with prebiotic effect

08-Sep-2011 By Jane Byrne

A new study has shown that rye or wheat bran fortified breads treated with a particular xylanase can yield good quality breads with a prebiotic effect.