Food Pacific Manufacturing Journal

We all know that interest in health ingredients like probiotics is growing, more so during COVID-19 times. In fact, when Ringier Events hosted an online conference on probiotics in June, speakers from Chr. Hansen, FrieslandCampina, Anlit, and Azelis, received over 50 questions from participants.

Continuing developments both in business and research of probiotics are a boon to the manufacture of functional food and beverage. Earlier this year, the Southeast Asia Probiotic Scientific & Regulatory Experts Network initiated by DuPont Nutrition and Biosciences, together with the Food and Nutrition Society of Indonesia, the Nutrition Society of Malaysia, and the Indonesian Food and Beverage Association, held their first workshop to pave the way for the harmonisation of probiotics standards in Southeast Asia. While it seems typical for every country in Southeast Asia to have its own regulations for probiotics – or not have any at all – this has prevented brands from seizing market opportunities. The Network’s initiative is therefore good news for companies that can provide clinically tested probiotics.

The area of human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) remains promising as well. Complex sugar molecules uniquely found in human breast milk, HMOs help nourish and boost the immunity and brain development of infants. While commonly associated with infant nutrition, HMOs can also enrich dairy for adults. The biotech company, Jennewein Biotechnologie uses a proprietary fermentation process for the mass production of its HMOs. The company will soon release its breakthrough 5 HMO blend – a combination of five HMOs in nature-identical concentrations – and being so, it is closer to natural breast milk. Jennewein has obtained approval for its 2’-FL HMO in Singapore, and is eyeing markets in Asia.