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Danisco has attained long-term access to two highly documented probiotic strains in a new licence agreement with Fonterra. The agreement also marks Danisco’s launch of the strains, marketed as Howaru bifido and Howaru rhamnosus, on the dietary supplement market.

Danisco Vice President Dairy Supplements Business Unit Scott Bush welcomed the renewed opportunity to supply the probiotics for many years ahead, and looks forward to a stronger development partnership between Danisco and Fonterra. “Howaru bifido and rhamnosus offer our customers a unique competitive advantage, as they make it possible to market products with proven benefits,” Bush says.

“Health professionals, regulatory authorities and consumers are increasingly aware that probiotic health benefits are strain-specific. More and more, they require that these benefits be demonstrated in human clinical studies. Yet some probiotic products on the market still contain strains that have little or no documentation of health benefits in human clinical studies. For the Howaru strains, we have such evidence of efficacy.”

Clinically proven key products in Danisco’s leading range of premium probiotic cultures, Howaru bifido and Howaru rhamnosus are clinically proven to strengthen the human digestive and immune systems. Since 2001, when Fonterra first granted marketing and selling rights to Danisco, the strains have been successfully applied in a wide range of applications with strong health benefit statements.

As human clinical studies continue to provide more evidence of the strains’ health benefits, the global market for probiotics is experiencing annual growth of around 10%, with the growth rate in North America currently at 20%. It is against this positive backdrop that Danisco has chosen to launch Howaru bifido and Howaru rhamnosus on the dietary supplement market. Young Living Essential Oils has become the first customer applying them in its high potency probiotic supplement, Life 5.

The supplement builds and restores core intestinal health by providing five clinically proven probiotic strains, including three advanced 'super strains' to enhance intestinal health, sustain energy and improve immunity.