New Probiotic Solutions for Children's Health

06/08/07 Chr. Hansen develops customized probiotic blends for dietary supplements, also for improved infant and children's health.

Probiotics is a fast growing category within dietary supplements and the emerging awareness of the benefits it can convey to children has lead to an increasing interest worldwide. A healthy flora in the gut does not only improve gut well-being but also beneficially influences the gut interaction with the immune system, thereby reducing both infections and allergic symptoms.

“Our latest working partnership with an important Italian partner has resulted in the successful launch of a pediatric dietary supplement product containing our documented strains BB-12, TH-4 and CRL-431, and is just one example of a probiotic solution for children. Clinical studies show good results in safety of probiotics for premature infants and on immune response to infections. We also have very good results with e.g. Acidolac and Trilac on the Polish market, and in general we see an increasing demand for probiotics for children," says Tine Westerdahl, Head of Marketing, Human Health & Nutrition, Chr. Hansen.

Probiotics have been studied and used for children for many years and are found safe. Eastern and Southern Europe have been frontrunners when it comes to using probiotics for children, but together with good performance and successful clinical studies, the trend has spread to the other European regions, Asia and the rest of the world.

"We have used and studied probiotics in children for many years and have documented efficacy in scientific clinical trials and experienced positive effect in clinical use. The effects seen after supplementing the diet with probiotics are best documented within gastrointestinal infection, antibiotic-associated diarrhea, and allergies," explains Anders Paerrgaard, leading pediatrician, University Clinic of Pediatrics, H:S Hvidovre Hospital, Denmark.

Chr. Hansen focuses strongly on clinical documentation, and a background in science and technology ensures a constant high quality in product development and production.

For children, the company can offer some of the best documented strains in the world and a portfolio that is well suited for children. An example is products specifically directed at children's health like probiotic supplements, which can be mixed with e.g. the toddler's food or infant formulas.

Chr. Hansen specializes in probiotics for the following areas:
• Children's Health
• Immune Health
• Gastrointestinal Health
• Women's Health