The omage-3 fatty acid EPA may help to support the growth and tolerance of probiotic bacterial strains in the human gut, according to new preliminary research.
There are some promising results but no firm conclusions when it comes to using probiotics against the stomach germ Helicobacter pylori, a review finds.
Evolve BioSystems is receiving a $2 million investment from Tate & Lyle Ventures to support Evolve’s ongoing clinical activities and preparations for commercial launch of its novel probiotic and prebiotic products.
Changes to our gut microbiota could have a direct impact the production of antimicrobial peptides that play a role in the risk of developing type 1 diabetes and other autoimmune conditions, say researchers.
Advances in the field of statistics and statistical software for modelling the microbiome are helping to unlock even more of its mysteries, say researchers behind the new metagenomics tools.
Botanicals are the fastest growing nutraceutical ingredient class in a category being driven by ageing populations around the world, a report has found.
Modern ‘Western diets’ can lead to poor immune functioning and increased risk of inflammatory conditions, allergy, and auto-immunity, researchers warn.
Nestlé and the EpiGen Global Research Consortium are to begin work on an 1,800-strong epigenetics study into the impact of maternal diet on infant genes and health – something the company claims is a clinical trial first.
Clostridium difficile infections have been noted by EU and US health authorities as an ‘emerging’ healthcare threat – costing the US $1bn annually. Now, researchers preparing a pilot study are looking at whether probiotics could be a solution.
Innovation in delivery modes has been a hallmark of the probiotic space for many years. That’s because researchers saw early on that to deliver on their benefits, probiotics had to survive the death march through the stomach’s acid defenses.
Supplements containing Lactobacillus curvatus HY7601 and Lactobacillus plantarum KY1032 may reduce triglyceride levels, and improve other markers of heart health, says a new study from Korea.
Research, focus and regulatory cunning will be needed if the nutraceutical industry is to tap into the relatively unexplored area of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), says the consultancy firm behind a new dedicated clinical trial platform.
Multi-level marketer Le-Vel Brands has been penalised by the UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) for the social media marketing of one of its promoter-come-customers.
A study comparing fibrous flaxseed with probiotics has questioned the latter’s ability to alter gut microbiota and improve obesity-related metabolic diseases.
Xavier Prats Monne is to become the new general director of the European Commission’s health and food safety unit, DG SANTE, a position he takes on after the resignation of Paola Testori Coggi.
The understanding of what happens within the human digestive system has always been hampered by the inability to observe that system in action, leave alone the imperfect understanding of one of the major components of the system, the gut microbiome. ...
The gut microbe Akkermansia muciniphila may hold the key to better metabolic health and healthier body fat distribution in people who are overweight or obese, say researchers.
A greater understanding of how nutrition and immunity are intrinsically linked, and how different biomarkers reflect states of illness and good health is vital to nutrition and public health research.
The EU’s ban on prebiotics and probiotics as marketing tools has cost the market €500m and will cost a further €1bn by 2020 according to Euromonitor International data – and that’s just drinking yoghurt. Other formats have also been hit.
Adding in ingredients like vitamin C to make legal immune health claims may sell products short term, but this sucks the blood from more challenging ingredients like probiotics and botanicals, says a marketing expert.
UK-based researchers are seeking industry collaboration and inspiration for work creating electrospun nanofibres that could provide improved products and ingredient delivery systems for foods.
While there are several challenges involved in the nano-delivery of vitamins and nutrients in functional foods, such systems have ‘considerable potential’ within the food industry, says an expert in oral delivery systems.
Supplementing enteral nutrition with a probiotic strain may reduce the risk of bowel tissue death and other serious health risks in premature infants, says a systematic review.
Special edition: Innovations in better-for-you confectionery
Chocolate is a more effective delivery system than capsules and tablets for probiotics and could be an attractive alternative for consumers, according to Croatian supplement firm Milsing.
The Italian health food market is booming – 80% of Italians consume food supplements or functional foods – but regulation threatens a sector comprised of 1800 firms, a congress has been told.
Market analyst Euromonitor International dissects recent NutraIngredients Awards winners to provide category perspective from sustainable omega-3 to healthy ageing in this guest article.
A recent study that found traces of gluten in probiotic supplements has provoked a measured response from the International Probiotic Association. IPA executive director George Paraskevakos noted that only one product in the study that made a gluten-free...
Better Lactobacilli genetic screening, biomarker development, better pregnancy support and better engagement with health professionals were just a few of many actions proposed to improved women’s health at a recent Amsterdam congress focused on the female...
The world’s biggest clinical study on the immune effects of probiotics has found that the L. casei 431 strain could reduce the duration of symptoms from the common cold and flu – though no differences were found in the incidence or severity of illness.
It’s not just the high fat, salt or sugar content of processed foods that is driving obesity and diet-related illnesses – the lack of food diversity is killing our gut flora, claims one researcher.
EFSA opinion wrap: Pomegranate, carob, coffee rejected. Vitamin D approved
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has rejected probiotic dossiers from Canadian firm Lallemand Health Solutions (immunity) and Italian player Synbiotec (defecation) in a batch of opinions published today.
Chr Hansen has confirmed the presence of bifidobacteria and lactobacilli in breast milk from Chinese mothers - a discovery it claims strengthens the case for adding probiotics to infant formula.
Gala Awards night at Vitafoods Europe, Geneva, Switzerland
200 people from the European and international food and nutrition sectors helped 20 finalists and seven winners celebrate at the inaugural NutraIngredients Awards last night at Vitafoods Europe.
Ex-International Probiotics Association (IPA) director general Ioannis Misopoulos has taken a business development role at Michigan-based probiotics manufacturer, Daily Body Restore.
Products such as probiotic pizza, probiotic snack bars, high-fibre chicken or fish-oil fortified yoghurt may seem bizarre, says market expert Julian Mellentin in this guest article, but since 1990 thousands of products like this have been launched – and...
Supplementation with a multi-species probiotic may be associated with lower feelings of sadness and less focus on bad feelings and experiences from the past, say researchers.
The percentage of food and drink launches carrying digestive health claims has fallen from 2.4% in 2009 to 2.2% in 2014 in the EU, says Innova Market Insights.
“The new EC has spoken of better regulation and growth so we trust them to consider our position and argumentation."
The just-formed European iteration of the International Probiotics Association (IPA) has met for the first time at its new Brussels base with Danone, Dupont-Danisco, Chr Hansen, Yakult, Probi and Lallemand all in attendance.
Single ingredient trade groups are becoming an increasingly common feature of the dietary supplement industry. Whether they burnish the overall image of the sector or serve to further Balkanize the industry’s message is a matter of debate.
