Screening tool set to transform gut health innovation

A new peer‑reviewed study supported by Tate & Lyle and APC Microbiome Ireland has introduced a breakthrough screening tool that could reshape how food, drink and supplement manufacturers develop the next wave of gut‑health products.

Published in the Journal of Applied Microbiology, the research presents the Synbiotic Potential Score (SPS) — a systematic method for identifying which combinations of probiotics and prebiotic fibres work most effectively together. The tool is designed to streamline early‑stage development, reduce trial‑and‑error, and help brands bring more targeted synbiotic innovations to market faster.

The study evaluated eight probiotic strains against a range of recognised prebiotic fibres, including Tate & Lyle’s Euoligo FOS and Promitor Soluble Fibre, both recently NutraStrong certified. Results showed that probiotic strains respond differently depending on the fibre they are paired with — reinforcing the industry shift away from generic combinations toward precision‑designed synbiotics.

“As interest in gut health continues to grow, there is increasing demand for more targeted and evidence‑based synbiotic products,” said Dr Harriët Schellekens, group leader at APC Microbiome Ireland. “The Synbiotic Potential Score provides researchers with a practical way to compare how different probiotic strains respond to specific fibres and identify promising combinations earlier in the development process.”

Synbiotics — combinations of probiotics and prebiotics — are gaining traction across functional beverages, yogurts, supplements and personalised nutrition. By helping beneficial bacteria both reach and thrive in the gut, they offer a more potent approach to digestive and metabolic support than probiotics or prebiotics alone.

Dr Clare Leonard, VP nutrition and health science at Tate & Lyle, said the SPS framework marks an important step forward for evidence‑based formulation.

“Understanding how specific prebiotic fibres perform with different probiotic strains is central to developing synbiotic products that deliver better gut health,” she said. “This research is exciting as it gives the industry a more rigorous way to make those connections earlier in the development process.”

While further clinical validation is needed, the SPS offers a scalable, science‑driven approach to early synbiotic screening — a development that could accelerate innovation at a time when consumer interest in gut health and its wider impact on wellbeing continues to rise.

Tate & Lyle contributed scientific expertise and supplied prebiotic ingredients for the study, which was also supported by Research Ireland.