Probiotics, Prebiotics & Postbiotics

Natural colours drive Chr Hansen Q3 results; probiotic uncertainty continues

06-Jul-2011 By Shane Starling

The newly renamed Natural Colors Division was the star performer in Danish ingredients supplier Chr Hansen’s Q3 results, showing 34% organic sales growth for the quarter, compared to 5% for Cultures and Enzymes, and 9% for Health and Nutrition.

Food for thought? Probiotics could promote well being, suggests researcher

06-Jul-2011 By Nathan Gray

Relying on your gut to make decisions may have a lot of truth to it, as research suggests that probiotic modification of the gut may influence the brain and affect mood.

Gut feeling: New study proposes probiotic mechanism for IBD benefits

05-Jul-2011 By Stephen Daniells

A protein on the surface of specific probiotic bacteria may promote anti-inflammatory responses in the gut and explain the potential role of select probiotics to ease symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), says a new study.

Research gaps means cereal based probiotic benefits for infants unclear: review

05-Jul-2011 By Jane Byrne

Data gaps are preventing a comprehensive assessment of the risk and benefits of probiotics in processed cereal-based baby foods, finds a Norwegian food safety body, which has flagged up the need for randomized placebo-controlled research.

Prebiotics may restore metabolic alterations linked to omega-3 poor diets: Study

01-Jul-2011 By Stephen Daniells

Adding prebiotic fibers to the diet may go some way to restoring the metabolic alterations associated with insufficient intakes of omega-3, suggest new findings from a study with mice.

NDA panellist: Angry academics would come to same conclusions if on our panel

01-Jul-2011 By Shane Starling

As the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) delivers hundreds of batch five general function health claim rejections to an ever-frustrated academic and commercial community, EFSA health claims panelist Ambroise Martin, PhD, tells NutraIngredients why...

Pre- and probiotic academics demand ‘clear roadmap’ for claims

30-Jun-2011 By Shane Starling

The Board of Directors of the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) has published an open letter in the British Journal of Nutrition demanding pre-submission meetings with EFSA and a complete claims assessment rethink.

EFSA HEALTH CLAIM OPINIONS - ARTICLE 13, BATCH 5 (Complete)

EFSA publishes article 13, batch 5 – winners and losers

30-Jun-2011 By Shane Starling

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) this morning published 536 health claims in 73 opinions in the fifth batch of general function claims.

Russian probiotic market booming (with medical backing)

28-Jun-2011 By Shane Starling

Russia’s probiotic market that has shown annual growth rates of around 50% in recent years and settled closer to 10%, is benefitting from medical profession support, according to a leading paediatrician.

Probiotech 2011

Dead or alive: Probiotics benefits beyond the grave

27-Jun-2011 By Shane Starling from Milan

Dead probiotic bacteria that typically reside alongside live cultures in probiotic formulations, could be contributing to healthful effects, researchers told the Probiotech conference in Milan, Italy, last week.

Probiotech 2011

Next generation probiotic health claims: The rise of “mechanism-based” data

23-Jun-2011 By Shane Starling at Probiotech in Milan

Metagenomic developments are providing new insights into the here-to-now largely mysterious mechanisms of behaviour displayed by gut microbiota – just the kind of data required by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to win claims.

‘Level 1’ evidence that probiotics boost ‘transit time’: Danisco & Fonterra

22-Jun-2011 By Stephen Daniells

Daily probiotic supplements may accelerate transit time and boost general gut health, says a new study from Danisco and Fonterra heralded as providing ‘Level I evidence’.

Departed Danisco CEO: “I am proud of my legacy”

22-Jun-2011 By Shane Starling

If Tom Knutzen is reading this, he shouldn’t be.

Yogurt may boost immune function in at-risk populations

21-Jun-2011 By Stephen Daniells

Daily consumption of yogurt may boost the immune function in people with weakened defense systems, suggests a new study from Spain.

Researchers discover probiotic colonisation mechanism

21-Jun-2011 By Nathan Gray

Genes responsible for efficient colonisation of the gut have been discovered by a team of scientists at the University College Cork, Ireland.

EFSA rejects Danone and Yakult probiotic appeals

20-Jun-2011 By Shane Starling

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) health claims panel says there are no grounds for alteration of its rejection last year of probiotic health claim dossiers submitted by Danone and Yakult.

Probiotics could boost immune functions in athletes, says Prof

20-Jun-2011 By Nathan Gray

Probiotics are best used for their potentially beneficial effects on gut health, but they may also help to boost immune functions – an effect that could benefit sports stars in the future, according to a leading sports scientist.

India calls for probiotic research for women-children

17-Jun-2011 By Shane Starling

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is calling on researchers to submit projects investigating probiotic benefits in women and children, and has set an August 15 submission deadline.

Special Edition: Functional Food Trends

Heart health claims are boosting chocolate’s growth potential, report

13-Jun-2011 By Helen Glaberson

There is growth potential for dark chocolate in the functional food sector, with the product carrying most of the heart health claims in the confectionery segment, says Leatherhead Food Research.

EC offers rejected probiotic health claim hope with resubmission offer

09-Jun-2011 By Shane Starling

The European Commission is giving member states the opportunity to submit new data to back general function, article 13.1 probiotic claims rejected for being insufficiently characterised.

SkinCare Ingredients 2011

Prebiotics and probiotics show skin health potential

09-Jun-2011 By Stephen Daniells

Friendly bacteria and the fibres they feed on may be the next big entrance into the skin care ingredient sector, with data showing their potential for boosting skin health and preventing conditions like acne.

Omega-3 plus probiotics may boost health profile of breast milk

08-Jun-2011 By Stephen Daniells

Supplementing breast feeding mothers with alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) and select probiotics may enhance the fat content of the milk, and boost the immune benefits of the breast milk, suggests a new study from Finland.

Valio: EFSA ignored peer-reviewed data in probiotic claim rejection

07-Jun-2011 By Shane Starling

Frustrated Finnish dairy and ingredients firm Valio says the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) rejection of its probiotic claim contradicted or ignored peer reviewed data in its dossier that included 86 studies.

EFSA health claim opinion

EFSA rejects 86-study strong Valio probiotic gut health claim

06-Jun-2011 By Shane Starling

The European Food Safety Authority has rejected an article 13.5 health claim that sought to link consumption of the probiotic strain, Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, with gastrointestinal benefits.

Dispatches from Vitafoods Europe 2011

Danisco on probiotic health claims: “We have made great progress”

06-Jun-2011 By Jess Halliday

As the world’s biggest probiotic supplier Danisco has a lot at stake when it comes to the European Food Safety Authority’s ongoing refusal to validate the healthy bacteria’s ability to benefit gut health, immunity and more.

Prebiotic formula shows ‘intriguing’ benefits for infant guts

03-Jun-2011 By Stephen Daniells

Infant formula containing a select combination of prebiotic fibers may beneficially benefit the gut microflora of newborns, suggest findings from an ‘explorative study’ from Danone.

China-Biotics is ‘junk stock’, says China Economic Review

01-Jun-2011 By Shane Starling

Allegations of financial impropriety against China-Biotics are growing louder with respected investment publications coming down against the company for massaging its financial figures to overstate revenues.

Prebiotic infant formula ‘beneficial and well-tolerated’: Study

31-May-2011 By Stephen Daniells

Daily feeding with a prebiotic-enriched baby formula produced gut bacteria profiles that ‘closely resembled’ those observed in breastfed infant, says a new study.

Lallemand probiotic/vitamin blend sign of things to come

30-May-2011 By Shane Starling

Institut Rosell-Lallemand is demonstrating the value of the blend with a new synbiotic formulation containing pre- and probiotics, along with select vitamins.

Prebiotics may keep students healthy during stressful periods

26-May-2011 By Stephen Daniells

Daily supplements of prebiotic fibers may boost the immune system and gut health during periods of heightened stress, suggests a new study with students at exam time.

‘Knowledge transfer’: Probiotech chief explains real-world probiotic conference drivers

24-May-2011 By Shane Starling

Gate2Tech managing director Dr Jean Michel Pommet explains why the Probiotech conference, to be held in Milan on June 23-24, offers something a little bit different as far as probiotic-centred congresses go.

Special edition: Prebiotics

Prebiotics: Misunderstood but not missing in action

20-May-2011 By Shane Starling

Most consumers have never even heard of them, let alone understand their microbiota-building function. EFSA says they don’t work. And they live in the shadow of their more popular, accessible and bigger selling cousin, probiotics, yet sales continue to...

Probiotic start-ups pushing new research to please EFSA

19-May-2011 By Shane Starling

Spanish and British probiotics companies are driving funds into strain and product-specific studies as they attempt to build scientific backing that will survive in the European Union health claims clampdown.

Special edition: Prebiotics

Prebiotic evolution: From earth oven to pizza oven

19-May-2011 By Stephen Daniells

A clever combination of gut friendly food, consumer education and social media has made Naked Pizza a runaway success. Prebiotic-containing pizza bases will soon be hitting grocery stores, too, says the archaeologist who co-founded the company.

Special edition: Prebiotics

Forget 'prebiotics'. Focus on fiber, say brand experts

18-May-2011 By Elaine Watson

While the food and supplements industry has been talking about prebiotics for well over a decade, most US consumers remain pretty clueless about them, according to marketing experts.

Danone debuts probiotic yoghurt Activia in 69th country: Australia

17-May-2011 By Shane Starling

French dairy Danone has built on its 2010 joint venture with Australian co-op Murray Goulburn by belatedly launching its €4bn global selling probiotic yoghurt Activia on the market there.

Special edition: Prebiotics

The prebiotic pioneer: Prof Glenn Gibson

17-May-2011 By Stephen Daniells

Harnessing modern technologies like metabonomics will ‘provide the answers’ to questions about how the gut microflora affect human health, says the scientist who co-coined the term ‘prebiotic’.

DuPont succeeds in Danisco bid

16-May-2011 By Caroline Scott-Thomas

US chemical group DuPont has successfully completed its tender offer for Danisco, as 92.2 percent of outstanding shares in the Danish food ingredients firm were tendered by Friday’s deadline, DuPont said on Monday.

Prebiotic pasta shows metabolic promise: Study

13-May-2011 By Stephen Daniells

Consuming pasta enriched with prebiotic fibers may slow the emptying of the stomach and ease the rise in blood sugar levels after eating, says a new study from Italy.

Probiotics may ease bloating for people with bowel disorders: Study

12-May-2011 By Stephen Daniells

Daily supplements of two probiotic strains may ease symptoms of bloating in people with bowel disorders, say researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Danisco USA.

Probiotic milk may alleviate fever: Yakult study

29-Apr-2011 By Nathan Gray

Milk fermented with Lactobacillus casei may help to alleviate fever caused by norovirus gastroenteritis by correcting imbalances of intestinal microflora, according to a new study.

Probiotics sector unimpressed by EFSA gut-immune guidance

29-Apr-2011 By Shane Starling

Probiotic academics and industry members say there is little new in the gut and immune health claim guidance final draft published this week by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).

Lonza becomes probiotic player

19-Apr-2011 By Shane Starling

Swiss giant Lonza has plunged into the probiotics sector for the first time by licensing a gut ulcer battling Lactobacillus strain plucked from the 8000-strain strong vats of German contract research organisation, Organobalance.

Probiotic academic: ‘Just add water to probiotic health claims’

18-Apr-2011 By Shane Starling

A leading probiotics researcher says the ongoing uncertainty about endpoints and biomarkers in European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) health claim evaluations, means the best chance for probiotic products to make claims is to combine them with nutrients...

Probiotics may reduce cold/’flu symptoms for male athletes: Study

15-Apr-2011 By Stephen Daniells

Daily supplements of probiotic Lactobacillus fermentum may reduce the duration of symptoms of respiratory tract infections in male athletes, says a new study from Australia.

Spanish initiative seeks functional food solutions

14-Apr-2011 By Shane Starling

The Spanish government is backing an agro-food scheme that brings ingredient suppliers together with food companies, biotech firms, hospitals, research centres and the IT sector.

Study support Stratum’s chitin-glucan for weight management

13-Apr-2011 By Stephen Daniells

Dietary supplementation with chitin-glucan may beneficially alter the gut microflora and improve metabolic processes associated with obesity, suggests new data from a mouse study.

Bacteria supplements may affect weight gain: Rat study extends microflora-obesity link

11-Apr-2011 By Stephen Daniells

Early exposure to bacterial strains during pregnancy, breast feeding, and early life has a profound impact on weight gain in the offspring, says a new study with rats.

EFSA health claim opinions - article 13, batch 4

EFSA issues batch four of article 13 health claims

08-Apr-2011 By Shane Starling

The European Food Safety Authority’s health claims panel this morning issued 442 fresh article 13 general function health claim opinions, causing a run on its site that crashed it for many minutes.

Chr Hansen plans to re-submit probiotic for 13.5 claim

06-Apr-2011 By Jess Halliday

Chr Hansen is anticipating a negative opinion on its 13.1 health claim submission for its BB12 probiotic this week, due to lack guidance from EFSA when it was made, and plans to re-submit under 13.5.