The health of the intestines, immunity and well -being in general have been in trend in the field of food and drink for some time. Although the pandemic of the Koronavirus has increased the interest of consumer for functional diet, experts suggest that this ‘trend’ remains in the world after the pandemic.

According to the Tastewise Food Research Platform, for example, 30% more consumers seek functional well -being from food and drink than it was at the end of 2019.

The health of the gut, which refers to the health of the microbioma in the gastrointestinal tract, is important for many reasons.

“Your gut is your first brain,” explained Hannah Crum, Executive Director of Kombucha Camp and President of the Kombucha Brewers International (KBI) in the series of FoodVigator Positive Nutrition. “We need to consume products containing soil organisms … In order to provide the immune system with nutrients that are needed by all the germs living in our body, so that our immune system is healthy and strong.”

So, how does the industry introduce innovation to satisfy demand for products that ‘support the health of the bowel’ and ‘strengthen immunity’?

Probiotics: ‘Ancient Technology, Modern Wisdom’

Probiotics are microorganisms that are considered to be benefits to health when consumed, especially by improving or renewing the intestinal flora. Fermented foods such as yogurt, sauerkraut and kefir contains living microorganisms.

Kombucha, fermented, forest tea, is also a good source of probiotics.

According to Crum, people ‘intuitively’ understood the value of fermented products since ‘dawn of time’. “We mean [these products as using] ancient technology with modern wisdom, ” she said to the delegates.

Most Kombuche, which is today produced, is still based on the processes of ‘wild fermentation’, which use ‘home culture’ that is transmitted to generations. At the same time, the industry also noticed innovation in ‘Culture Cultures’.

“We really start to understand our germs and try to create synthesis of different compositions of bacteria and yeasts to make specific results,” she explained.

The sector also saw examples of prebiotics that were added to Kombuchi. As scientific research develops, the Kombucha Camp Executive Director expects that we will discover that Kombucha naturally contains both pre- and probiotics, “Like potential postbiotics and symbiotics.”

Knocking root of chicory for prebiotic well -being

Innovations are also prevalent in prebiotics – a term used to describe specific plant fibers that help healthy bacteria (probiotics) grow in the digestive system.

It is understood that prebiotics can change the composition of organisms in the gut microbioma.

For a brand of functional drinks, my market focus on probiotics has encouraged business to develop prebiotics. The product was launched in 2021.

“If you look at the market, there are many available probiotic products, and there are not many prebiotics available,” explained Ross Austen, Head of Research and Nutrition in My, “Especially in the frame [format]. ”

The ingredient of my prebiotic mixture, which is used in the product, is made of inulin root of cicoria, the powder of green banana, the powder of gold kiwi and the powder of baobab.

“We saw the opportunity for diversity. If we look at the health of the gut, a variety of diet is crucial to promoting a variety of microbiomes. Therefore, if you look at the number of prebiotics, the starch of fiber resistant, within the products and the typical ingredients that individuals in the United Kingdom would not necessarily eat regularly, it puts them on a good way to make a better choice around the world. day.”

Prodigy Snacks is another brand that uses Inulin because of its prebiotic kindness. The total total fiber content, including inulin, is 9-10 g in one of Prodigy’s chocolate offerings.

“The health of the gut is high on the agenda. It affects emotional well -being, affects brain function and greatly affects immunity, ” Sameer Vaswani, executive director and founder of Prodigy, said the delegates at the event.

Prodigy’s approach is to take ‘ubiquitous’ products, such as chocolate, and give them a ‘sense of functionality’.

For Vaswanija to complement the diet pre- and probiotics important, but what we do Don’t It is also important to our system. For this reason, the prodigy tiles do not contain refined sugar – an ingredient that Vaswani considers ‘toxic’ for the gut.

Sweetie are also not a solution, they told us. Prodigy chooses ‘natural’ sugars in small quantities, such as coconut sugar or South American ingredient Lucuma. “The combination of these products gives us a very low sugar content, but still has nutritional and functional advantages of prebiotics.”

A complex solution of a complex problem

One of the ways in which food producers can satisfy the increasing demand of consumers interested in the health of the gut is the involvement of specialized ingredients in the formulation of the product.

Dr. Ashok Dubby is a higher scientist and head of the Nutrition Science and Daddy Chemicals, an Indian company based that has developed a ingredient in dietary fiber under Mark Fossence for food and drink producers.

According to Dr. Dubey, supplementation with Fossencu leads to an increase in abundance of useful bacteria such as Bifidobacteria and Lactobacillus.

Although research and development of microbioma is an important part of the puzzle, Dr. Dubyy said that the industry can do more than the separation of prebiotics or probiotics as independent health for health.

“The border was created some 20 years ago, [resulting in the idea that] Prebiotics will do this and probiotics will do that …

“I think that limit [breaking down] Now there is a greater understanding that our intestinal microbiota is so complex. The food we eat is so complex. It’s not just prebiotics and probiotics, the solution we offer should be a combination of all these things. ”

An increasing number of reported patents, who claim to strengthen immunity, do just that, continued: “They are a combination of all these things,” including pre- and probiotics.

Since our microbes are complex, their growing solution should mimic their complexity. If it is performed properly, based on scientific understanding, Dr. Dubey believes that ‘efficiency will be higher’.

Copeing with a ‘big problem’

Science is not there yet, and it will not be until the reactions between the microbioma and the host are better understood, said Anthony Finbow, Eagle Genomics CEO.

Eagle Genomics analyzes microbiom data for companies – including players in food and drink production – which work in this area.

Similarly, as Dr. Dubey, Finbow believes we have to ‘move away’ from thinking about individual organisms. “These organisms replicate 60-300 times a day. In abundant environments … aggregate genetic content, reject genetic content in impoverished environments …

“So there is a big challenge. A difficult problem is no consciousness, a difficult problem is understanding the interaction of gut microbiomes and hosts. ”

Eagle Genomics lays great hopes of the future. ‘Great Corporations’ in the food industry are more interested in extending the life of a consumer’s life than before. Today, it is less to deliver calorie content, Finbow continued.

“We are at the beginning of the system change, where the organizations are for the contributions of the natural capital of the microbioma …

“We are at the beginning of the bio-revolution, and the microbioma is most appropriate [metaphoric] battlefield for this bio-revolution. ”

To watch the whole panel discussion, or if you missed any Foolodnavigator’s Positive Nutrition series, you can still access all our sessions and brochures at the request of the next 90 days. Click here for the free registers.