About 63% of consumers are still confused by probiotics

Well it certainly isn't Jamie Lee Curtis' fault, but the fact remains many consumers do not actually know what probiotics are. Curtis has served as a very visible spokesperson for Dannon Activia, a leading yogurt that contains probiotics-which are healthy bacteria said to help digestion.

Still despite Dannon and competitors like LiveActive from Kraft Foods' efforts, 63 percent of consumers reported that they are still confused by probiotics. Only 13 percent of those claiming familiarity could accurately provide a definition. These were the findings from a Datamonitor study released today which was commissioned by Kraft.

Still, the results show an improvement, said Datamonitor's consumer markets analyst Mark Whalley. A survey conducted by Opinion Research Corporation for Ganeden Biotech in 2008 found that 85 percent of respondents were unfamiliar with probiotics. In 2007, 78 percent of respondents to an NPD Group had no knowledge the term probiotics at all.

"This emphasizes how there is still a need for brands to educate U.S. consumers about the benefits of probiotic consumption. The good news is that Americans appear to be responding to marketing messages," said Whalley.

Whalley said that Datamonitor predicts the US probiotic market will continue to grow as more consumers shift to healthier eating habits and increase their working knowledge of the associated health benefits of probiotics. Datamonitor forecasts that the industry could be worth up to $2 billion or more by 2013.

"What is clear is that during the economic crisis manufacturers need to continue to create probiotic products, which consumers find an integral part of their daily routine, otherwise much of the early good work will have to be repeated to get these consumers to resume consumption if they sacrifice it now to save money," Whalley said.

Dannon, has kept its foot on the gas, earlier this year launched Activia drinks and Activia Fiber.

Still, no matter who is producing the products containing probiotics, they need to be mindful of their claims. In April, is was reported that The Dannon Co. was working on a settlement of complaints filed by customers questioning the health claims made on behalf of its Activia as well as DanActive yogurts.


the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics released a clarified definition of the term "probiotic."

he International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) released a clarified definition of the term "probiotic" to assist consumers, manufacturers, researchers and regulators (see www.isapp.net). ISAPP promotes correct use of the term "probiotics" to enhance precision for basic and clinical research efforts on probiotics as well as facilitate the work of regulatory bodies concerned with issues of probiotic safety and consumer protection.

Davis, Calif. (PRWEB) June 24, 2009 -- The International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) today released a clarified definition of the term "probiotic" to assist consumers, manufacturers, researchers and regulators (see www.isapp.net).

Probiotics were defined by the FAO/WHO in 2001 as live microorganisms, which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host. This definition is widely acknowledged by the scientific community, but the term "probiotic" remains undefined by most regulatory bodies worldwide. Over the years the FAO/WHO definition of probiotics remains applicable to scientific, industrial and regulatory communities, as long as it is interpreted correctly.

The term "probiotic" is commonly misused both commercially, when the term is featured on products with no substantiation of human health benefits, and scientifically, where the term has been used to describe bacterial components, dead bacteria or bacteria with uncharacterized health effects in humans.

ISAPP promotes correct use of the term "probiotics" to enhance precision for basic and clinical research efforts on probiotics as well as facilitate the work of regulatory bodies concerned with issues of probiotic safety and consumer protection.

FOOD USE

When combined with the specifications outlined by the FAO/WHO Working Group for the Evaluation of Probiotics in Food (2002), the key aspects of this definition include:

 A probiotic must be alive when administered
 A probiotic must have undergone controlled evaluation to document health benefits in the target host
 A probiotic must be a taxonomically defined microbe or combination of microbes (genus, species and strain level)
 A probiotic must be safe for its intended use

Although regulations differ internationally, in general, foods and nutritional (dietary) supplements are targeted for the generally healthy population and can carry substantiated claims for both disease risk reduction (if proper approval is obtained) and claims which relate them to general health or the normal structure and function of the human body. Substantiation is required for all claims.

NON FOOD USE

The FAO/WHO effort was specifically focused on food uses of probiotics; however, the definition advanced by this group is sufficiently broad to encompass a range of probiotic preparations and intentions of use. In addition to being a food or a dietary supplement, a probiotic microorganism(s), including genetically modified strains, may be used in drug applications (referred in some instances as a live biotherapeutic), microbial feed (animal uses), and live vaccines if administered orally.

Requirements for establishing efficacy and safety for probiotics are different for these categories of probiotics. For example, a probiotic used as a drug must not only fulfill the general FAO conditions stipulated above, but also conform to existing national regulations (e.g., US Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and EU Directive 2004/27/EC on substances used for treating or preventing disease) and guidelines on good clinical practices.

IN SUMMARY

- Since its genesis in 2001, the FAO definition on probiotics has proven its scientific value as shown through acceptance worldwide by key players in the field of probiotics and health.

- The strength of this definition is that it encompasses the many different applications of probiotic science and does not restrict probiotics to specific mechanistic activities.

- This definition has its place in today's debates that revolve around the substantiation of health benefits for probiotics, and it offers a valuable reference for regulatory authorities.

- Adherence to this definition by those involved in the field will assure that the term "probiotic" is meaningful commercially, clinically and scientifically.
References:

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). 2001. Health and Nutritional Properties of Probiotics in Food including Powder Milk with Live Lactic Acid Bacteria, http://www.who.int/foodsafety/publications/fs_management/en/probiotics.pdf

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). 2002. Guidelines for the Evaluation of Probiotics in Food. ftp://ftp.fao.org/es/esn/food/wgreport2.pdf
About ISAPP

The International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (www.isapp.net) is a non-profit, scientific organization dedicated to advancing the science of probiotics and prebiotics through convening scientific conferences which enhance networking in the field, publishing peer-reviewed reviews on current topics relevant to probiotic and prebiotic science, communicating to regulatory bodies and providing collaborative reaction to relevant current events. ISAPP functions as an objective, science-based voice to benefit end users of probiotics and prebiotics by helping them make informed choices. ISAPP is the only scientific organization dedicated specifically to both probiotics and prebiotics. As a scientific society, ISAPP strives to have all activities focused on science, not promotion of specific commercial products. Corporate participation through scientific and financial contributions is important to ISAPP, but no industry group or commercial entity dictates its activities or opinions.