Moves for immunity: Chr. Hansen launches online probiotic education platform

16 Apr 2020 --- Chr. Hansen Group’s US subsidiary, Chr. Hansen Inc., is launching an online platform providing inspirational and educational content on probiotics and the human microbiome. Dubbed “The Probiotics Institute,” the platform targets healthcare professions and consumers in the US, while aiming to demystify probiotics and their effects as the market – and accompanying misconceptions – continues to balloon. This launch comes at a time when many are investigating the connection between gut health and immunity in light of COVID-19.

“The Probiotics Institute platform has been designed for two levels of understanding – for health care professionals and for the general public, enabling visitors to choose the relevant level. We are launching in the US specifically. Our intention is, based on learnings from this launch and insights from other markets, to possibly expand The Probiotics Institute to also cover other markets in due course,” Anne-Christina Hoff, Head of Human Health Global Marketing at Chr. Hansen, tells NutritionInsight.

She explains that the US is a strategically important market for Chr. Hansen due to its market size, customer base and high awareness level of probiotics among both health care professionals and consumers.

The company hopes that The Probiotics Institute will foster the interaction of users, and become a “natural forum of reference and interaction for healthcare professionals and science communities.” Subjects discussed include human microbiome, infant health, general probiotics information, safety, clinical studies and immunity. 

Reliable evidence in the field of probiotics 
Chr. Hansen is assuming responsibility for breaking down misconceptions and myths and providing information backed by science, according to Hoff. “We see this as an advantage for the entire industry and our objective is to provide scientifically substantiated, easily accessible and digestible content,” she adds

“Healthcare professionals and consumers have to distinguish reliable evidence from many conflicting scientific studies of varying quality,” states Andrew Scorey, Senior Vice President for Human Health at Chr. Hansen.

“We want to help them make informed choices in the so-called ‘probiotic jungle.’ We will do this by providing high-quality content on The Probiotics Institute, also relevant for customers, journalists and bloggers needing information, scientific data or educational content within the field of probiotics,” he adds.

Topics discussed include human microbiome, infant health, general probiotics information, safety, clinical studies and immunity.The Probiotics Institute is designed to give visitors the optimal user experience. The front page will give new visitors a clear understanding of what platform is, along with what information they can find. Meanwhile, returning visitors will be able to see what is new, the company highlights. 

It has been a busy week for Chr. Hansen, which has also released its second-quarter financials. The company reports organic revenue growth of 5 percent in Q2 with improving momentum in all areas: Food Cultures & Enzymes 5 percent, Health & Nutrition 8 percent and Natural Colors 1 percent, lifting the group organic revenue growth in the first six months of 2019/20 to 3 percent.

“The second quarter was in line with our expectations. The COVID-19 outbreak in China did not have a material impact on our business in Q2, however, it is clear that we will see both favorable and unfavorable impacts in the second half of the year, as the virus has spread globally. Chr. Hansen is part of the global food supply chain and has strong offerings for the food, health and nutrition industries,” says CEO Mauricio Graber.

Connection between gut health and immunity
According to Hoff, The Probiotics Institute project has been largely unaffected by COVID-19 as it was initiated last summer, prior to the rise of the novel coronavirus. “The starting point for content development has been our strategic health areas, which are supported by scientific facts and clinical data on probiotics.”

While she notes while it is “much too early” to comment on gut health and immunity in relation to COVID-19, she details that 70 percent of the body’s immune cells are located around the gut, where they may interact with the microbiota.

“Therefore, it is important to have a balanced microbiota to support the immune system. A well-functioning immune system ensures an appropriate response to harmless substances like the food you eat and harmful substances, such as viruses. In that way, the immune system protects the body from unfriendly intruders,” she states.

Other movers in the industry are starting to investigate probiotics in light of COVID-19, with one study examining their potential in preventing secondary bacterial infection. Patients with COVID-19 often have gut dysfunction or secondary gut dysfunction complications, which are related to a more severe clinical course of the disease, thus indicating gut-lung interaction.

“Currently, there is no direct clinical evidence that the modulation of gut microbiota plays a therapeutic role in the treatment of COVID‐19, but we speculate that targeting gut microbiota may be a new therapeutic option or at least an adjuvant therapeutic choice,” the researchers note.

They add that in early February, China’s National Health Commission and National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine recommended probiotics may be used to maintain the balance of intestinal microecology and prevent secondary bacterial infection in patients with severe COVID‐19 infections.

However, Kerry Health and Nutrition Institute (KHNI) notes that the benefit of a probiotic will depend on the specific strain. For example, one study found that consuming Lactobacillus gasseri PA 16/8, Bifidobacterium longum SP 07/3, and Bifidobacterium bifidum MF 20/5 together for at least three months significantly shortened common cold episodes by almost two days and reduced severity of symptoms. Another study found that providing Kerry’s GanedenBC30 to children for 12 weeks significantly reduced the frequency of cold symptoms.

To keep readers informed of these rapid developments, NutritionInsight has launched a daily news feed for the coronavirus-related information and insights you need to guide your business through this challenging period.

By Katherine Durrell