The boom in probiotics science and products is offering potential benefits for a range of health conditions, but the industry must produce products that adhere to the definitions to avoid damaging itself.
Combining low levels of essential oils (EOs) could enhance their
antimicrobial power and remove adverse taste effects, suggests a
new study from Ireland.
Studies are underway to investigate the use of
galacto-oligosaccharides to protect animals from salmonella
infection, both to reduce the risk of the bacteria entering the
food chain and increase knowledge on prebiotics' benefits.
Green tea can boost the potential of antibiotics to battle
superbugs and other bacterial strains and even make previously
antibiotic-resistant bacteria susceptible to treatment, according
to "surprised" Egyptian scientists.
Healthcare company Ganeden Biotech is launching a probiotic health
bar using its form of bacillus coagulans GB1-30, a strain it says
is flexible and viable in manufacturing processes.
The International Probiotics Association (IPA) says it has doubled
in size in the last eight months, reflecting the industry's need to
establish standardized guidelines as the field of probiotics
continues to expand.
Healthcare company Ganeden Biotech has teamed up with PL Thomas
(PLT) in an effort to expand the reach of a new probiotic
ingredient in functional food and beverages.
Ganeden Biotech is planning to bring its proprietary probiotic
ingredient, GanedenBC30, to functional foods, thereby
adding one more strain of friendly bacteria to the market.
Nestlé Research Center has joined a team of top companies and
science institutes which will let it take advantage of new
discoveries made in the field of genomics.
A polysaccharide from kefir grains, kefiran, is able to form gels
after freeze-drying and may offer a novel gelling agent for
industry, suggests new research from Argentina.
The Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST) has
released a paper on probiotics that adds to claims the value-adding
active cultures are not appropriately regulated.
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.
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.
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.
Polyphenols in tea may preferentially suppress the growth of
pathogenic bacteria in the gut, but not the growth of 'friendly'
bacteria, says a new study from Singapore.
Korean company Cell Biotech is establishing operations in Denmark
to expand use of its dual-coated probiotics in Europe market -
particularly in new, non-dairy food categories.
Biopharmaceutical company Oragenics, is looking to use probiotics
for oral applications as a result of what it claims is positive
data from a clinical trial for its oral probiotic mouthrinse,
Probiora3.
A daily supplement of the prebiotic oligofructose significantly
improved the intestinal health of young children in day care, and
cut the number of bacterial infections and illness episodes, says
new research from France.
Compounds in cranberry juice may provide a viable alternative to
antibiotics that treat urinary tract infections (UTI's) especially
for combating E. coli bacteria that have become resistant to
conventional treatment.
German chemicals group BASF is set to expand the market for
Lactobacillus healthy bacteria derived from yoghurt, with the
introduction of a raft of products for dental health and personal
hygiene.
Scientists in France say they have unlocked the genetic sequence of
bacteria in yoghurt, offering better insight to dairy firms looking
to create added value dairy products.
France's Danone has announced a three-year licence with US-based
Integrated Genomics for access to the ERGO database and genomic
discovery system to enhance the group's probiotic understanding and
R&D.
Danone, France's iconic dairy group, is working with a prestigious
French research institute to find new probiotic strains for dairy
products and understand more about how the 'friendly bacteria'
work.
Cranberry juice, already well-known as a remedy for urinary tract
infections, may help protect against common infections caused by
gastrointestinal viruses, reports Dominique Patton.
Blue California is changing the ingredient purification process at
its China manufacturing facility from gamma-rays to ozone, in order
to meet regulatory standards in international markets.
Microalgae producers Cyanotech and Earthrise Nutritionals have
signaled their surprise that spirulina was excluded from a recent
study suggesting that a potential toxin known as BMAA is present in
diverse groups of cyanobacteria,...
High consumption of fructooligosaccharides (FOS) increases the risk
of salmonella infection in rats, according to new research,
although it is impossible to tell whether the prebiotic ingredient
could have the same impact on humans,...
SEAFOODplus, the largest research project ever sponsored by the EU
in the seafood sector, is now underway and will aim to satisfy
consumer demand for healthy, safe seafood.
Danish ingredients company Chr Hansen has licensed the use of a
genomics tool to improve knowledge of how probiotic bacteria work.
It could help the firm develop new probiotic bacteria with superior
benefits over existing products.
Raspberries and another berry commercially grown in Finland, the
cloudberry, contain a compound that inhibits the growth of harmful
intestinal bacteria, report researchers at VTT Biotechnology and
the University of Helsinki.
An oregano and cranberry concoction could be a potent
anti-microbial agent for food processors under constant pressure to
reduce the risk of foodborne diseases in the ever-expanding food
production chain.
Millions of women use yoghurt as a natural remedy to prevent thrush
while taking antibiotics but an Australian team says there is no
proof that the bacteria in yoghurt has any beneficial effect.
New gene technology could provide further evidence to support
probiotic bacteria, often criticised by the medical profession for
having insufficient science behind the claims made about their
health benefits.
A number of baby food products, including dried variants, have been
found in a recent survey to contain bacteria that have been linked
to outbreaks of meningitis.
A New Zealand biotech firm is entering its first foreign market,
China, with a product containing a proprietary bacterial strain
said to fight off sore throats.
European suppliers of probiotics could see a growing channel for
sales as UK scientists discover a new way to combat food poisoning,
by targeting it in living animals using beneficial bacteria.
Probiotics provide fresh hope for destroying...
Decas Cranberry Products' ingredients division has introduced a new
cranberry extract that it claims offers an increased level of
anti-microbial and antioxidant properties than the leading product
in the category.
A major, randomised trial to assess the effectiveness of probiotic
bacteria in reducing infections in intensive care patients, the
first such study to be carried out in the US, may help to expand
applications for the supplement to...
Probiotics, the bacteria thought to help gut health disorders,
allergies and even some forms of cancer, contain immune
system-stimulating DNA, which makes them just as effective when
inactivated as when consumed as live microorganisms...