Archive for category: Press

Synbiotic Health Discovers New Potential Health Benefits for its Flagship Ecologically Advanced Probiotic® Strain B. adolescentis iVS-1®

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Ricketts presents 2022 Bioscience Award in Omaha

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WRITTEN BY Brent Weber

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – Environmental challenges are of particular concern to Nebraska’s top industries, making bioscience research critical to the future of agriculture and the state’s economy.

Wednesday night at Bio Nebraska’s annual meeting held at The Pella at Blackstone, Gov. Pete Ricketts made that clear as he presented Lincoln company Synbiotic with the Governor’s Award.

The research and product came out of a lab at UNL, advancing to where they are today. Synbiotic Health develops ecologically advanced microbe ingredients, just one of many forms of bioscience the state is a leader in …continue reading

Microbiologists’ work adds to research on microbiome fungi and childhood disease

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WRITTEN BY Geitner Simmons

A surge in research projects on the human microbiome — the complex ecosystem of microorganisms in the human gastrointestinal tract — is bolstering scientific understanding of health, disease and environment. Much of the research has focused on gut bacteria and viruses, leaving a third factor — fungi — little studied.

An international consortium of scientists has conducted the first large-scale study of gastrointestinal fungi throughout early childhood. The research team included Thomas and Jennifer Auchtung, husband and wife microbiologists in the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s Food Science and Technology Department.

The findings, recently published in the journal Nature Communications, help fill significant gaps in scientific knowledge of the fungal dimensions of the microbiome and identify areas for further study …continue reading

Synbiotics at the Start: More research will make the synbiotics category easier to digest

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WRITTEN BY Melissa Kvidahl Reilly

It’s no secret that immune health and, by association, gut health are top of mind during the COVID-19 pandemic. The good news is that it’s a trend with staying power: the U.S. digestive health supplement market is projected to grow at a CAGR of about 7% between 2021 and 2026.1

In the midst of this growth is the emergence of a burgeoning category: synbiotics, or formulations containing both live bacteria (probiotics) and compounds that feed bacteria (prebiotics). Some synbiotics are complementary, meaning the probiotics and prebiotics work independently in a formulation; others, however, are synergistic, meaning that the prebiotics are selected specifically to benefit the chosen probiotic, yielding a more significant combined benefit.

Consumers are on board, and Innova Market Insights says that globally, new synbiotic launches grew an average of 41% annually between 2016 and 2020. Why? Despite being a relatively new category, synbiotics benefit from existing consumer understanding of probiotics and prebiotics …continue reading

Husker scientists studying our ‘second brain’ — the gut microbiome

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WRITTEN BY Deann Gayman

Using what they’ve learned in the laboratory, and the specialized strains of bacteria they developed, Benson and Hutkins, along with Nebraska animal scientist Tom Burkey and former Husker scientist Jens Walter, launched their own company to bring their research to the marketplace.

Synbiotic Health will provide something novel and clinically proven — a product that mixes beneficial microbes and the fiber-like fuel that feeds them — for health-conscious consumers.

Nebraska Today recently sat down for a conversation with Benson, professor of food science and director of the center, and Hutkins, Khem Shahani Distinguished Professor of Food Science, to discuss how our food choices affect our health, what sets Nebraska apart in the research of the gut microbiome, and what research will emerge following the COVID-19 pandemic …continue reading

Fermented Foods such as Kombucha are Trendy, but They’re Not Necessarily Probiotics

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WRITTEN BY Carrie Dennett

Fermentation is a case of what’s old is new again — an ancient food-processing method turned hot trend, with companies churning out products incorporating kefir, kimchi, sauerkraut and kombucha that are promoted as being probiotics. But do these foods offer true probiotic benefits? The short answer is probably not. But that doesn’t mean these foods are without benefit.

First, let’s clear up what “probiotic” means. Scientists define probiotics as live microorganisms (microbes) which, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit. Probiotics can contribute to digestive and immune system health and crowd out harmful microbes in the gut (large intestine). They also create some nutrients, including vitamin K and many of the B vitamins, and help our bodies absorb other nutrients. …continue reading

Go with Your Gut to Cut the Cravings

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WRITTEN BY Kristina Campbell, MSc

“Listen to your body” is good advice for the most part—when your body wants something perfectly reasonable, like a brisk walk. But other times, it can be problematic: what if your body is unmistakably telling you to eat a massive plate of french fries with gravy?

WHAT’S WITH CRAVINGS?

A food craving is a strong desire for a specific item, either to experience its pleasant effects or to avoid unpleasant feelings of withdrawal. As long as you crave nutritious foods such as oranges or Swiss chard, everything’s fine and dandy. Yet it’s very common to crave foods that are a poor choice, health-wise: high-calorie foods such as pastries or potato chips, for example.

Scientists who study the biology of food intake have determined that cravings—also known as disruptions in normal feelings of satiety—depend on complex factors including hormones, food-related habits and cues, and stress levels. Even genetic factors can influence the hormones that keep you feeling satisfied and free of food cravings.

Lately, however, researchers have identified a potential new contributor to the experience of cravings: the gut microbiota, which is a community of bacteria, fungi, and other microbes living in your digestive tract. …continue reading