By: Peter Olins, PhD on June 20, 2014.
The global market for “probiotics” is huge—estimated at 30 Bn Euros annually: yet there is surprisingly little agreement about what constitutes a probiotic, and what evidence of actual health benefit is required. The recent “consensus statement” from the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) proposed two main classes for probiotics: claims for general heath benefits, and claims for health benefits for a specific condition. In both cases, convincing clinical research data supporting these claims would be required. It is not clear that the majority of “probiotics” currently available would satisfy the criterion of a demonstrated health benefit.
In an apparent conflict with their proposed definition, the ISAPP took aim at the current strict EU requirements, suggesting that probiotics be treated as “foods”, with a rather lax requirement for evidence of efficacy.
Opinion Article: Shane Starling
Published in: NutraIngredients
Read more → Time to Recognize “Core Benefits of Certain Probiotics”: ISAPP
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