Probiotics have emerged as one of the most sought-after functional ingredients in today’s food and beverage industry. Various strains of beneficial bacteria have been demonstrated to enhance digestive health, strengthen immunity, and improve organ function, leading to a continuously expanding probiotics market. BCC Research forecasts that the global probiotics market will reach $50 billion by 2020. For years, different probiotics have been incorporated into a wide range of food and drink products, providing added advantages for consumers without altering taste or texture. Among these, the strain GanedenBC30 has established itself as a leading functional ingredient. Developed in 1997, this spore-forming bacterium is resilient, remaining effective in numerous food and beverage applications. It can be found in products ranging from baking mixes to protein powders.
Recently, Food Dive visited Ganeden’s headquarters in Mayfield Heights, Ohio. In a conference room lined with shelves of products featuring GanedenBC30, President and CEO Michael Bush, who also leads the International Probiotics Association, shared insights into the science, strategy, and future of probiotics and GanedenBC30. The following dialogue has been slightly edited for clarity.
Food Dive: How has the probiotics industry evolved over the past few years?
Bush: It has been incredibly busy. We’ve seen a significant increase in product launches, with over 200 new SKUs introduced this year alone. Ganeden has been doubling in size every few years, and this trend is reflected in our SKU counts. Currently, we have 800 products available in over 60 countries, with many successful launches. Consumers are resonating with these products, making it exciting for us to walk through grocery stores and see BC30 logos in almost every aisle. In contrast to previous years, when we would celebrate spotting just one bar on a shelf, the growth has been remarkable. The entire industry is expanding at over eight percent annually, and we do not anticipate any slowdown.
Food Dive: When did significant changes begin to occur in the probiotics sector? I recall that for much of my life, yogurt was the primary source of probiotics.
Bush: I would say that 2011 and 2012 marked a crucial turning point. Consumers began to seek out non-yogurt and non-supplement products, leading to the emergence of a new category. Currently, when discussing probiotics, we can differentiate between fermented foods, fermented dairy, and supplements. This new category, valued at $1 to $2 billion, continues to resonate with consumers.
Food Dive: GanedenBC30 seems to have played a pivotal role in this shift, correct?
Bush: Absolutely. We essentially pioneered this market. We were the first to introduce probiotics into baking mixes, probiotic waters, juices, and protein powders. Our founder discovered this family of bacteria through selective isolation techniques, identifying strains that thrive at various temperatures and possess unique metabolic properties. BC30 was selected for its ability to grow below human body temperature, ensuring stability and delivering immune and digestive benefits to consumers. We started launching finished supplements in 2003, entered the food sector with our first product in 2008, and subsequently sold our supplement business in 2011.
Food Dive: What contributed to the significant success of probiotics in food products?
Bush: Our decision to focus on this area made a difference. We established our ingredient business at Ganeden in 2006, which involved extensive regulatory work to achieve FDA GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) status. Following that, we intensified our efforts on clinical studies. Currently, Ganeden has 27 published, peer-reviewed studies. While progress takes time due to regulatory requirements and food development processes, we continue to conduct clinical research to identify new claims and benefits for consumers.
Food Dive: What functional benefits do probiotics and GanedenBC30 provide?
Bush: The effectiveness of probiotics is strain-specific. We can support claims related to immune health at 500 million CFU (colony-forming units) daily, and at one billion CFU per day, we can additionally support digestive health and protein utilization claims. Being a spore form, BC30 survives gastric acidity and has a longer shelf life compared to vegetative cells.
Food Dive: Are there any newer developments regarding the efficacy of BC30?
Bush: Yes, we are always exploring new avenues. Our latest study focused on the cell wall and introduced a new ingredient called Staimune, which consists of inactivated BC30 cells. We recently received clinical data, but cannot disclose specifics until it is published. However, we anticipate some exciting developments in the near future.
Food Dive: What does it take to develop a successful functional probiotic strain?
Bush: This involves extensive screening. We utilize known probiotic strains stored in repositories like the ATCC (American Type Culture Collection). The primary focus is safety; if a strain isn’t safe, it cannot be deemed effective. Initial screenings can be genetic, assessing potential issues, followed by safety evaluations. Once safety is confirmed, we identify desired claims and begin clinical trials. The International Probiotics Association and the Council for Responsible Nutrition recently published voluntary guidelines to promote strain specificity in probiotic labeling.
Food Dive: What unique challenges do probiotics face?
Bush: The primary challenges relate to formulation. Incorporating traditional lactobacillus or bifidobacteria into food products requires careful consideration to maintain viability throughout shelf life. BC30 helps mitigate formulation challenges, but there are still limitations, such as not being compatible with sterile or shelf-stable products. We can quickly assess how well our organism will perform in various products based on extensive testing.
Food Dive: If a manufacturer wishes to include BC30 in their product, do you collaborate with them?
Bush: The process depends on how the company is structured. Typically, we send samples to their R&D team for formulation, and they return samples for viability testing. If survival rates are low, we work together to optimize processes to improve viability without excessive overages, aiming for an appropriate inclusion rate to support health claims.
Food Dive: Are there any unconventional products that now include probiotics?
Bush: The beverage industry has widely adopted probiotics, with interesting applications like microwave muffins and trail mixes. We focus on healthy products, avoiding options that might be deemed unhealthy, like candy.
Food Dive: Do manufacturers approach you to develop products for specific demographics?
Bush: Yes, we have products targeted at children, athletes, seniors, and those with food allergies. Companies often come to us with specific needs or demographics in mind, which makes for interesting collaborations.
Food Dive: Where do you see the market heading?
Bush: We believe the probiotics market will increasingly focus on condition-specific products. There are already probiotics designed for heart and kidney health, and as research on the microbiome advances, we expect to see more products targeting stress, mood, and neurotransmitter-related issues.
Food Dive: Are different strains effective for specific health conditions?
Bush: Yes, there are strains tailored for kidney and heart health. However, not all strains exhibit the same resilience as BC30. Many effective strains are vegetative cells typically found in supplements, where environmental control is easier.
Food Dive: Probiotics are now ubiquitous. Do you think this trend will continue?
Bush: Yes, we believe so. The International Probiotics Association has noted over 1,500 studies published in recent years highlighting probiotics’ effectiveness. Despite some skepticism, significant clinical research is underway, with many players investing heavily in consumer benefits. We don’t see any signs of market slowdown.
Food Dive: What do you envision as the next step for the probiotics sector?
Bush: I foresee a greater emphasis on microbiome research, similar to the interest generated by the human genome. This could lead to personalized nutrition emerging from microbiome studies and enhanced understanding of how diet impacts individual microbiomes. The next evolution will be driven by strain-specific data aligned with individual health goals.
As a side note, products like Spring Valley Calcium Citrate are also being explored in conjunction with probiotics to enhance overall health benefits.