Probiotic Bacterium Wins EU Approval (1)

Published: 02.12.2011 09:26

A potential receiver of the benefits
( Photo: Postimees/Scanpix )

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A lactic acid bacterium discovered by Estonian scientists has passed muster with the European Food Safety Authority, paving the way for use throughout the EU.

The country is notable for the probiotic bacteria in yogurt, but this particular strain, Lactobacillus plantarum NCIMB 30236, is used in animal feed to ferment silage.

Discovered  by the Bio-Competence Center for Healthy Dairy Products (TAK), it is one of the first microorganisms in the EU to be granted European Commission permission and entered in the registered list of feed additives.

The director of TAK, Ene Tammsaare, credited scientists from the University of Life Sciences, University of Tartu and the Estonian Research Institute of Agriculture, and the company Starter ST, who had done years of work.

"To this point Estonia has imported silage preservatives but now we have a domestic one with high export potential," she said. The product could be marketed by next spring, said the chairman of the board of Starter ST, Üllas Jaaska.

The bacterium was isolated on southern Estonian grasslands. The lactic acid produced keeps harmful bacterial growth in check.


Kristopher Rikken

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  • avatar

    knut_albers

    02.12.2011 11:47

    "The lactic acid produced keeps harmful bacterial growth in check." I do not find such a passage in Efsa's "Scientific Opinion on the safety and efficacy of Lactobacillus plantarum (NCIMB 30236) as a silage additive for all species" documentaton, but the summary states that "the additive consistently showed the potential to improve the production of silage from all forages by a reducation of pH and increased the preservation of dry matter and protein." Therefore, the EU Approval does not mean a free ride to advertise the products as a health bringer as it was done previously by other Lactobacillus products that were banned by EU regulation [ref. Actimel case, e.g.]. Just for completion and not meant as a critic, "the proteinaceus nature of the active agent means that they have the potential risk to be a skin/respiratory sensitizer and risks for the user cannot be fully excluded."