Sabinsa and Fruit d'Or team up for synbiotic probiotic-cranberry ingredient

The combination, which will be marketed and sold as LactoCran by Fruit d'Or, is classed as a synbiotic blend for use in foods, beverages and dietary supplement, said the companies.

“Cranberry seed powder in this combination showed remarkable potential as a prebiotic food for growth of LactoSpore compared to commonly used prebiotics such as fructooligosaccharides (FOS),”​ said Shaheen Majeed, Marketing Director of Sabinsa.

Definitions​

According the FAO/WHO, probiotics are defined as "live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host"​. Prebiotics are defined as "non-digestible substances that provide a beneficial physiological effect on the host by selectively stimulating the favorable growth or activity of a limited number of indigenous bacteria"​. Synbiotics are a combination of the two.

Anurag Pande, PhD, VP Scientific Affairs, Sabinsa told NutraIngredients-USA that the prebiotic potential of cranberry seed powder for growth of Bacillus coagulans​ MTCC 5856 was studied against the Fructo-oligosaccharide at various concentrations ranging from 0.5 to 2% and was found to increase the growth at all concentrations used in the study.

“The study showed that Fruitd’Or proprietary cranberry seed powder can be used as a sole source of nutrient for the growth of the B.  coagulans MTCC 5856,” ​said Dr Pande. “The results of the study prompted Sabinsa to apply for a patent on the combination. The study was performed at Sabinsa’s state of art Biotechnology R&D Labs, certified by NABL, located in India.”​ 

Lactospore is room-temperature stable probiotic strain that is lactose-free and non-GMO. Because of the strain’s ability to withstand high heat, it has been included in functional baked goods. Sabinsa self-affirmed the GRAS status of the probiotic in 2009.

“We’re excited to learn about this level of LactoSpore’s growth activity using our cranberry seed powder,”​ said Stephen Lukawski, Director of Business Development and Sales of Fruit d'Or. “We know that our cranberry seed powder contains over 50% fiber and as much as 25% natural protein, therefore this new combination could be the complete synbiotic solution for gut health and beyond.”​

Health conditions​

The combined ingredient is being positioned towards a healthy gut and digestive health while the cranberry fraction also provides tocopherols and tocotrienols for heart and circulatory health, said the company.

Dr Pande added that, while combination contains the cranberry seed powder which also contains the PAC’s or proanthocyanidins which support healthy Urinary tract, the LactoCran combination was visualized to take cranberry seed powder into the digestive health market owing it to its excellent prebiotic nature.

The ingredient is blended in the United States and will be available worldwide beginning in early 2015.