| The Right Bacteria | for everyone |
of a probiotic supplement depends on what it contains, how it is prepared and processed and how it is
packaged.
The desirable properties of a good probiotic are :-
a) Health and Clinical Properties
- Resistance to acid and bile.
- Adherence to human intestinal cells.
- Colonisation of the human guts.
- Production of antimicrobial substances.
- Probiotics strains with clinically validated health effects.
b) Stability and Technical Properties
- Ability to maintain verified viability.
- Good acidity profile.
- Maintenance of colonizing properties throughout processing and storage.
- Accurate strains identification and combination.
- Stability and no molecular and/or structural damage following preparation method.
Friendly bacteria are grown in what is called a "culturing medium" (ie. milk, vegetables and/or fruits
based media.) As the bacteria grow, they transform the culturing medium into a totally different substance
called the supernatant. A very important component of "super" probiotics, the supernatant is filled with
a variety of beneficial metabolic by products including antimicrobial compounds (hydrogen peroxide, bacteriocin
etc), vitamins, enzymes, cellular building blocks, antioxidants and immunostimulants.
A full-culture production method which retains all the friendly bacteria and supernatant is the most desirable
method.
When a full-grown batch of bacteria is ready for processing, the following methods are usually used :-
- Centrifugation
- Ultrafiltration
- Freeze-drying (Lyophilization)
(Note: The above three methods are employed by most manufacturers) - Natural fermentated probiotics, encapsulated in paste form without using any of the
above processing method.
(OM-X Probiotic is the only probiotic produced in this way which
allows the important supernatant to be retained.)
Centrifigution will damage bacterial cell walls, break their chains as they multiply and even kill them
outright. The supernatant is also removed in the process. In spite of the damage centrifuging does to the
friendly bacteria, it remains a popular processing method because it is easy and cheap.
Ultrafiltration is less harmful. In this process some bacterial chains are broken which reduces activity
and the supernatant is separated.
Freeze drying uses lightning-fast biochemical process that dries the bacteria by freezing it within
a vacuum. All that is removed is the water. Some bacteria will be damaged by this process and this will
interfere with the bacteria's optimum performance.
Types of Probiotic Available in Market
Commercially, Probiotics are available in three main preparations. They are:-
- Liquid preparations eg. yogurt
- Freeze dried powder with or without Fructooligosaccharides (FOS)
- Fermented paste capsules (OM-X Probiotic capsules is the only Probiotic in this form)
There is no perfect probiotic. However, as consumers, we should look for a probiotic that has the
most desirable properties and the least undesirable properties.
Liquid preparations like yogurt have some major disadvantages like :-
- Short shelf life - virtually all liquid probiotics lose their potency within two weeks after they are produced.
- Bacteria damaged by pasteurization and/or centrifigution.
- Additives and preservatives are used.
- Transport and storage is difficult because of its bulky nature.
- Normally only one or more strains of bacteria are used. (Probiotics that have multiple strains are more potent.)
- Damaged by stomach acidity as it is not capsulated.
- Requires refrigeration.
Freeze dried powder probiotics also have some disadvantages like :-
- Bacteria damage by freeze drying.
- Powder shelf life is also short.
- Powder absorbs water, bacteria become activated and die.
- Poor adherence, colonization and survival in the gut because of damage caused by freeze drying.
- Addition of stabilizers and preservatives will weaken the Probiotics.
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