Probiotics in foods vs. supplements

Consumption of Probiotic Bacteria through the Ages

Plain Yogurt
Before the advent of refrigeration, people all over the world preserved food through the process of fermentation or culturing. This was a necessary and critical step to stop the growth of pathogenic organisms that would proliferate in a particular food product over time when left at room temperature or above. Fermentation and culturing of a food or beverage product allows the natural "beneficial" bacteria in the environment to proliferate within the food or beverage product. The probiotic bacteria secrete the very important lactic acid and other organic acids which lower the pH of the product (increases acidity) and keep pathogenic organisms from multiplying. In this way throughout history, people have been consuming probiotic bacteria on an almost daily basis via the cultured and fermented foods and beverages that they would regularly consume.

Lack of Dietary Probiotic Bacteria in the 21stCentury

Cabbage In modern day, with refrigeration readily available in developed countries, there is no need to ferment or culture food to preserve it from spoiling. Today, in developed countries, the reasons for fermenting a food or beverage product are mostly to yield increased taste and/or nutritional benefits. Yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and tempeh are examples of commonly consumed cultured or fermented food products found at grocery and health food stores alike.

There are many benefits to consuming fermented and cultured foods on a daily basis and making these foods part of your regular diet. Not only do probiotic bacteria found in cultured products, such as yogurt, impart a tangy and tasty flavor to the product, but more importantly they offer many health benefits which include improved intestinal health, enhanced digestion and nutrient absorption, and strengthening of the immune system.

Dietary Probiotic Supplements Offer Convenient and Concentrated Dose of Beneficial Bacteria

In the past twenty years, there has been a significant increase in the production and distribution of probiotic dietary supplements. Jarrow Formulas was one of the very first dietary supplement companies to offer a mixed-strain probiotic supplement, Jarro-Dophilus™, which debuted in health food stores in 1986. Twenty-one years later, in 2007, there are myriad probiotic supplement offerings from a variety of companies. These products are sold in a variety of formats such as tablets, capsules, powders, chewable tablets, drinkable "shots", and nutritional bars to mention a few.

Refrigerated vs. Shelf-Stable Probiotic Products

At the health food store or natural grocery store, you will find most probiotic supplements stored in the refrigerator. The reason for this method of storage is that most probiotic bacteria are sensitive to heat and moisture, which can work together, or independently, to kill off the live probiotic organisms and make the product ineffective for the consumer. Probiotics thrive at cooler temperatures and will maintain their CFU count throughout shelf-life when stored at or below 40°F.

Shelf-stable probiotics supplements are sold, of course, on the shelf and are not found in the probiotic refrigerator. The convenience factor of shelf-stable probiotic products is a major highlight for consumers, who like to travel with their probiotics and not worry about refrigerating the supplement when traveling. In mid-2001, Jarrow Formulas launched Jarro-Dophilus EPS (Enhanced Probiotic System), one of the first shelf-stable probiotic products to enter the growing probiotics market. EPS garnered much attention due to its shelf-stability, enteric coated capsules, and blister packaging, which were, at the time, advanced technologies in probiotic product offerings. Jarrow Formulas is able to achieve shelf-stability with EPS through modern advances in packaging, capsule coating, and probiotic strain production technologies. Jarro-Dophilus EPS is currently the #1 probiotic product in the U.S. for 2006 & 2007 amongst all probiotic dietary supplement offerings.