Gut/digestive health

science short

Gastro health and immunity: Chr Hansen reviews 300 papers on probiotic strain

28-Apr-2014 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

Danish probiotic leader Chr Hansen has gathered mounting probiotic science under one roof in a review of 300 Bifidobacterium-focused papers.

Exclusive documentary preview: MicroWarriors Special edition

MicroWarriors: Exploring probiotic power (and the powers that be)

25-Apr-2014 By Shane STARLING

NutraIngredients went to LA recently to question two leading probiotic academics about probiotics and the microbiome and which we present exclusively here. The interviews form part of a new documentary to be narrated by Leonard Nimoy, better known as...

Punching holes in pop-science theory: Whole grains may cut inflammatory biomarkers in obese kids

22-Apr-2014 By Stephen DANIELLS

Consuming whole-grain-rich foods for six weeks may slash levels of inflammatory biomarkers in overweight children, according to findings published in Molecular Nutrition & Food Research.

An effective strategy for public cardio-metabolic health promotion? Resistant starch shows blood lipid and body composition benefits

18-Apr-2014 By Stephen DANIELLS

Using resistant starch-enriched flour in place of regular flour may reduce cholesterol levels in people with metabolic syndrome, report researchers from South Dakota State University.

Green and black tea blend may support urinary tract health for men: Kemin Study

14-Apr-2014 By Stephen DANIELLS

Daily supplements containing extracts from a blend of green and black tea varieties may improve lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and quality of life in men in as little as six weeks, says a new study.

New Taiyo iron formula improves ingredient's performance in food, beverages

04-Apr-2014 By Hank Schultz

Iron can be a difficult ingredient to work with because of its reactivity. Ever seen a piece of rusty metal?  That’s just the start; iron reacts with a wide array of elements beyond oxygen. It can impart off flavors, degrade other ingredients and interfere...

Breast microbiome more complex than previously thought: Study

31-Mar-2014 By Nicola Cottam

The unique microbial composition of female breast tissue has given scientists new insight into the interaction between different bacteria in the human body and the effects this has on health.

Probi gets big order from US supplements giant Pharmavite

24-Mar-2014 By Hank Schultz

US-based supplement manufacturer Pharmavite has extended its supply relationship with Swedish probiotic supplier Probi with an order valued at $561,000 (3.6 million Swedish kroner).

DuPont: It seems like the whole world except Europe understands probiotics are backed by solid science

21-Mar-2014 By Elaine WATSON

Americans are often described as lagging behind their European counterparts when it comes to awareness of probiotics, but the growth potential in the US market is “huge”, says leading supplier DuPont. 

IPA World Congress, May 9-11 2014, Athens, Greece

Time to renovate your probiotic toolbox? IPA workshop explores how

20-Mar-2014 By Shane STARLING

Companies that manufacture probiotic products can learn much from other fast-moving-consumer-good (FMCG) firms like shower gel, pharmaceutical and smoothie makers in NPD, an expert says.

Battle of the bugs: Beneficial bacteria vital to immune response against infection

17-Mar-2014 By Lynda Searby

Our microbiome may play a central role in immune responses to infections, according to new research revealing how beneficial bacteria are necessary for the development of innate immune cells.

Gut microbiota ‘networks’ may play a role in autoimmunity and type 1 diabetes risk

14-Mar-2014 By Nathan Gray

The way in which our gut bacteria interact with each other may have vital implications for the risk of developing type 1 diabetes, according to new research.

Almonds & their skins show prebiotic potential: Human data

06-Mar-2014 By Stephen DANIELLS

Fiber-rich almonds and almond skin may selectively boost the populations of bifidobacteria and lactobacilli in the gut, says a new study funded by the Almond Board of California.

Microbiota makeup linked to intestinal cancer risk

04-Mar-2014

The makeup of microbes living in our gut may be a risk factor for colorectal cancer and could drive the development of intestinal tumours, say researchers.

Data shows 'cobiotic' modulates glucose response in diabetic and pre diabetic subjects

27-Feb-2014

Microbiome Therapeutics, a startup based in Broomfield, CO, has developed a technology that it says can significantly shift the makeup of the gut microflora in prediabetic patients and those with type 2 diabetes.  Prelimary data shows the company’s flaghsip...

Vitamin D may have direct effect on brain development, social behaviour and autism

27-Feb-2014 By Nathan Gray

Vitamin D could have a 'critical influence' levels of serotonin in the brain and may directly effect social behaviours associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), according to new research.

UK research takes aim at beneficial bacteria's ability to break down carbs

25-Feb-2014 By Nathan Gray

New funding from the UK Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) could help researchers to better understand how beneficial bacteria break down non-digestible carbohydrate.

Polysaccharide supplement may boost memory, suggests study

21-Feb-2014 By Hank Schultz

Mannatech, a network marketing company based in Coppell, TX, has announced the results of clinical trial showing memory support benefits for its polysaccharide dietary supplment formulation called Ambrotose. The trial showed improved performance on standard...

Special edition: Pre and Probiotics

Probiotic call: Forget health claims (consumers have)

20-Feb-2014 By Shane STARLING

Probiotic players obsessed with winning health claims needn’t bother as consumers don’t value them anyway, a leading consultant says.

Special edition: Pre- and probiotics

Probiotics, fiber continue to steal market share from GI remedies

20-Feb-2014 By Maggie Hennessy

Digestive issues are all too familiar to Americans, as roughly nine out of 10 (86%) say they’ve dealt with some type of gastrointestinal or digestive trouble in the past year, according to a recent study from Mintel. But as many take a more proactive...

Special edition: Pre- and probiotics

Mature markets seeing beyond probiotics’ ‘balance microflora’ benefits: Lallemand

20-Feb-2014 By Maggie Hennessy

The market for probiotic supplements and food continues to grow at a fast clip worldwide, expected to reach $45bn by 2017 (up from $30bn in 2012), according to Euromonitor. Global ingredient supplier Lallemand Health Solutions is no stranger to this market,...

Special edition: Pre & Probiotics

Know what you are putting in your products, urges probiotic Prof

20-Feb-2014 By Nathan Gray

Industry must do more to understand the inter-species interactions of multi-strain probiotic products rather than assuming that 'more is better', warns Professor Gregor Reid.

Special edition: Pre & Probiotics

What is gut health? That's the blurry 800-pound gorilla in the room

20-Feb-2014 By Hank Schultz

In discussing gut health it’s wise to keep in mind the words of the late United States Supreme Court justice Potter Stewart when discussing a 1964 obscenity case.  Pornography, Stewart said, was hard to pin down, but “I know it when I see it.”  So it...

Gut geography: Are obesity-linked gut bacteria more prevalent in northern areas?

17-Feb-2014 By Nathan Gray

People living in cold, northern latitudes have a greater proportion of gut bacteria that may predispose them to obesity, according to new meta-analysis data.

Microbiota may communicate with human gut cells through enzyme signalling

14-Feb-2014 By Nathan Gray

An enzyme secreted by gut bacteria to break down food components may also play a vital role in communication with our own cells, according to new research.

Probiotic Bifidobacterium lactis shows immune support for elderly people

13-Feb-2014 By Stephen Daniells

Daily supplements of the probiotic Bifidobacterium lactis Bi-07 may improve the activity of white blood cells in elderly adults, a population with higher susceptibility to infections.

'Heart health through gut health': probiotics may help lower LDL cholesterol

13-Feb-2014 By Maggie Hennessy

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a leading cause of death worldwide, and elevated LDL cholesterol is a major risk factor. Although most consumers understand the importance of maintaining a healthy cholesterol level for a healthy heart, few associate gut...

Probiota 2014: Chairman calls for industry to 'step up' in fight for probiotics

06-Feb-2014 By Nathan Gray

Probiotic and preboiotic industry players must do more to get consumers on their side in the fight with regulators in the US and EU, and should also be doing more to help save lives in Africa, according to Professor Gregor Reid.

Live from Probiota 2014

IPA calls for fresh global alliance in probiotics

05-Feb-2014 By Shane Starling in Amsterdam

The founder of the International Probiotics Association (IPA) has called on the Global Alliance for Probiotics (GAP) to work with it to develop the science and dossiers that can win health claims in Europe and elsewhere.

Live from Probiota 2014

Data eater: EU probiotic yoghurt market to drop 4.5% by 2018; supplements on the up

04-Feb-2014 By Shane Starling in Amsterdam

The market for probiotic yoghurt in 20 key European Union markets will fall 4.5% in the five years between now and 2018, but the overall sector trend remains positive, Euromonitor International analyst Ewa Hudson told a packed Probiota congress in Amsterdam...

Gutsy ambition for GoodBelly! Probiotic drinks brand eyes $50m US sales

04-Feb-2014 By Ben BOUCKLEY

GoodBelly Juice co-founder Todd Beckman says the novel drinks is targeting $50m in retail sales within the next 18 months as US consumer awareness of probiotic benefits grows.

Herbal Papaya extends non GMO footprint with new supplement ingredients, tea flavors

31-Jan-2014 By Hank Schultz

organic, non-GMO positioning, is extending its line of ingredients with the introduction of a papaya seed powder.  It is also planning new flavors for its tea line, all to be introduced at the Natural Products Expo West trade show in March.

Special edition: Polyphenols

The big challenges in polyphenols: Providing credible evidence and a quality supply chain

28-Jan-2014 By Nathan Gray

With surging interest in the potential health benefits of polyphenols around the globe, experts suggest that there are still some major sticking points in the polyphenol success story.

Special edition: Polyphenols

Polyphenol science needs to catch up to better inform regulators and consumers, say experts

28-Jan-2014 By Stephen DANIELLS

A paradigm shift is needed in the study of polyphenols to better understand the bioavailability, bio-activity, and the role of the gut microbiota in polyphenol metabolism and health benefits, say experts from academia and industry.

Prebiotics may modify brain chemistry through microbiota modulation: Rat study

27-Jan-2014 By Nathan Gray

The modification of gut microbiota by prebiotics may also lead to alterations in brain chemistry, according to new dat that suggests a potential role for prebiotic compounds in neuropsychiatric illness.

“I get personal because they [EFSA] get personal to me"

Fed up: Probiotic research veteran issues global call to action

23-Jan-2014

Veteran probiotic researcher professor Gregor Reid is not a happy man. It’s time the probiotic community fought back against those forces that have for too long denied a perfectly valid body of nutrition science in the form of commercial claims. It’s...

Global probiotic market to add 50% to €33bn by 2018: Analyst

22-Jan-2014 By Shane STARLING

The term ‘probiotic’ may be banned in the European Union – along with its cousin ‘prebiotic’ – but sales remain steady, and the global picture is buoyant, says leading analyst, Euromonitor International.

Apple polyphenols may slash inflammation marker levels, change gut microbiota

22-Jan-2014 By Stephen DANIELLS

Polyphenols from apples may modify the bacterial populations in the gut, and reduce markers of inflammation, according a new study from the New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited.

Microbiome metabolism: Scientists reveal how gut bacteria break down complex carbohydrates

21-Jan-2014 By Nathan Gray

An international team of researchers have uncovered the cellular mechanisms that allow bacteria a single group of bacteria found in our microbiota to break down complex sugars and fibres.

Understanding the aging gut: Microbiome modifications may be linked to health and lifespan

17-Jan-2014 By Nathan Gray

Modifications to the microbiota could lead to changes in health and lifespan that are associated with aging, according to new research in fruit flies.

Frutarom backing botanical science in 2014

15-Jan-2014

Swiss ingredients giant Frutarom will publish at least four trials this year from its suite its suite of botanical extracts and blends as it revamps the classification and presentation of its wares.

Probiotics may benefit energy metabolism in obese people: Human data

13-Jan-2014 By Stephen DANIELLS

Daily supplements of probiotics combined with an herbal preparation may improve obesity-related parameters, according to a new study from South Korea.

Supplements shakedown part 2: Health claim medicine tastes better than expected

13-Jan-2014 By Peter Zambetti

Last week, Peter Zambetti, director of global business development at Capsugel and chairman of the International Alliance of Dietary Supplement Associations (IADSA), discussed the impact of GMPs on the global health & nutrition (H&N) sector. In...

USP proposes monograph on specific bacillus coagulans probiotic strain

10-Jan-2014 By Hank Schultz

For the first time, the United States Pharmacopoeia is proposing a monograph on a probiotic organism as a food ingredient in the latest series of draft monographs put forward for inclusion in the Food Chemicals Codex.

New bioinformatics platform set to predict bacterial functionalities based on genes alone

09-Jan-2014 By Nathan Gray

A new bioinformatics platform created by a consortium of European SMEs and research institutes could help industry predict the functionality of food bacteria and probiotics based on their genome.

Probiota 2014, February 4-5, Amsterdam

Probiota 2014: The ultimate pre- and probiotic science-business blend

19-Dec-2013 By Shane STARLING

Probiota 2014 – relocated from Brussels to Amsterdam and organised by NutraIngredients – will bring together the finest scientific and commercial minds operating in the pre- and probiotic sector in a 2-day, 2-stream event.

Diet can 'rapidly and reproducibly' alter our gut bacteria: Study

16-Dec-2013 By Nathan Gray

Shifts in dietary patterns can radically alter the microbial make-up of our gut in less than a day, leading to rapid alterations in the functions of our microbiota, say researchers.

Probiotics during pregnancy and infancy no benefit for asthma: BMJ analysis

10-Dec-2013 By Nathan Gray

While consumption of probiotics may have health benefits, preventing childhood asthma is not one of them, according to new data published in the British Medical Journal.

Canadian firm to bring encapsulated hemp oil ingredient to market for supplements, foods

09-Dec-2013 By Hank Schultz

Canadian firm Natural Splendid Ltd. is bringing to market a line of plant-based omega-3 products for supplements and functional foods based on technology developed at the University of British Columbia.

Probiotic therapy alleviates autism-like behaviors in mice: Study

06-Dec-2013 By Nathan Gray

Probiotic supplementation may help to reverse changes in gut bacteria and gut physiology that are linked to autism spectrum disorders, according to new research in mice.