University of Leicester scientists discover technique to help 'friendly bacteria'September 21, 2007There is currently a great deal of interest in the health-associated properties of probiotics, also known as 'beneficial' or 'friendly' bacteria, and prebiotics, the food needed for the growth of probiotic when inside our bodies. University of Leicester scientists have discovered a natural fruit-based extract that dramatically improves the growth and probiotic qualities of 'friendly' bacteria such as the lactic acid bacteria, which are found in most widely-advertised health supplement drinks. The fruit extract is the invention of Dr Primrose Freestone, of the University's Depar™ent of Infection, Immunity & Inflammation, and Dr Richard Haigh of the Depar™ent of Genetics. The product, LabEnhancer™, is currently being marketed in collaboration with Dr Andy Lee, of Plant Bioscience Limited (www.pbltechnology.com). LabEnhancer™ elicited a great deal of interest when it was recently showcased by PBL at the International Probio2007 conference in Nantes. As a result, over a dozen companies are now keen to exploit its potential in probiotic diagnostics, bulk culture processes and as a prebiotic supplement. LabEnhancer™ is therefore expected to have major applications in the world of probiotic and prebiotic technologies, and company evaluations are already underway. Dr Freestone commented: 'We are delighted with the overwhelmingly positive response to Lab Enhancer™ amongst the probiotic and associated industries. I'm continuing to work closely with PBL in promoting the technology and have been excited in the high level of interest that we have generated in such a short space of time. Although lactic acid bacteria play a major role in the production of many products, including probiotic yoghurts, they can be quite difficult to grow and can particularly suffer damage during their processing for use as probiotics. One of the main values of LabEnhancer™ is that it helps lactic acid bacteria to recover from these stresses therefore making them much more effective as a probiotic'.
University of Leicester | |||||||||||||||||||||
|
Related Probiotic Current Events and Probiotic News Articles Friendly bacteria reduce hospital infections A probiotic bacterium, Lactobacillus plantarum 299, has been used to out-compete the dangerous bacteria that cause respiratory illness in ventilated patients. New studies examine the effectiveness of probiotics in IBS Several studies presented at the American College of Gastroenterology's 73rd Annual Scientific Meeting in Orlando highlight the safety and efficacy of probiotics in improving symptoms and normalizing bowel movement frequency in patients suffering from constipation or diarrhea related to Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Probiotic bacteria can induce monocyte-derived dendritic cells maturation? Probiotic bacteria are widely used to relieve the symptoms of many disorders such as inflammatory bowel syndrome, diarrhea, and allergies. Probiotic mixtures have also been found to reduce the symptoms of diarrhea. Is yakult helpful in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome? SIBO is a common feature in IBS and in fact may be directly related to the genesis of IBS symptoms. An ERBHAL on a lactulose breath test may indicate SIBO. New study shows health benefits of probiotic could extend to the entire body Data from a recent study demonstrate the anti-inflammatory and pathogen protection benefits of Bifidobacterium infantis 35624 a probiotic bacterial strain of human origin. Probiotic bacteria protect endangered frogs from lethal skin disease Laboratory tests and field studies conducted by James Madison University (JMU) researchers continue to show promise that probiotic bacteria can be used to help amphibian populations, including the endangered yellow-legged frog, fend off lethal skin diseases. Study finds healthy intestinal bacteria within chicken eggs: Finding could have important implications for poultry industry, food safety The conventional wisdom among scientists has long been that birds acquire the intestinal bacteria that are necessary for good health from their environment, but a new University of Georgia study finds that chickens are actually born with those bacteria. Hayfever hope With the peak grass pollen season approaching, scientists can reveal that a daily dose of probiotic can change the immune status of people with hay fever. Advances in C. difficile research New research into the toxins, virulence, spread and prevention of the superbug Clostridium difficile is reported in the June special issue of the Journal of Medical Microbiology. These findings will play a crucial role in providing us with ammunition in the fight against a sometimes deadly pathogen. Report raises C. diff concerns; yeast-based probiotic shown to help significantly reduce recurrence C. diff-associated disease (CDAD), otherwise known as severe intestinal disease brought on by the Clostridium difficile (C. diff) pathogen, has been the subject of heightened concern in the medical community. More Probiotic Current Events and Probiotic News Articles |
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||