Pre- and probiotics in synergy set the stage for NPD: Experts discuss innovations and applications

06 Feb 2020 --- Gut health is fast becoming the cornerstone of human health with research highlighting its influence on a range of health areas. From brain to skin health and overall wellness, industry is increasingly focusing on formulating products that will benefit health via the microbiome. NutritionInsight speaks with leading industry players, who spotlight trends and novel applications in the space, as well as the potential of pre- and probiotics acting together in a harmonious way.

“The prebiotic market is not as mature as the probiotic market and consumers need to understand the benefits of probiotics to see the value in prebiotics,” says Mette Winning, Senior Director Human Health and Microbiome Innovation at Chr. Hansen.

“The prebiotic space is closely linked to the probiotic space, and probiotics are likely to be the trendsetters with prebiotics following them. There is, therefore, an increased focus on combination products within the pre- and probiotic space, and how they interact. We expect the combination products to become most successful in the more mature probiotics markets. It is important to research how pre- and probiotics work when they are alone and together, as not all probiotics benefit from all prebiotics,” Winning adds.

Probiotics have been traditionally associated with helping to maintain a healthy digestive tract and immune system as these were the most widely studied benefits. “As time goes by, clinical studies multiplied and scientists have correlated a variety of other health benefits bestowed by probiotics supplements such as mental health, oral health, skin health, metabolism and women health. As understanding of the many health benefits of probiotics spread, so does the consumption,” says Bérengère Feuz, Marketing Director at Lallemand Health Solutions.

Key suppliers in R&D
Chr. Hansen has several core business areas within the infant, immune, women and gut health areas. The human microbiome science and technologies, as well as consumer awareness, are paving the way for probiotics within new health areas, Winning says. “Scientific development is an important part of our journey and of course, we are also paying close attention to new opportunities and health areas, as well as symbiotics,” she notes.

 Bérengère Feuz, Marketing Director at Lallemand Health Solutions.Expansion is a constant for players in the space. Lallemand Health Solutions recently invested to double its probiotic bacteria production capacity. In order to face growing market demand for quality probiotic food supplements, the company invested in a new bacterial production plant in Mirabel, Canada. 

“On another hand, research and development (R&D) are fundamental for us. Our mission is to apply cutting edge technologies and new scientific approaches for the improvement of human health through understanding the interaction between people and their functional microbiome,” Feuz says.

Novel delivery methods and target demographics
Lallemand Health Solutions recently launched ComboCap’Biotics, which is marketed as the world’s first dual-chamber, wet-and-dry transparent capsule with a moveable membrane. “It’s our patented solution to combine probiotics with incompatible ingredients without further processing. They can retain their identity and efficacy for an unlimited range of probiotic possibilities in combination with a variety of supplements,” Feuz adds.

For active people, she proposes on-the-go shots and orodispersible (melt in the mouth) products. “For babies, we have developed ease-of-use drops and we can add the probiotic powder directly into infant milk formula. This is as we are reaching the higher standards of manufacturing for this specific target,” she notes.

Conventional delivery methods such as capsules will remain popular.  However, in recent years, the company has seen increased interest for sticks delivery format, according to Feuz.

Delivery methods for specific target groups are popular, as in the case of oil drops for infants, Winning says. Another option is an all-in-one solution, which enables a combination of active ingredients that may have otherwise been possible to include in the same blend. 

“We believe uniqueness will be more important in the future, with products that can tell the whole story, have special features and unique delivery methods. We are always on the lookout for uniqueness, but not at any price. It is important for us that the delivery method is relevant and brings value to the end consumer, which is always at the top of our mind,” Winning says.

According to Winning, the infant demographic is an important group when it comes to probiotics as well as prebiotics. Healthy aging, products for active seniors, is also an important group to consider. 

There is an increased focus on combination products within the pre- and probiotic space, and how they interact, says Chr. Hansen.“At the moment, consumers are primarily adults; however, probiotics are increasingly being developed for infants and children, as well,” Feuz notes.

Trends to come and post-biotics
“We believe the future will bring more tailor-made products for specific health benefits,” Winning says. Products are becoming more focused on specific target populations or health needs. This is a reality for both pre- and probiotics. 

“There are also scientific indications of post-biotics potential, but this is very early days and more scientific work needs to be done. This is something that we are of course aware of, and are following closely,” she adds.

“Probiotics have shown interesting interactions on human overall metabolism and skin health, but further study is needed. Our in-house scientific watch concluded that in 2019, only 30 percent of new clinical studies registered were on gut health. These included research on irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), Helicobacter pylori, constipation and infant colic. This was followed by metabolic syndrome (17 percent) and the gut-brain axis (12 percent). New health conditions are being explored such as the brain development in babies and overactive bladder in women,” Feuz concludes.

What’s next
More research and clinical trials are needed to unlock the full potential of pre- and probiotics for health, however, as consumer awareness increases, more innovation is to follow. Key players are investing in R&D and innovative delivery methods to respond to the demand. 

By Kristiana Lalou