A new publication, which is based on research conducted by Professor Marco Ventura and his team at the University of Parma, demonstrates the bifidogenic activity of Chitin-glucan. This is a novel ingredient that has been patented by KitoZyme and which is sold under its brand name KiOtransine.
Prebiotic is currently a hot topic with an increasing level of scientific and medical consensus regarding the relevance of providing our guts with good food to support growth of our bacteria.
While classic compounds such as fructo-oligosaccharides or galacto-oligosaccharides are already widely used, there are downsides to them. These downsides are mainly in regard to the daily dosage and the resulting gas production.
KitoZyme has patented a new ingredient, a co-polymer of chitin and beta-glucan that is derived from the cell walls of mycelium. This non-GMO, non-animal, gluten-free ingredient had previously demonstrated prebiotic potential through different studies, including the use of the SHIME platform to measure the production of short-chain fatty acids, butyrate and propionate.
Prebiotic is a hot topic with an increasing level of scientific and medical consensus regarding the relevance of providing our guts with good food to support growth of our bacteria
KitoZyme recently asked Professor Marco Ventura of the University of Parma to specifically study the ability of bifidobacteria to use chitin-glucan as a carbon source.
Bifidobacteria are very abundant in the human gut, especially during the first months of one’s life, although their numbers decrease following weaning and in the elderly. They can also decrease when suffering from gastrointestinal diseases, which suggests that this taxon plays a positive role in the promotion of host health.
Thanks to the extensive in-vitro and in-vivo work, the team was able to demonstrate a clear bifidogenic activity that offers new avenues of product development for both consumer healthcare and health food companies all over the world.
The full publication can be found here.
