Bacteria

Prebiotic boosts healthy elderly immune systems: Study

30-Jul-2015 By Shane STARLING

A proprietary prebiotic blend can deliver immune system benefits to the healthy elderly better than placebo, an industry-backed study in the UK has found.

Supplement based on botanical extracts targets bacterial overgrowth in small intestine, developer says

21-Jul-2015 By Hank Schultz

The old saw about real estate values—location, location, location—could be applied to the basic idea behind a new gut health dietary supplement branded as Atrantíl.

High-fat diets may change gut microflora and signals to the brain: Rat data

13-Jul-2015 By Stephen DANIELLS

A high-fat diet may affect the bacterial populations in the gut and detrimentally affect satiety signaling to the brain, says a new study using lab rats.

‘Underappreciated’ Lactococcus strain shows anti-inflammatory potential

07-Jul-2015 By Stephen Daniells

Consuming a Lactococcus lactis-fermented milk product may help reduce intestinal inflammation and oxidative stress in lab mice with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), says a new study.

Ecological characteristics of human gut still only dimly understood, researcher says

30-Jun-2015 By Hank Schultz

Ecological models of the human microbiome, underpinned by statistical techniques, have made significant strides over the past 15 years. But much remains to be discovered, including how to make a more or less symptom-free intestinal tract work better,...

Medical Nutrition

Tailored gut microbiota holds promise for lethal ammonia in liver disease: Mouse data

24-Jun-2015 By Nathan Gray

Altering the bacterial make-up of the gut could help to reduce potentially lethal high circulating levels of ammonia in people with liver disease, say researchers.

Special Edition: Immune Health

Ingredients derived from fungi offer alternative in immune health space

18-Jun-2015 By Hank Schultz

The immune supporting properties of ingredients in the cell walls of yeasts and other fungi have been known for centuries and two companies in particular—Biothera and Embria Health Sciences—are unlocking the benefits of these compounds, offering them...

Fermented food intake linked to fewer anxiety symptoms: Study

10-Jun-2015 By Stephen Daniells

Increased intakes of fermented foods may be associated with fewer symptoms of social anxiety, particularly for people at higher genetic risk, says a new study. 

Neglected female microbiota research a ‘disgrace’; congress lights issues

22-May-2015 By Shane STARLING

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...

Western lifestyle may limit gut bacteria diversity: Study

17-Apr-2015 By Nathan Gray

A modern Western diet and lifestyle is linked to a lower diversity of bacteria in the gut, say researchers.

Moody microbes? Gut bacteria found to play key role in serotonin production

13-Apr-2015 By Nathan Gray

Our gut microbiota may play a vital role in driving our mood by regulating the production of serotonin in the intestines and blood, say researchers.

Can fermented kimchi alter the gut microbiota and influence metabolism?

30-Mar-2015 By Stephen DANIELLS

Consuming fermented kimchi, a source of lactobacilli, may alter the composition of bacterial populations in the gut and affect metabolic pathways for obese women, says a new study from Korea.

Probiotic potential for pear antioxidants explored in study

24-Mar-2015 By Niamh Michail

Antioxidants and phenols in pears can balance gut microbiota as well as manage early-stage type 2 diabetes and hypertension, according to researchers.

Agave prebiotic significantly increases some faecal friendly bacteria, say researchers

16-Mar-2015 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

The prebiotic agave fructan significantly increases the faecal count of bifidobacteria and lactobacilli compared to maltodextrin, according to research backed by industry.

Bill Gates Foundation backs microbiome engineering to boost infant health

05-Mar-2015 By Shane STARLING

Gut microbiome engineering can reduce stunting and other infant health issues and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is funding research into the nascent area.

Cultured views from Probiota 2015 in Amsterdam

Expert insights: What is the future for probiotics and prebiotics?

26-Feb-2015 By Nathan Gray

Probiotics, prebiotics, and microbiome science are big business, and already generate a great deal of scientific and commercial interest. But what does the future have in story for the sector?

Special Edition: Going Non GMO in Supplements

Enzymes present special case in affirming non GMO status of ingredients

24-Feb-2015 By Hank Schultz

When trying to source non GMO dietary ingredients for supplements, the inclusion of enzymes presents a special case. There is confusion about the penetration of genetic modification technology into the sector, a confusion that is abetted by the tightly-held...

Linoleic acid role balanced by changes to gut microbiota: Study

24-Feb-2015 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

Pro and prebiotics may be used to balance the potentially negative effects of a form of conjugated linoleic acid, according to research in mice.

AIDP enters digestive space with non GMO corn-derived prebiotic ingredient

09-Feb-2015 By Hank Schultz

Branded ingredient supplier AIDP is entering the digestive health space with a probiotic ingredient new to the North American market that has a successful history in Asian markets.

Probiotic strain counting: New method proposed at Probiota

09-Feb-2015 By Shane STARLING

A new method of quantifying probiotic content in products promises greater accuracy and efficiency, according to emerging research.

Early human microbiome studies may aid modern nutrition science

13-Jan-2015 By Nathan Gray

A better understanding of the ancient human microbiome could contribute to a better understanding of health and nutrition today, say researchers.

Gut bacteria that digest beer and bread aid development of new prebiotics

09-Jan-2015 By Nathan Gray

Bacteria that have evolved to help us digest the yeast that give beer and bread their bubbles could also help to fight off yeast infections and autoimmune diseases such as Crohn's disease, say researchers.

Microbiome modification could prevent metabolic syndrome: Mouse data

26-Nov-2014 By Nathan Gray

Promoting healthy gut microbiota could help to prevent and even reverse metabolic syndrome, according to new research.

Gut bacteria ‘shift’ from fibre could aid weight loss

24-Nov-2014 By Nathan Gray

Dietary fibre can cause a shift in the gut toward beneficial bacteria may have the potential to assist in weight loss, while also reducing the risk of colon cancer, type 2 diabetes, and other diseases, say researchers.

Tainted science? Microbiome studies may be ‘flawed’ by contamination

13-Nov-2014 By Nathan Gray

Researchers may be incorrectly linking certain microbes to the microbiota and disease states because of laboratory contamination, a new study has warned.

Probiotic encapsulation backed for better delivery within food matrix

06-Nov-2014 By Nathan Gray

A new review describing a variety of methods for the encapsulation of probiotic bacterial strains highlights the opportunities that better encapsulation technologies could bring for the market, but warns that the efficacy of encapsulated probiotics must...

GanedenBC30 may boost response to prebiotics, says new study

04-Nov-2014 By Stephen Daniells

Consuming Ganeden’s BC30 probiotic strain may enhance the effects of prebiotics, compared with prebiotics alone, says a new study funded by Ganeden Biotech and Schiff Nutrition.

Insight: How 100 trillion bacteria in your gut help to keep you healthy

23-Oct-2014 By Annick Mercenier at Nestlé

I am one of many scientists around the world whose work involves studying an ecosystem of diverse species. Some are already known to us, others have never been catalogued before.

What women want: Lallemand launches probiotics for female health

14-Oct-2014 By Lynda Searby

The absence of any EU-approved health claims for probiotics hasn’t deterred Lallemand Health Solutions from launching a suite of probiotics addressing women’s health issues.

Diet may impact risk of inflammatory bone disease by changing gut bacteria

06-Oct-2014 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

Diet may fuel or dampen susceptibility to autoinflammatory bone disease by changing the intestinal bacteria balance, according to a mouse study published in the journal Nature.

L. paracasei may alter intestinal microbiota in healthy people: Study

17-Sep-2014 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

Probiotic strain Lactobacillus paracasei could alter the intestinal microbial in healthy populations, but this depends strictly on the ‘ecosystem’ of the individual, according to research. 

Yeast-derived beta glucans for immune health have potential competitor in algal source

09-Sep-2014 By Hank Schultz

Algal Scientific, a supplier of bioactive additives for the animal feed markets, has a long term plan targeting the human immune health sector with its beta glucan ingredient derived from algae.

‘Novel’ synbiotic is well tolerated and linked to increases in beneficial gut species

29-Aug-2014 By Stephen Daniells

A combination of probiotic Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM and prebiotic cellobiose may boost populations of bacteria in the gut associated with improved host health, says a new study from Denmark and Finland.

Does sporting activity improve gut function?

13-Aug-2014 By Anne Bruce

Improved diversity of the intestinal microbiota in sports people could be due to gut barrier function, experts have suggested.

Special edition: Cognitive Health

Evidence of gut/brain connection piles up, but actual products are a ways off, researcher says

24-Jul-2014 By Hank Schultz

The gut is teeming with bacteria, good and bad, and these organisms and their cousins living elsewhere on and in the body outnumber the body’s own cells by an order of magnitude.  It is only recently that the notion has come to the fore that these microorganisms...

New study deepens substantiation for Epicor’s gut and immune health benefits

10-Jul-2014 By Stephen DANIELLS

The potential gut and immune health benefits of EpiCor, the yeast fermentate from Embria, may be linked to an ability to modulate both the total bacterial composition in the gut, and which specific species stick to the intestinal wall, according to a...

Ganeden secures patent protection for ultra-stable Bacillus coagulans probiotics in coffee, tea, cereal

05-May-2014 By Elaine WATSON

Ganeden Biotech - the Ohio-based company behind ultra-resilient probiotic BC30 (Bacillus coagulans GBI-30, 6086) - has announced the issuance of a US patent covering the use of all Bacillus coagulans strains (including BC30) in coffee, tea and cereal. 

Probiotics may reduce children’s throat infection rate

02-May-2014 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

Children with a history of recurrent streptococcal and viral throat infections could benefit from oral probiotics, according to Italian research.

Study links microbial imbalance with breast cancer

25-Apr-2014 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

The microbiota could play a role in the development of breast cancer, according to new research.

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.

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.

Gut bacteria to battle vitamin A deficiency: Could probiotics be modified to produce beta-carotene?

14-Mar-2014 By Nathan Gray

Research backed by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation could offer a new solution to the problem of vitamin A deficiency by creating modified gut bacteria, researchers told NutraIngredients.

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.

Probiotics backed for vaginal health: Study

19-Feb-2014 By Shane STARLING

Five Lactobacillus probiotic strains have been shown to reduce vaginal pathogens in new in vitro data, with a clinical trial ongoing.

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.

Study urges more exploration of fermented foods’ yet untold benefits

07-Feb-2014 By Maggie Hennessy

The microbiological activity of fermented foods could bridge the gap between two separate areas of research: one linking fermented food to mental health benefits and the other examining traditional dietary patterns, according to a review published in the...

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.

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.