How we pioneer innovations to support gut health, offering tailored solutions for every stage of life throug

Biotics

At Danone, we believe that the future of nutrition and overall health lies in understanding and harnessing the power of biotics for gut health. As research in this field evolves rapidly, new connections are continually discovered between gut health, immunity and physical well-being. Since our beginnings over a century ago, we have always been pioneers in this field, developing innovative products enriched with biotics to meet diverse health needs at all stages of life.

What are biotics?

Biotics are nutritionally active components that positively influence the gut microbiome (the billions of bacteria that populate our digestive tract). They can be divided into four main categories:

 

Probiotics: these are beneficial live bacteria that aid digestion and strengthen the immune system.

 

Prebiotics: a group of non-digestible fibers that feed the beneficial bacteria already present in the intestine.

 

Synbiotics: these combinations of probiotics and prebiotics are designed to act synergistically to improve intestinal health.

 

Postbiotics: these are inactive bacterial components or metabolites that continue to have health benefits by acting on intestinal function.

Our innovations in biotic development

We heve been at the forefront of biotics research for decades (our first probiotic-enriched yogurts date back to the 1980s). Among our major advances in this field is our unique blend of prebiotics (scGOS & lcFOS), which faithfully reproduces the oligosaccharides found in human milk. Studies have shown that this blend helps alleviate allergy symptoms and improves intestinal health in infants who do not receive breastfeeding. 

 

In a similar vein, our synbiotic formulas integrated into our infant milks, which combine specific strains such as Bifidobacterium breve, help restore the intestinal microbiota of infants to mirror that of breastfed babies, thus promoting their health and development.

 

In adults, our exclusive Lactobacillus casei strain can help reduce the occurrence and duration of common infectious diseases, as well as the frequency of antibiotic-associated diarrhea in the elderly.

Looking to the future: improvement, innovation and sustainability

Danone continues to push the boundaries of biotics research. We are committed to understanding how early life nutrition affects gut development, and how imbalances in the microbiota can cause or amplify various diseases. Our ongoing work explores sustainable plant-based biotics that optimize digestion and absorption, providing consumers with diverse, health-enhancing options.

We are involved in research partnerships with companies and institutions all over the world. In conjunction with the University of California at San Diego, for example, we are behind the Human Diets & Microbiome Initiative (THDMI), with the aim of decoding the complexity of gut microbiomes on a global scale.

By combining advanced sequencing and innovative data analysis, we are developing personalized nutritional solutions to address specific health needs, whether managing allergies, gastrointestinal problems or metabolic conditions such as diabetes.

Our vision is to guarantee access to quality nutrition for as many people as possible, adapting it to every stage of life, from infancy to old age, to ensure a healthier future for all.

Explore also:

More from Danone Research

Proteins

At Danone, we're constantly looking for (and finding) ways to bring health to as many people as possible through our nutrition products

Proteins

Biotechnology

At Danone, we leverage biotechnologies to provide nutritious options for people around the world while minimizing our environmental impact. 

Biotechnology
x