Hansen revels in probiotic female niche

09-Feb-2010 - Danish supplier Chr Hansen says the two probiotic-strain combination it has been promoting for more than a year to target women’s vaginal problems is now present in products in more than 20 countries, including India.

Winclove withdraws probiotic health claims to avoid market “damage”

08-Feb-2010 - Dutch probiotics supplier, Winclove Bio Industries, has pulled its entire range of 30 health claim submissions from the European Union health claims process, in fear of the business impact of negative opinions from the claims assessor, EFSA.

Yakult to commence US production in 2012

26-Jan-2010 - Japanese probiotics pioneer, Yakult Honsha, will commence manufacturing its little probiotic dairy bottles in the US for the first time in 2012, the company has announced, as it seeks to move into eastern seaboard US states.

Probiotics player ‘puzzled’ by EFSA health claim response

25-Jan-2010 - Swedish probiotics player, Probi, is pursuing “unofficial” dialogue with the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) after the scientific agency closed the formal process by rejecting its probiotic health claim appeal.

Indian probiotics market to quadruple by 2015

21-Jan-2010 - India’s probiotics market has been highlighted by researcher Frost & Sullivan as a “major growth market of the future”, with annual growth of 22.6 per cent until 2015.

Danisco enters niche probiotic juice category

21-Jan-2010 - Beverage manufacturers seeking to extend their health and wellness portfolio can now incorporate a clinical dose of an immune boosting probiotic strain to their refrigerated fruit juice range while keeping their all-natural positioning, claims Danisco.

EFSA health claim opinion

EFSA rejects kids’ probiotic gut health claim

22-Dec-2009 - A dossier containing 13 randomised controlled trials, 6 observational studies, and 15 non-human studies has failed to impress European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) scientists because the four strains in question were not sufficiently characterised.

Health claims: How do we define ‘healthy’?

14-Dec-2009 - With ‘healthy’ populations identified as the ideal for the European Food Safety Authority’s health claims, NutraIngredients asks Yakult – what exactly is healthy?

India calls for Indian probiotic studies and strains

07-Dec-2009 - India is developing guidelines that may mean probiotic strains will have to be backed by clinical trials conducted on Indian populations if they are to gain market approval.

Probiotics: From clinical trial to health claims success

02-Dec-2009 - As a raft of non-positive opinions on probiotics floats down the health claims river, questions have been asked of the efficacy of the beneficial bacteria. Two experts discuss where we stand and how to get the good ship Probiotic back on course.

Probiotic research needed to fulfill gut health potential

02-Dec-2009 - Probiotics should be considered as living drugs rather than “simple good bacteria” in order to become effective treatment options for IBS, according to Joseph Haddad, medical director of Institut Rosell-Lallemand.

Danone resubmits marquee probiotic gut health claim

01-Dec-2009 - Danone has resubmitted an article 13.5 gut health claim for its flagship probiotic product, Activia, to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).

Chr Hansen adds Australian probiotic to portfolio

23-Nov-2009 - Leading probiotics supplier, Chr Hansen, has inked a deal with Australian start-up, Probiomics, that will see it distribute a strain initial trials indicate has immunity benefits.

Gut microflora and obesity: Study highlights potential for pre-, probiotics

12-Nov-2009 - US researchers have successfully transferred gut bacteria from obese humans to germ-free mice, a breakthrough that will allow a more detailed study of the link between gut microflora and obesity.

Weekly comment

Life in a European health claims wasteland

09-Nov-2009 - Ka-CHING! Hear that? No it’s not the sound of overflowing cash registers as consumers throw endless wads of euros at scientifically-backed, healthy foods in greater numbers than ever before.

Threat of EU health claims legal challenge grows

06-Nov-2009 - Three of Europe’s largest food supplement and healthy product trade groups have issued a 17-page paper that lays out its many concerns with the scientific approach being taken by EFSA in regard to health claims.

Nutrient database can assist health claims

27-Oct-2009 - Pooling nutrient information is becoming an important and time efficient way for companies scientific data about nutrients – especially those seeking to back health claims under the European Union’s tough claims system.

Tate & Lyle backs Asian prebiotic in Europe

26-Oct-2009 - A new partnership with chemical group Solvay will enable the distribution of a low dosage prebiotic food ingredient with multiple food and drink applications within Europe, the Middle East and Africa, claims Tate & Lyle.

EFSA publishes probiotic guidance

22-Oct-2009 - Genetic typing, internationally recognised naming protocols and evidence of consistency in the final product have been highlighted by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) as critical factors for probiotic health claim submissions.

No evidence that probiotics treats bacterial vaginosis: Study

20-Oct-2009 - There is not enough evidence to support the claim that probiotics can remedy or prevent bacterial vaginosis (BV), according to a new study conducted jointly by scientists in the United Arab Emirates, Belgium and Italy.

Health claim rules gag freedom of speech, says EU lobby group

19-Oct-2009 - Pan-European better nutrition advocate, the Alliance for Natural Health (ANH), says the European Union health claims system is going way beyond its remit to protect consumer interests and curtailing freedom of speech.

July 2010: When EU health claim compliance reaches store shelves

15-Oct-2009 - The European Commission has set itself the goal of processing the 94 generic article 13.1 health claim opinions issued by EFSA recently by the end of January, meaning claim rulings could be enforceable at retail level by July, 2010.

UK censors Danone probiotic TV ads

14-Oct-2009 - The voluntary UK advertising watchdog has told Danone to cease broadcasting TV adverts that stated its one-shot probiotic drinking yoghurt, Actimel, could boost the immune system of children.

Lallemand puts spotlight on immune-benefits for probiotics

14-Oct-2009 - Immune health from gut health is not too obscure for consumers, but work needs to be done on identifying the mechanisms involved, said the conclusions from a two-day meeting in Toulouse.