IFT member expert calls for accurate labeling and regulations concerning probiotics

15 Mar 2022 --- A member expert from Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) is arguing that probiotic labeling is “based on little regulatory science” and so policies must change more quickly to keep up with ongoing research.

“Probiotics are not allowed as ingredients in most countries, although foods with probiotic properties are allowed. The dietary supplement market is full of products that say they are probiotics. Still, this claim is not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA),” Joanne Slavin, registered dietitian nutritionist and member expert at IFT, tells NutritionInsight.

“Each country has a different system to distribute food aid and give dietary guidance. Each country also has a regulatory agency that sets up the rules for fortification and addition of compounds to the food supply.”

Since science is constantly evolving, it is challenging to keep up with new scientific discoveries and decide if dietary guidance should be changed, adds Slavin.

More science-based labeling needed
The FDA aims to ensure that ingredient claims are accurate and not misleading. This is especially difficult for fermented foods, which contain live bacteria that could be classified as probiotics, Slavin details.

Fermented foods improve the quality of life for many people as gut fermentation can have possible health effects. Dietary fiber, for example, is necessary and has been shown to have health advantages and be prebiotic.

“Therefore, by that logic, a company can say that their products contain fermented ingredients and possibly living bacteria, but I’m not sure how they can claim probiotics, says Slavin.

“There is a lot of interest in increasing probiotic support and with that interest comes additional regulation. However, claiming that probiotics are ‘essential’ in the diet would be difficult.”

Tricky regulation with emerging postbiotics
There is a growing interest in postbiotics – which are the byproducts of colon fermentation – than prebiotics, probiotics or microbes. Postbiotics become complex and hard to regulate, Slavin explains.

“Defining probiotics as live microbes in foods – and then figuring out how to measure, label and regulate them – could be a future path for them.”Slavin notes that it would be difficult to state whether or not probiotics are “essential” in a diet. 

“Therefore, although we know bacteria in the gut can have health benefits, it’s challenging to research. On the other hand, food-based probiotics have a long history of usage in humans.

The long-term impact of gut microbiome on health
According to the Slavin, the gut microbiota plays various roles in overall health and well-being and is highly responsive to dietary intake.

“For studying the microbiome, we don’t have a biomarker that is linked to a health or disease outcome to model from, but it is an interesting idea and is ripe for analysis. However, since probiotics are not allowed to label content or physiological effect, it would be a challenge to agree on an outcome,” she explains.

Understanding the microbiome of people in at-risk areas – such as low-income areas or food deserts – a growing field of research among food scientists, allows food professionals to better support nutrition in those areas by providing the food needed to address deficiencies and support long-term health.

“My lab group has been involved in fiber, probiotics, prebiotics and now postbiotics. Dietary fiber has the most information, and most of the information has been collected with prebiotic fiber.”

“Recent models have used cholesterol levels and measured that against health care savings.”

Regulation moves for probiotics
The FDA has granted Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) status and dietary status to some probiotic ingredients.

Specialty Enzymes & Probiotics, a probiotics producer, obtained a “No Objections Letter” from the FDA for its SEBtilis and Sebiotic ingredient GRAS application.

A spore-forming, shelf-stable probiotic, SEBtilis (Bacillus subtilis), creates a protective endospore around itself that allows it to survive the journey to the gut, where it thrives. Meanwhile, Sebiotic has been demonstrated to improve digestive and abdominal health by promoting microbial balance and intestinal homeostasis.

The FDA granted two of DSM’s probiotic strains – Lactobacillus rhamnosus 19070-2 and Lactobacillus reuteri 12246-CU – new dietary ingredient status.

By Nicole Kerr, with additional reporting by Andria Kades