Conference Considers Options for US Federal Regulation of Probiotics. On June 14, 2010, The University of Maryland School of Law hosted the first of a series of multidisciplinary meetings being held as part of a Human Microbiome Project ELSI (Ethical, Legal, Social Implications) grant to study federal regulation of probiotics. The project is headed by Diane E. Hoffmann, MS, JD, Associate Dean for Academic Programs and Director, Law and Health Care Program, University of Maryland School of Law. Participants in the conference included members of academia and the scientific research, business, legal and federal regulatory communities, and included two ISAPP board members, Gregor Reid and Mary Ellen Sanders . This initial meeting focused on identifying key regulatory issues and achieving a broad-based understanding of the science relating to probiotics and the current federal regulatory framework for probiotics. Subsequent sessions will focus on attempting to find answers to these questions. The next meeting is being planned for January 2011. June 14 meeting agenda.

ILSI Europe Functional Foods Task Force has issued a report “Beyond PASSCLAIM – Guidance to Substantiate Health Claims on Foods” from a meeting held 14-16 December 2009 in Nice, France.

Report

NIH/FDA-supported evidence-based review due out summer of 2010 titled
“Safety of Probiotics Used to Reduce Risk and Prevent or Treat Disease”

NIH National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine announces funding opportunities in the area of probiotics and prebiotics. Information

At the 7^th annual meeting of ISAPP this past November, a student/fellow association (SFA) of ISAPP was founded. Under the insightful leadership of Delphine Saulnier, the organization has approved a constitution and started a website and Facebook page and proposed many additional activities. See http://www.isapp-sfa.com/ for information.

Third India Probiotics Symposium: “Probiotic Foods in Health and Disease”, held November 21-22, 2009, in New Delhi, featuring keynote address by ISAPP Past President,
Gregor Reid. Webcast

The Global Health Program on Infectious Diseases group within the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation convened an exploratory session January 22-26 in London UK to discuss evaluation of probiotics for the prevention and treatment of enteric and diarrheal diseases in children in developing countries. The purpose of the meeting was to explore the underlying science and potential directions forward. Nineteen scientists, including ISAPP’s President, Glenn Gibson, and Executive Director, Mary Ellen Sanders, were invited to meet with Foundation representatives to explore the risks and benefits of investment in this application for probiotics.

International Dairy Federation announces opening of 2010 Elie Metchnikoff Prize. This prize, co-sponsored by ISAPP, celebrates innovative ideas in the area of fermented milks. Information.

Institut Rosell, in partnership with the American Gastroenterological Association Institute, will be offering cash prizes for student research abstracts focusing on probiotics. The Institut Rosell Probiotics Challenge is open to students at a recognized college or university who submit a probiotics-related abstract to the AGA annual meeting, DDW 2011.

The Global Probiotics Council has announced the third year of the Young Investigator Grant for Probiotics Research. The two annual grants of $50,000 each are designed to contribute to the advancement of probiotics and gastrointestinal microbiota research in the United States. Application procedures and additional details on the program can be found at www.probioticsresearch.com

As a follow up to the Health Canada release on April 22, 2009, of the guidance document “The Use of Probiotic Microorganisms in Food”, a Guide has been released by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to assist industries efforts on compliance on labels, advertisements and web sites. The updated Guide also includes a list of probiotic claims that are considered acceptable on food, without the need for further substantiation by the manufacturer or importer, along with conditions for their use. CFIA press release. Guidance document ‘The Use of Probiotic Microorganisms in Food.’

Systematic review of probiotic safety commissioned by several US agencies. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS), and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) are co-sponsoring a systematic review of probiotic safety, Safety of Probiotics Used to Reduce Risk and Prevent or Treat Disease. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. Review protocol synopsis.