Probiotics, friendly bacteria with known benefits for intestinal
health, may boost the number of bowel movements and relieve
constipation, suggests a new pilot study from the Netherlands.
Chr Hansen's probiotic ingredients are to be used
in supplements marketed for children in Italy, thanks to
an agreement it says reflects the growing demand and opportunity
for pediatric probiotic supplements.
A €4.5m ($6.3m) investment in New Zealand firm EnCoate could help
it develop a technique to extend the shelf life of probiotics,
opening up the uses for the bacteria often found only in dairy
products.
A partnership between Warrnambool and the Dutch company Friesland
Foods has now been finalised, which will see a €30m factory
producing whey-based ingredients for the worldwide food and infant
nutrition market.
Danish ingredients firm Danisco has completed the expansion of a
new probiotic facility in Madison to ease supply bottlenecks and
meet ever-increasing demand from dairy.
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) is funding a Mayo
Clinic study following the work of the EU-funded Syncan
project, this time using prebiotics without probiotics, in relation
to colon cancer.
Probiotic-containing drinks may help reduce diarrhoea among older
people receiving antibiotics, reports new research that could offer
savings to public health services.
The potential uses of proteins and peptides to improve gut health
are to be explored through an industry-led collaborative project
launched by Leatherhead Food International today.
A newly characterised strain of probiotic bacteria may have
potential to kill Listeria monocytogenes, an often-lethal
pathogen in pregnant women, Irish researchers report.
Orafti has announced the launch of a new long-term study into the
potential effects of prebiotic infant formulae on the development
of the infants immune system and the incidence of allergy in
infants.
Probiotic supplementation during pregnancy and then for the infants
after birth could reduce the incidence of eczema, suggests a new
clinical trial from Sweden.
Two low doses of the prebiotic inulin every day can efficiently
boost levels of beneficial gut bacteria, and reduce levels of an
enzyme linked to colon cancer, says a new study sponsored by
Belgium's Cosucra.
The International Probiotics Association has placed a new executive
director at the helm who is looking to bring transparency and
self-regulation to the growing global market for so-called friendly
bacteria.
The continued success of probiotics will depend on finding ways of
protecting the friendly bacteria during processing, opening up
opportunities for food ingredients and biopolymers, experts say.
Food giant Danone and Yokult Honsha have announced that they are
strengthening their probiotic scientific cooperation and extending
a previous agreement by an additional three years.
Probi probiotics are set to make their debut in India before the
end of the year after the Swedish probiotic company's partner
Institut Rosell signed an agreement with Aristo Pharmaceuticals.
France's Danone and Japan's Yakult will continue their strategic
alliance involving closer cooperation on R&D and entry into new
markets, maintaining their positions as leaders in the probiotics
market.
Regular consumption of unpasteurised farm milk may offer protection
from range of allergies, but the researchers cautioned against
drinking raw milk until more research is carried out.
Infant formula is getting increasingly more functional with
Nestlé's announcement this week that it is launching formula with
probiotic Bifidobacterium lactis, BIFIDUS BL, for the
United States.
A combination of different probiotics strains reduces the ability
of potentially pathogenic bacteria to colonise the gut more than
single strains, says new research that proposes industry should
look to expand research in this area.
The Irish Commercial Court has judged that the Yoplait Essence
brand does not infringe on Danone's Essensis trademark, and that
the French dairy giant's trademark should be revoked, as it is not
a genuine market brand.
The agreements just keep rolling in for Probi after the probiotic
company announced a new license agreement with an unnamed, but
well-established European food company.
Nutritionists and policy-makers have put the issue of healthy
ageing way down the list of priorities, and the problem must be
addressed sooner rather than later, says a new report.
The strength of Danisco Cultures is reflected in the company's
financial report for the first nine months of 2006/7, in which the
division helped drive organic growth for both Bioingredients and
its overarching Ingredients sector.
Irish scientists report that a combination of five probiotic
strains may reduce food poisoning by salmonella, if results of
their pig study can be translated to humans.
Leatherhead Food International is proposing an industry
collaboration to identify end markets where use of prebiotics and
probiotics are likely to offer growth opportunities for the future.
Danisco has developed a new formulation of probiotics called Howaru
Protect, specifically targeted to reducing cold and 'flu symptoms,
and is exploring its use by the food, supplements and
pharmaceutical industries.
Chr Hansen and Valio are strengthening their relationship over the
popular probiotic LGG, giving Chr Hansen manufacturing and selling
rights to the strain for its use in food supplement products.
From double coating with soy peptides, to protection with whey
proteins, encapsulation of sensitive gut-friendly bacteria is
breaking new ground for probiotic food applications.
Chocolate mousse may be an excellent vehicle for probiotics and
prebiotics, suggests a new study from Brazil that is in line with
the trend for new ways of delivering the ingredients.
Honey produced by bees feeding on honeydew have more than double
the radical scavenging activity than honeys from nectars, says new
research from Spain.
The new nutrition and health claims legislation could prove
challenging for marketers of probiotic products due to the
different effects of different strains of bacteria, says a
nutrition scientist.
Friesland Foods is to enter a joint venture with Australian dairy
group Warrnambool as part of plans to help meet growing demand in
the country for prebiotic ingredients.
BioGaia has reported significant gains in full year 2006 that tip
it into profit, thanks largely to deals for finished probiotic
products in a widening geographical sphere.
Quantification of a prebiotic's ability to boost the growth of
probiotics could enhance the identification of effective synbiotic
combinations, researchers have said.
Canadian scientists have reported that two strains of probiotic
Lactobacillus bacteria grow well in soy yoghurt cultures, opening
up opportunities for an ever growing field.
A synbiotic supplement comprising the prebiotics inulin and
oligofructose, and a mixture of two probiotics, successfully
reduced several markers of colon cancer, say results of a major
Europe-wide study.
The ability of the prebiotic fibre inulin to boost the population
of 'friendly' bifidobacteria in the gut works at both low and high
doses without side effects, says new research.
Dairy remains the most popular category for new probiotic,
prebiotic and synbiotic product launches in Europe, but
manufacturers of baby foods, snacks and beverages are latching on
to the concept, indicates data from Mintel.
Arla Foods, Europe's second largest dairy company, has signed an
agreement with US-based Integrated Genomics for access to the ERGO
database and genomic discovery system to enhance the company's
probiotic understanding.
Encapsulation of probiotics in whey protein gel particles could
offer protection during processing and storage, as well as
extending the food applications of the bacteria to biscuits,
vegetable and frozen cranberry juice, indicates...
Orafti is expecting considerable growth in sales of its Beneo
prebiotic ingredients in Russia, after six years of ground work and
building up recognition in the local marketplace.
University of Leeds scientists are giving an insight into a
possible future of pro and prebiotics with GM probiotic bacteria
that can stimulate the immune system when 'switched on' by specific
prebiotic sugar.
Finnish dairy company Valio has signed an exclusive licensing
agreement with the Dannon Company for use of its technology and
proprietary probiotic culture Lactobacillus GG (LGG), as the
North American dairy giant fills its probiotic...
A new collaborative industry research project proposed by
Leatherhead and The University of Reading could open up more
opportunities for peptides and oligosaccharides used in combination
to promote growth of probiotic bacteria in...