Why are synbiotics not discussed enough?
In recent years, as consumers have become more aware of the significance of gut health, the demand for synbiotics (a complementary or synergistic combination of a probiotic and prebiotic) has increased. Convenience and personalization trends are the main factors that are influencing consumer preference for synbiotics and fueling the demand. To improve digestive health and overall well-being, consumers are increasingly looking for microbiome ingredients in customized nutritional foods, beverages, and supplements.
A significant number of partnerships, collaborations, and other initiatives can be seen in this space across the value chain:
– ADM has partnered with biotechnology company Brightseed based in California, to create evidence-based functional synbiotic products using Brightseed’s AI platform, expected to be available by 2025 for use in dietary supplements, functional foods, and beverages. The nutrition industry is very interested in how synbiotics can provide precise benefits for gut health because there is little information available on the specific functions of different microbiomes and diet-microbiome-host interactions. This partnership will conduct research and address these issues.
– Probi AB (Sweden) and Clasado Biosciences (UK) recently announced a collaboration to develop synbiotic products. The partnership aims to explore the synergistic benefits of combining Probi’s probiotic strains with Clasado’s Bimuno GOS prebiotic to develop synbiotic products.
– Evonik also introduced synbiotic products earlier this year with their new Vivo Biotics line as a solution to challenges associated with existing probiotic supplements in the market, such as instability and lower delivery efficacy. With these goods, Evonik offers a range of options to help health and nutrition businesses support the production of intrinsic butyrate, which benefits digestion, reduces skin inflammation, and increases gluten tolerance.
– Danone also recently created a synbiotic supplement to help breastfeeding mothers with mastitis by combining fructooligosaccharides (FOS) nutrifibers with the synergistic L. salivarius PS2 probiotic strain.
It is evident that suppliers and clients are engaging and taking actions that point to synbiotics’ potential for growth. Synbiotics are primarily marketed for their digestive health benefits; however, the research environment surrounding synbiotics may expand their use in applications like infant nutrition and skin care.