Podcast: Pascal Ronfard on the prebiotic contribution to gut health
Ronfard has been Deputy Managing Director of Solactis Group, a France-based supplier of ingredients such as galactofructose, probiotics and microalgae.
The Group, based in Saint Beauzire in central France, recently welcomed French biotechnology firm, The Greentech Group to the firm, who took a majority stake in Solactis back in May.
Commenting on the deal, Ronfard says, “Solactis needs to have access to the raw materials to produce the prebiotic. By joining forces with Greentech, we have access to plant extracts, microalgae and the carbohydrates and polyphenols it contains.”
'Synergy between the firms.'
“There is also a Greentech division developing bacterial strains, that is paving the way for development of prebiotics and probiotics for the internal commensal flora or endogenously, which will be developed in our factory or jointly with Greentech. There is a lot of synergy between the two of us.”
With the new agreement, Solactis also now look to offer new oligosaccharides as well as new probiotic bacteria to be used in infant formulas.
“Customers are more aware of the microbiota’s role in health nowadays and are looking for ingredients in their product that will deliver improvements to the gut and its community.
“In infant formula, it is certain that you build the gut microbiome in the first weeks or months of life, so it is definitely a key issue.”
