World Microbiome Day 2020: Celebrating gut science as “megatrend” in health and wellness

World Microbiome Day, celebrated every June 27, aims to raise the profile of microbiome research around the world. This year’s theme “Diversity” creates a platform to discuss the variety of microbes, microbiome habitats and diets as feed and fuel. NutritionInsight speaks with APC Microbiome Ireland, Chr. Hansen and OptiBiotix on raising awareness of the benefits of microbial diversity.

World Microbiome Day was initiated by APC Microbiome Ireland SFI Research Centre (APC) in 2018 but was joined last year by the European Food Information Council (EUFIC) and Microbiome Support, who continue to partner with APC in this.

APC targets consumers not coming from a scientific background to relay its microbial message of how vital gut health is to overall health and wellbeing. It aims to give the general public a taste of diverse spread of research on the microbiome. The research center hosted a public Zoom meeting that allowed research experts to hold six short and concise presentations on the role of microbes for human and planetary health. 

Some of the topics discussed were titled “Microbes – Feeding the planet,” “You are what you eat: Diet, microbiota and health” and “Beginners guide to fermentation.” To make microbial health a dinner table discussion topic, APC also hosted a virtual family quiz night this week. 

NutritionInsight listened in on APC's publicly accessible Zoom meeting discussing fundamental principles of microbiome research.“Our audiences are usually a mixture of those already aware of microbiome research, as well as the many curious members of the public who want to play a more active role in their own health and wellbeing. World Microbiome Day is part of an extensive education and public engagement programme at APC, where research is very much strengthened through engagement with the public, patients and other stakeholders,” Dr. Catherine Buckley, Communications Manager at APC, tells NutritionInsight.

“We have to use the science”
Adam Baker, Director of Human Science and Health Innovation at Chr. Hansen, shared with NutritionInsight this week in a video interview that more research is being propelled to provide consumers and industry alike with more information on the microbiome.

“[Microbiome science has] been a very exciting and high-tech area of science in terms of sequencing the microbiome. Now that’s really translating – I think as part of a megatrend of health and wellness – to people starting to understand what the microbiome is about. Not all bacteria are bad for you as they are very involved with health,” he explains.

Further communication of the importance of microbial health and diversity must stem from a science-based point of view, Baker asserts. Doing so will ultimately allow the area to develop and this is “where industry has huge responsibility.” 

“Probiotic strains have to be backed by science, and you need to sell them for what you can demonstrate that they can do. It’s very important that industry drives this forward, which will allow consumers to believe in and get the benefits of the right probiotics for the right situation,” he stresses.

OptiBiotix's new blueberry and raspberry GoFigure snack bars deliver 2.9 g of fiber per 30 g serving (Source: OptiBiotix).Strides in this direction include renaming the genus of Lactobacillus probiotics to keep the probiotic groups accurate and organized and continued strict health commission approval processes for probiotic strains. New guidelines from the American Gastroenterological Association have even pushed for more evidence of probiotics’ efficacy, stating there is not enough evidence to validate the use of probiotics for most digestive diseases.

“Some of the highlights at the moment for us are working with the microbiome science that is exploding in the current world. The understanding of the microbiome and the fact that we live in an ecosystem with bacteria intimately involved in health throughout life has been a great revolution in scientific understanding,” concludes Baker at Chr. Hansen.

Research translates into NPD
Specializing in microbiome innovation, UK-based Optibiotix has long positioned itself in the growing market for fiber-rich foods. “There is growing interest already in the microbiome due to how fascinating it is and we’d love to see World Microbiome Day reach an even wider audience. The day is about understanding how we can diversify the microbes in our gut, but can consumers also begin to diversify the foods they eat day in, day out?” Steven Riley, Director of Marketing & Consumer Sales at OptiBiotix tells NutritionInsight.

Attempting to provide a solution to this very question, OptiBiotix has released a new blueberry and raspberry flavor to its fiber-rich GoFigure flapjack range. Containing gluten-free oats, no added sugar and 2.9 g of fiber per 30 g serving, the company affirms the new blueberry and raspberry GoFigure flapjack can help contribute to a diverse gut microbiome.

“The flapjacks are an alternative option to boost fiber intake as a healthy snack choice. The human microbiome reacts quickly to changes in diet and improvements in fiber intake can see changes within a matter of days. The effect [of the fiber-rich flapjacks] is enhanced with SlimBiome, with the prebiotic fibers, such as chicory root, stimulating the growth of health positive bacteria. Studies have shown that chicory root is an effective prebiotic for adults, stimulating the growth of Bifidobacteria in the large intestine,” Riley continues. 

According to the EUFIC, dietary fiber may assist with weight management and reduce the risks of cardiovascular diseases.Widely regarded as a summer flavor across the US, blueberries are natural antioxidants, Riley asserts. Meanwhile, raspberries are both high in fiber and have shown to protect against diabetes and other obesity-related conditions. 

Developments in academia
Academia and industry continuously go hand-in-hand to improve consumer understanding of the topic. In the past weeks, the Digestive Disease Week and the American Society for Nutrition hosted virtual events to address enhanced research on digestive health. Meanwhile, Kerry published a report that explores food fortification with probiotics for food service venues. Its research institute also held a webinar examining the science behind fermentation.

In light of World Microbiome Day, EUFIC has published a report on the overarching importance of dietary fiber for stimulating microbial health and growth. 

“Fiber can be defined as carbohydrates that cannot be fully digested in our gut. Our own digestive enzymes cannot cut the long fiber carbohydrate chains in the stomach or the small intestine. In the colon, fiber gets fermented by gut microbiota that protects our health by improving insulin sensitivity and ensuring lower levels of glucose and lipids in our bloodstream,” the report elucidates. 

According to the EUFIC, dietary fiber may assist with weight management and reduce the risks of cardiovascular diseases, Type 2 diabetes and certain cancers. Also, it can improve oral, digestive and mental health.

Therefore, the report encourages consumers to be more conscious of their fiber intake, including choosing whole grain over refined grain products, favoring beans and legumes over meat, adding vegetables to every meal and snacking on nuts and seeds in between meals. 

By Anni Schleicher, with additional reporting from Katherine Durrell