Open letter to ISAPP membership from President, Glenn Gibson. ISAPP’s 10th anniversary approaches and Glenn discusses vision for ISAPP’s next 10 years.

The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) will be hosting a presentation by Dr. Justin Sonnenburg of Stanford University on March 9, 2011 at 11:00 am EST titled “Probiotics, Prebiotics, and Small Molecules: Manipulating Host Biology Via the Intestinal Microbiota.” To connect to the seminar via webinar, contact Cindy Lentino at ODS: lentinoc@nullod.nih.gov.

Probiotics European Scientific League (PESL) proposes independent logo to differentiate probiotic supplements that meet quality standards. The PESL will conduct testing and certification of products. Interview with Dr Jean-Pol Warzée, the general secretary and executive director of PESL, and Professor Bruno Pot, Pasteur Institute in Lille, France.

Regulatory issues that impact the probiotic and prebiotic fields seem to be an overriding concern of late. In Europe, EFSA’s NDA panel continues to reject all probiotic/prebiotic health claims, including claims submitted by Danone that Actimel can help with antibiotic-associated diarrhea and Yakult that its product can help defend against pathogens of the upper respiratory tract. Evidence provided by Danone included a human trial published in the British Medical Journal. Evidence provided by Yakult included a recent human study being submitted for publication conducted at Loughborough University, UK (NUTRA ingredients-usa.com report). European prebiotic and probiotic researchers expressed disagreement with the EU health claim approval process, registering their dissatisfaction on a website http://www.gut-health.eu/ designed to tally likeminded scientists on this issue (NUTRA ingredients-usa.com report). In the USA, the FTC settled with Dannon over what claims it considers substantiated. Dannon agreed to some wording changes and qualifications on servings needed for gut regularity claim, but the settlement leaves Dannon able to continue making claims on immune support for DanActive and on digestive comfort and regularity for its Activia product (NUTRA ingredients-usa.com report). The FDA Centers for Biologic Evaluation and Research and Drug Evaluation and Research (CBER and CDER, respectively) published a draft guidance document on when researchers must file an Investigational New Drug application when doing human research. In ISAPP’s opinion, this guidance did not adequately address the lawful conduct of human research on foods in the US without the need for an IND. ISAPP filed comments January 11 outlining its concerns with the draft guidance as written.

FDA Law Blog produced by Hyman, Phelps & McNamara law firm, recently noted an article (originally published in Food Chemical News) titled “The Cost of Inadequate Substantiation”, which provides perspective by two US food law attorneys on FDA inaction and FTC action on allegedly false or misleading health benefit advertising claims on foods in the USA.

ISAPP Past President Gregor Reid recently published an article titled “Putting Science First: The International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP)” in Functional Food Reviews.

ISAPP 2010 meeting report now available

Danone Research launches probiotic research bulletin titled “Probiotic Watch,” which features summaries of newly published research and commentaries by acclaimed scientists, including 2 former ISAPP board members, Drs. Bruno Pot and James Versalovic.

Report from 2009 ISAPP meeting discussion group on mucosal immunity published
in Gut Microbes, authored by O’Flaherty, Saulnier, Pot and Versalovic.

The 4th year of the Young Investigator Grant for Probiotics Research sponsored by Danone Research and Yakult has been announced. 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 into the field of probiotics and microbiota. Application deadline: February 15, 2011. Application procedures and additional details on the program can be found at www.probioticsresearch.com.

EFSA announces Stakeholder meeting to be held December 2, 2010 in Amsterdam. The topic will be scientific substantiation of health claims related to gut health and immune function. Registration on EFSA website in September 2010. Additional information from EFSA’s Dr. Juliane Kleiner juliane.kleiner@nullefsa.europa.eu.

International Dairy Federation Elie Metchnikoff Prize 2010 winners announced in Tromsö, Norway. The IDF Elie Metchnikoff Prize 2010 was awarded in three categories Nutrition and Health, Biotechnology and Microbiology. Awardees included 2 ISAPP Board of Directors members, Prof. Todd R. Klaenhammer and Prof. Colin Hill. In addition, Dr. Irene Lenoir-Wijnkoop from Danone Research, who leant her support in the conceptualization and early implementation stages of ISAPP’s creation, received the Elie Metchnikoff Prize 2010 Award of Recognition. Details