Growing awareness of the critical role gut health can play in general wellbeing and healthy ageing is driving a boom in probiotic products. According to market intelligence firm GlobalData, the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of the probiotics market was 7.2% between 2019 and 2024. Estimated to be worth $8.89 billion worldwide by the end of 2024, the market is set to expand even further. GlobalData anticipates it will be worth $10.45 billion by 2028, representing growth of almost 20% in three years.
But not all probiotics are created equal. The next step in consumer education will be greater understanding of which probiotic strains are scientifically proven to offer health benefits and specifically what those health benefits are.
Growing focus on gut health
Since the 2020 pandemic, the data flow on obesity, lifestyle-related diseases and declining public health has come thick and fast. World Health Organization (WHO) analysis reveals adult obesity has more than doubled since 1990 and quadrupled among children and adolescents (5 to 19 years of age). WHO research also finds that non-communicable disease (NCD), like cancer, diabetes, heart and kidney disease, which have well established connections to diet, obesity, alcohol, sedentary lifestyles and age, are on the rise.
At the same, the significance and reach of social media platforms like TikTok have accelerated education about the importance of digestive health to our overall wellbeing and not just limited to bowel dysfunction, but many aspects of health. Since 2022, #GutTok has been trending on the social media video sharing site, boasting billions of views, while #GutHealth has 877,000 posts at the time of writing.
Dr. Junichi Minami, manager of international probiotics marketing strategy Team at Morinaga Milk, a dairy company and leader in probiotics researchbased in Tokyo, says: “The health market has never been more vibrant as the digitally-savvy generations get older. Aging well has become a big focus and a growing body of scientific research is showing how the gut microbiome is a focal point for good and bad health – both physical and mental, with conditions like anxiety also being linked to gut microbiota being out of balance.”
Of all the functional ingredients that are proven to support gut health, probiotics – nutritionally beneficial microorganisms often applied to fermented foods such as yoghurt and kefir – are the most well-known, according to consumer research by market intelligence firm GlobalData, which conducts one of the largest surveys in the world every quarter to assess changing attitudes and purchase drivers.
According to GlobalData survey Q1 2024 findings, more than half of global consumers said they felt that probiotics had a positive impact on their health. Generation Y, X and Boomers were particularly keen.
Understanding the science
The rising interest in gut health and in particular the potential power of probiotics is spurring market innovation, particularly in Europe and the US. Asian consumers are much better accustomed to holistic health philosophies and the grocery markets in Japan, China and Southeast Asia are ahead of the West in terms of embracing nutritional ingredients to aid their customer’s health.
Morinaga Milk suggests food and beverage manufacturers seeking to capitalise on the trend to follow the latest science and understand that certain groups and strains of probiotics have superiority in physiological functions as they are better adapted to the human gut environment.
For example, mounting evidence suggests that a group of probiotics which belong to human-residential bifidobacteria (HRB), beneficial bacteria that naturally reside in the gut, in addition to the well-known effect on digestive health, have the capability to produce metabolites such as folate, indole-3 lactic acid and other aromatic lactic acids which have a wide variety of beneficial biological effects including anti-inflammatory activity, immune regulation and neurodevelopment.
Studies are showing that intake of food and drink containing certain strains of these HRBs can improve gastrointestinal symptoms, allergies, reduce antibiotic-induced alterations of gut microbiota, strengthen immune function in elderly people, reduce obesity and even improve skin conditions. Following numerous clinical studies, Morinaga Milk has selected Bifidobacterium. longum BB536 and Bifidobacterium breve B-3 as most effective for tackling those symptoms.
‘An essential probiotic’
“As people age, they experience increased sensitivity to gastrointestinal disorders alongside decreased immune response,” says Junichi. Our extensive research finds BB536, our flagship Bifidobacterium, is an essential probiotic for the senior market, with promising evidence that it improves immunity against infection, alleviates allergy symptoms and improves the intestinal microenvironment. Meanwhile, B-3 has shown potential in reducing body fat mass, alleviating inflammation and promoting healthy metabolic function. In one Morinaga Milk study, adults who took B-3 supplements over 12 weeks lost an average of 0.7kg of fat mass without any calorie or lifestyle restrictions. The probiotic strain is widely adopted in weigh management products.
In addition to food supplement and powder beverage, both B-3 and BB536 can be applied to fresh products such as ice cream as well as pantry staples such as cereal and granola bars.
“Choosing B-3 and BB536 for product development can enrich the product value and contribute to customer wellness and healthy aging, tapping into a market poised for growth,” says Saki Yamashita, assistant manager of the international probiotics marketing strategy team of Morinaga Milk.
