July 31, 2012

Students (undergraduates and graduates), post-doctoral fellows and residents can submit probiotic studies to Digestive Disease Week and compete for cash prizes as part of the Probiotic Challenge, sponsored by Lallemand Human Nutrition and the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute. The Challenge aims to stimulate research in probiotics. Abstracts are due to DDW December 1, 2012.

July 10, 2012

Confusion at the Yogurt Aisle. Time for Probiotics 101. Story on National Public Radio, Morning Edition News.

April 17, 2012

Lallemand Human Nutrition, in partnership with the American Gastroenterological Association, announced a new edition of the “Probiotic Challenge,” a competition for students working on probiotic research. If selected by the AGA and a team of judges, winners can present their study at DDW2013 and win cash prizes.

April 16, 2012

National Public Radio interview with John Cryan, professor at University College Cork in Ireland, on study published in PNAS showing that Lactobacillus rhamnosus JB-1 reduced anxiety and depression-like behaviors in stressed mice.

April 11, 2012

Probiotic industry members, Valio, Danone, Yakult, Chr Hansen, DuPont-Danisco, Probi and Lallemand formed the Global Alliance for Probiotics (GAP) to collaborate on defining a path forward for health claims for probiotics in the European Union. Read Nutraingredients article.

February 26, 2012

The Institute of Medicine held a workshop February 22-23, 2012 on The Human Microbiome, Diet, and Health. Slides from this forum will be posted March 2 and a written summary of conclusions will be published.

February 24, 2012

FDA’s Center for Biologic Evaluation and Research (CBER) issued a finalized guidance for industry on when an Investigational New Drug (IND) application is required for human research on live biotherapuetic agents. The draft guidance on a similar topic issued by CBER and the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) October 2010 has not been […]

February 21, 2012

The Dannon Company announces the Dannon Probiotics Fellow Program to support the education of a student who excels in science and shows a strong interest in probiotics studies. The winner receives a scholarship equivalent to one year’s tuition (up to $25,000, payable to the educational institution) and an all-expense paid trip to the Danone Research […]

January 10, 2012

U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP, a standards-setting organization since 1820) recently announced publication of a monograph, “Microbial Food Cultures Including Probiotics,” in Food Chemical Codex. General considerations for identification and enumeration, intended use in food, safety, regulatory status, and purity are discussed.

January 6, 2012

The Global Probiotics Council has announced the fifth year of the Young Investigator Grant for Probiotics Research. The purpose of the two annual grants of $50,000 each is to contribute to the advancement of probiotics and gastrointestinal microbiota research in the United States, and to impact academic and career development of young investigators, attracting them […]