Gut/digestive health

Poster deadline extended by one week to December 13

Probiota 2014: Poster proposal deadline extended

04-Dec-2013 By Nathan Gray

Probiota 2014 – the leading conference bridging the interface of academia and industry for cutting edge science about the prebiotics, probiotics and the microbiome – has extended the call for proposals for its poster sessions by one week to Friday 13th...

Intestinal bacteria may influence food transit through the gut

25-Nov-2013 By Nathan Gray

Food transit time though the gut may be controlled by a complex system of hormones released by our microbiota, according to new research.

Dispatches from SupplySide West 2013

MicroPharma ready to launch microbiome supplements direct to healthcare practitioners

25-Nov-2013 By Stephen Daniells

Innovative Canadian company MicroPharma is leveraging half a billion dollars-worth of microbiome research to launch microbiome supplements any day now, the company’s CEO told NutraIngredients-USA.

Dispatches from #FIE2013

Researchers back zinc citrate bioavailability

22-Nov-2013 By Shane STARLING

A just published study has found zinc citrate is equal to zinc gluconate and higher than zinc oxide in terms of bodily intake, research that could help battle regional deficiencies and conditions like diarrhea.

Gut reaction: Could hormone receptors on gut bacteria be driving diet-health interactions?

15-Nov-2013 By Nathan Gray

Dietary intake of foods that affect hormone levels could drive changes in the microbial make up of ourgut flora, according to new research in mice.

Showtime: 'Manberry' extract takes stage in Las Vegas

14-Nov-2013

French botanicals giant Naturex has debuted a cranberry extract – most typically aimed at women with urinary tract infection (UTI) issues - marketed at with elderly men with similar problems.

Gut bacteria may be linked to rheumatoid arthritis: Study

12-Nov-2013 By Nathan Gray

Bacterial disturbances in the gut may play a role in autoimmune attacks on joints, and could point the way towards novel ways to manage and prevent arthritis, say researchers.

Special edition: Botanicals. Editor's blog

Has EFSA sparked a light in Europe’s dark botanical tunnel?

07-Nov-2013 By Shane STARLING

The botanicals industry was pleasantly surprised recently when the EU’s central science agency backed an isolated health claim for a bowel-benefitting herbal blend – but is EFSA really changing its botanicals approach before the EC has told it to?

Vitamin Shoppe: ‘Private label is an important growth opportunity for us’

06-Nov-2013 By Stephen DANIELLS

Growth in private label and one of its recently launched MyTrition products already a top selling product, Vitamin Shoppe is planning more new product introductions by year end, said the company’s CEO.

Nordic Naturals enters probiotic space to address ‘critical, foundational digestive health issue’

05-Nov-2013 By Stephen Daniells

Omega-3 specialist Nordic Naturals has entered the probiotics space with the launch of its Nordic Probiotic product to promote digestive system balance and immune support.

Researchers identify molecular link between gut bacteria and intestinal health

05-Nov-2013 By Nathan Gray

An enzyme known as HDAC3 may be central to understanding the mechanisms and drivers behind the complex relationship between our gut microbiota and intestinal health, according to new research published in Nature.

Antibiotic-tainted enzymes find way into products in US, Canada, EU and Japan

04-Nov-2013 By Hank Schultz

Enzymes manufactured in India contaminated with an antibiotic have appeared in the US and Canadian markets after popping in Europe and Japan. The contamination could result in one of the biggest slews of product recalls in history.

CRN asks FDA to remove "extra-statutory" restriction from medical foods guidance

01-Nov-2013 By Hank Schultz

In order to foster development of the medical foods the Council for Responsible Nutrition has called on the Food and Drug Administration to revise its recently updated guidance on the issue to eliminate what it calls “extra-statutory criteria” that it...

Rise of personalized genetic databases provides trove of info to drive research, product development

29-Oct-2013 By Hank Schultz

The advent of simplified genetic tests marks the dawn of an age in which the idea of personalized nutrition will be driven by hard data as opposed to answers on survey queries as was the case in the past.  And it means that that amassed data can be mined...

Big Interview: Todd Beckman, cofounder and COO of GoodBelly

Consumer education on probiotics critical: GoodBelly founder

28-Oct-2013 By Maggie Hennessy

In a country like the US where 60 to 70 million people have digestive issues, and roughly 20% of the population suffers from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (though only a third seek medical attention, according to the National Institutes of Health), the founders...

Chr Hansen CEO on ‘solid’ 2013 profit: ‘We are very proud of our European performance’

23-Oct-2013 By Shane STARLING

Chr Hansen CEO Cees de Jong today praised the Danish enzymes, cultures and colours specialist’s 2012-2013 performance that saw revenues grow 6% to €738m for the year, and highlighted 5% growth in sluggish EMEA as a major achievement.

Panel of experts proposes monograph system to regulate probiotics claims in US

22-Oct-2013 By Hank Schultz

A paper written by a group coordinated out of the University of Maryland proposes significant changes to the way probiotics are regulated, including using a monograph system similar to what regulators use in Canada to govern the use of the organisms.

Ganeden backs probiotic ingredient with science results, formulation support

17-Oct-2013 By Hank Schultz

Quality science, manufacturing and customer support have helped Ganeden Biotech achieve success with its proprietary staring of bacillus coagluans, branded as GanedenBC30, said vice president Mike Bush.

GanedenBC30 get Venezuelan Ministry of Food Application approval

15-Oct-2013

Ohio-based Ganeden Biotech has received approval from the Venezuelan Popular Power Ministry of Health for Food Applications for its GanedenBC30 (Bacillus coagulans GBI-30, 6086) ingredient.

Could the health effects of inulin be complimented by wheat fiber?

09-Oct-2013 By Stephen DANIELLS

Long-chain arabinoxylan derived from wheat has potential prebiotic activity and may complement the effects of inulin, an established prebiotic fiber, according to new data from Belgium and the Netherlands.

Yakult Light probiotic drink may offer diarrhoea benefits: RCT data

09-Oct-2013 By Nathan Gray

Daily consumption of a probiotic drink containing Lactobacillus casei Shirota could significantly reduce the incidence of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea, according to new research in people with spinal injuries.

EpiCor shows prebiotic activity – new study unlocks ingredient’s immunity mechanisms

07-Oct-2013 By Stephen DANIELLS

The immune benefits of EpiCor, the yeast fermentate from Embria, may be related to its prebiotic potential to boost levels of beneficial bacteria, says a new study.

Berry-enriched protein matrices (Nutrasorb) help athletes burn fat while asleep

01-Oct-2013 By Stephen Daniells

Soy protein enriched with blueberry and green tea compounds in combination with exercise prolong the metabolic spike after exercise, says a new metabolomics study from the North Carolina Research Campus.

Study backs milk protein micro-particles for probiotic survival

01-Oct-2013 By Nathan Gray

A mixture of casein and whey protein may offer the best encapsulation and survival possibilities for the probiotic strain Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, according to new research.

Gut bacteria are closely linked to immune functions, review suggests

30-Sep-2013 By Nathan Gray

A new understanding of the essential role of gut microbes in the immune system could hold the key to battling significant and global public health issues, researchers have suggested.

Blueberry powder may boost gut bacteria with 'demonstrated health-promoting properties', says a new study

26-Sep-2013 By Stephen DANIELLS

A daily drink of juice containing wild blueberry powder may boost select bifidobacteria strains in the gut with the potential to influence immune health, says a new study with human volunteers.

Live from the 20th International Congress of Nutrition

Prof: 'GI can be more powerful obesity-fighting tool in Asia than the west'

20-Sep-2013 By Shane Starling in Granada, Spain

Prebiotics and other fibres have a big role to play in curbing spiraling obesity, diabetic and pre-diabetic rates in emerging economies like India and China, according to one respected nutrition academic here at the ICN in Granada.

Probiotics can benefit colitis sufferers with ‘anal pouch’ issues: Study

17-Sep-2013 By Shane STARLING

Ulcerative colitis (UC) sufferers who are surgically fitted with an artificial anus (‘ileoanal pouch’) can benefit from probiotics, Swedish and Dutch researchers have found.

FDA warning letter disallows 14 Metagenics products as medical foods

13-Sep-2013 By Hank Schultz

Metagenics, a prominent California-based dietary supplement manufacturer that specializes in medical foods and supplements sold through the practitioner channel, has received a warning letter in which FDA says a number of its medical foods are mislabeled...

Probiotic yoghurt does not alter overall microbiota makeup: Study

10-Sep-2013 By Oliver Nieburg

Probiotic yoghurt increases the presence of certain probiotic strains, but does not change the overall microbiota makeup, according to research by Laval University.

‘The Battle of the Microbiota’

Gut health and obesity: Human gut bacteria can alter mouse metabolism, depending on diet, says new study

06-Sep-2013 By Stephen DANIELLS

Transplanting gut bacteria from obese humans into germ-free mice leads to greater weight gain and fat accumulation than mice that were given bacteria from the guts of lean humans, says another breakthrough study from Washington University in St Louis.

Distribution chain control helps USANA guarantee viability of reformulated probiotic

06-Sep-2013 By Hank Schultz

USANA’s tight control of its distribution channels enables it to offer probiotics to its customers where some other network marketing competitors shy away, according to the company’s product development director.

L. rhamnosus probiotic shows long-lasting anti-eczema benefits for kids: RCT

05-Sep-2013 By Stephen DANIELLS

Daily supplements containing the probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus HN001 strain may reduce the incidence of eczema and skin sensitivity in children, according to data from a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial.

Medical foods guidance could open avenues for dietary supplement disease claims, attorney asserts

03-Sep-2013 By Hank Schultz

FDA may have opened a disease claims door for some dietary supplements when it shut another via its recently issued revised draft guidance on medical foods. That’s the contention of Peter Arhangelsky, an attorney with the law firm Emord & Associates.

Prebiotic potential: Mushroom ‘waste’ could enhance probiotic survival

03-Sep-2013 By Nathan Gray

By-products from mushroom processing could be a cheap and unexplored source of prebiotics that may enhance the survival of probiotics in storage and digestion, according to new research.

Researching seniors helps Ganeden sidestep study design issues while reaching booming market

30-Aug-2013 By Hank Schultz

Finding a sweet spot in researching gut health ingredients without crossing regulatory boundaries can be a challenge. Probiotic ingredient supplier Ganeden Biotech seems to have found one way around this conundrum by using healthy seniors as a study population.

"An amazing result with possibly enormous implications for the treatment and even prevention of the greatest public health issue of our time"

Microbiome breakthrough: Gut flora implicated in metabolic disorders

29-Aug-2013 By Nathan Gray

There is a distinct link between the composition of our gut bacteria and incidence of obesity related conditions including heart disease and diabetes, according to new data from the MetaHIT project.

Plant polyphenols may modulate microbiota: In vitro study

27-Aug-2013 By Nathan Gray

Bioactive compounds from black tea and grapes may help to modify the composition of our gut ecosystem, according to new research from Unilever scientists.

Color me exasperated: Aloe council responds to CSPI's 'avoid' advisory on ingredient

26-Aug-2013 By Hank Schultz

In an issue that seems reluctant to go away, the Center for Science in the Public Interest has put aloe vera on its “avoid” list because of a range of negative reactions the ingredient can cause. This judgment is in error, according to an industry group,...

Probiotic supplement seeks to aid kidney patients by preferentially feeding on uremic toxins in gut

23-Aug-2013 By Hank Schultz

Using the intestines as a sink for toxic waste products that pollute the bloodstreams of kidney disease patients is the aim of a probiotic dietary supplement made by Kibow Biotech and branded as Renadyl.

Probiotics may not prevent Crohn's disease relapse: RCT data

23-Aug-2013 By Nathan Gray

Supplementation with the probiotic Saccharomuces boulardii (S. boulardii) may not prevent clinical relapse in patients with Crohn's disease, according to the findings of a clinical trial.

It's all in the genes: Researchers unravel genetic mechanism behind microbiome colonisation

21-Aug-2013 By Nathan Gray

A set of newly identified genes may explain how and why microbes are able to colonise our gut in a stable, say researchers.

IPA questions scope of conclusions of study that found no effect of probiotics on diarrhea

15-Aug-2013 By Hank Schultz

The International Probiotics Association has identified several issues with the design of a recently published study finding no effect of probiotics on antibiotic associated diarrhea (AAD) or Clostridium difficile diarrhea (CDD). These issues could call...

Chitosan gum introduced to help manage phosphate levels for kidney patients

09-Aug-2013 By Hank Schultz

Mastix Medica, a specialty manufacturer of dietary supplements and functional foods, has introduced RenaGum, the first product of its kind that helps patients with chronic kidney disease manage the phosphate levels in their systems.

‘Largest’ study questions probiotic diarrhoea benefits

08-Aug-2013 By Nathan Gray

Probiotic supplements may have no benefit for the prevention of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea in elderly people, according to new data from the largest study ever to look at the issue.

Putting the benefit back: Researchers demonstrate way to restore frozen broccoli's benefits

07-Aug-2013 By Nathan Gray

The food industry can easily restore the levels of health beneficial compounds in frozen broccoli by modifying its blanching and freezing processes, according to new research.

Blue lupin kernel fiber may boost colon health: RCT

22-Jul-2013 By Stephen DANIELLS

Fibers from the blue lupin kernel may improve the function of the colon and potential reduce the risk of colon cancer, says a new study from Friedrich Schiller University of Jena in Germany.

Cranberry UTI mechanism mooted as study suggests role in medical devices

17-Jul-2013 By Nathan Gray

New research that sheds light on the biological mechanisms behind cranberry's protective properties for recurrent urinary tract infections (UTI) may also point towards a potential role for cranberry derivatives in medical devices.

Multi-species probiotics again show benefits for IBS sufferers: RCT data

12-Jul-2013 By Stephen DANIELLS

A combination of six probiotic species may relieve the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), say results of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Probiotics may ‘counter obesity and diabetes’: NIH study

10-Jul-2013 By Stephen DANIELLS

A daily dose of probiotics may prevent weight gain and insulin resistance in mice, says a new study from scientists at the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) with implications for obesity and diabetes.