NUTRA NEWS: Prebiotics market to grow to £180m by 2010
As consumer awareness of the benefits of improving gut health continues to grow food and drinks manufacturers are seeking to fortify their products with prebiotics. Analysts are prediciting that the market will grow to £180m by 2010.
Impending EU regulations on health claims are set to prohibit vague claims that a product can promote gut health, so clinical evidence of benefits will be vital to any claims made on finished products.
LFI, in collaboration with prebiotics expert Professor Glenn Gibson, from the University of Reading, has set up a comprehensive package for in vitro analysis of ingredients for prebiotic properties. Each ingredient will be evaluated for growth of predominant micro-flora components, including bifidobacteria and lactobacilli, using fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH); gas formation and production of short chain fatty acids (SCFAs).
With the vital knowledge of ingredients’ prebiotic properties, LFI can offer both ingredients suppliers and food and drink manufacturers a total solution package.
