Michael Bush, Ganeden Biotech
01 Aug 2013 | New Applications for Probiotics
Michael Bush of Ganeden Biotech on New Applications for Probiotics.
This is Rob Wires at the IFT in Chicago and I'm here with Michael Bush from Glenedin and Gneddin are highlighting a number of new applications of probiotics and commercial products.
Michael, what's what's driving some of this innovation?
You know, we really look at consumer interest and consumer driven product categories.
Our goal as a company is to be in probiotic products that are consumed on a regular basis by consumers without having to have lifestyle changes.
Some of the, some of the opportunities that we see are coffee, tea, things like smoothies, bars, even convenience foods.
Such as popsicles and drink straws, there are things that are consumed by adults, children, seniors, active people, athletes across the board without having them have to change lifestyle habits.
If you're not a yogurt consumer, why force people to eat yogurt if they're looking for a probiotic, which you know it's our belief and common belief that consumers need a probiotic every single day, so why not put it in things that they already consume every day.
How aware are consumers of the benefits of probiotics and where are some of the other opportunities, the marketing opportunities behind this?
The primary benefits that we focus on and that our clinical studies have focused on, currently we have 17 published studies looking at digestive and immune support.
Some of the other areas where we're looking is in the areas of inflammation and also protein metabolism, athletic performance, but we look at it, we try to stick to our knitting and we stay pretty close to the immune and digestive categories.
And the probiotic sector in the US has enjoyed particular growth the last while.
In Europe, it has slowed down somewhat now considering also the health claims regulation.
What do you feel is the outlook?
We see, we see that something good has to happen in Europe to, to change what's going on right now.
We believe that EASA will become more cooperative over time.
We see great opportunities in Latin America and Asia.
North America obviously is a great opportunity, but we, we have recently expanded very aggressively into Asia and also into Latin America, Ecuador, Argentina, Venezuela.
Mexico, Brazil, Chile.
What about some of the areas, new areas of R&D development within the company?
You know, so we've, we've expanded into the cosmetic and anti-aging side of business.
It's a probiotic derived ingredient, but some of the other areas of R&D that we're looking at are primarily in the areas of enhanced immune, looking at some product sectors such as aging adults, the senior sector, and also, like I said, in the area of.
Protein metabolism, things like that.
And the area of weight management is popping up a bit as a kind of a future area.
What are your thoughts on that?
You know, through the microbiome Project, they've shown that there's a particular gut gut bacteria kind of profile that people have when they're thin and when they're obese.
And so there's some research going on right now looking at, you know, what's the relation.
Can you shift that gut flora.
Can you shift that microbiome.
I think it's an area that's pretty early in its development, but it's an area where you're not the first person to ask us about it.
We hear a lot of questions about, you know, how can you affect obesity, and it's something that we're looking at, and so is everybody else.
And as an industry, it's an area where, especially when you look at things like metabolic syndrome, there's some great areas of interest and research being done.
Michael, thank you very much.
