Science tops concerns of probiotic product developers

That a Nutracon educational track is dedicated in part to digestive health is a testament to the prevalence and growth of probiotics in the marketplace. At yesterday’s session, Probiotics panel: Product Development in the Digestive Health and Immunity track, four probiotic ingredient suppliers took the stage to discuss current issues with the burgeoning market.

Top on the discussion agenda was the issue of probiotic combination strains. “Is there a place for combination products?” the session moderator, Todd Runestad, editor-in-chief, Functional Ingredients magazine, asked the panel.

The general sentiment among the panel was “possibly,” but the research is not there yet to support regulatory requirments for such products.

“Regulatory bodies are looking closely at expiration dates," said Scott Bush, vice president of Health and Nutrition at Danisco. "When you get to 16 strains in one product and you have to show that all strains are still effective in two years, we don’t have the science to do that, to look at each strain and test for viability."

Yet finished product manufacturers don’t always want to wait for the science. “We have individuals who want to see our strain made with others and make claims,” said Grant Washington-Smith, business development manager at BLIS.  “But there’s no research on finished products. This is a problem because the European Food Safety Authority wants information on the finished product.”