ILSI Convenes Prebiotic and Probiotic Task Forces

ILSI convenes prebiotic and probiotic task forces. The mission of the Probiotics Task Force is to assess the physiological efficacy of probiotics to guide the scientific substantiation of health claims on probiotics. The mission of the Prebiotics Task Force is to provide the basis for assessment of the physiological efficacy of prebiotics.

Physiological and Functional Properties of Probiotics

Physiological and Functional Properties of Probiotics published as a bulletin of the International Dairy Federation, authored by Mercenier, Wijnkoop-Lenoir and Sanders (2008). Reprint.

Probiotics: Their Impact on Human Health

“Probiotics: Their Impact on Human Health” issue paper coauthored by Sanders, Gibson,Gill and Guarner and published by the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology is now available free of charge. Click here.

Executive Summary of the National Institutes of Health Conference

The National Institutes of Health conference on Gastrointestinal Microbiota and Advances in Prebiotic and Probiotic Research was held December 11-12, 2007.

EU Regulatory Update for Health Claims on Foods and Supplements

EU regulatory update for health claims on foods and supplements. Press release. Full opinion of European scientific panel. Summary of opinion. Click here to go to the EFSA website.

Publication of Paper Reporting Increased Mortality in Study of Six-strain Blend

Publication of paper reporting increased mortality in study of six-strain blend of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium on infectious complications in patients with severe pancreatitis. ISAPP reacts. Earlier ISAPP response to the pre-publication press release can be found here.

Young Investigator Grant Program

Dannon and Yakult announce a new Young Investigator Grant Program. Two awards of $50,000 will be granted to young investigators for original research in the area of gut microbiota and health. See www.probioticsresearch.com.

Free Webinar on “Probiotics and Their Role in Gut Health”

Free webinar on “Probiotics and their Role in Gut Health” sponsored by “Natural Products Insider.” Robert Hutkins, Ph.D., Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Nebraska will present.

Human Microbiome Project Was Added to the US National Institutes of Health Roadmap

Human Microbiome Project was added to the US National Institutes of Health Roadmap for Medical Research, with the aim of generating resources enabling comprehensive characterization of the human microbiota and analysis of its role in human health and disease. http://nihroadmap.nih.gov/hmp/

Qualified Presumption of Safety

Qualified Presumption of Safety: The European Food Safety Authority just issued report describing an opinion on the QPS approach to safety of microorganisms used in foods. “Introduction of a Qualified Presumption of Safety (QPS) approach for assessment of selected microorganisms referred to EFSA – Opinion of the Scientific Committee.” See: http://www.efsa.europa.eu/EFSA/efsa_locale-1178620753812_1178667590178.htm