Sun Genomics and NZMP expand probiotics partnership

Sun Genomics, creator of Floré, a fully customised precision probiotic, and NZMP, the ingredients arm of dairy company Fonterra, announced an expansion of their existing partnership aimed at better understanding the various health benefits of probiotics. With an ongoing goal to conduct in-depth consumer research, Sun Genomics and NZMP are launching the second phase of a joint clinical trial known as “Project Happy.” 

Beginning 1 September, the six-week trial is designed to further validate findings from the brands’ first consumer pilot study, which tested NZMP’s LactoB HN001 strain with 52 Floré customers to determine if there were any significant improvements in mental wellness and happiness. After 60 days of consuming a probiotic formulation and rating their psychological well-being on the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire, participants’ mean happiness score increased. The difference between the data was statistically significant, showing that participants felt happier after taking the probiotics. 

Aiming to gather additional data on the link between gut health and happiness, Sun Genomics and NZMP are launching a larger follow-up study with 120 participants. 

“We are proud to work on developing the next generation of probiotics, all while discovering new functionalities and health benefits,” says Neal Gidvani, chief operating officer of Sun Genomics. “By uncovering powerful responses to novel probiotic strains, such as a boost in happiness levels, we are adding significant value to our current approach. Ultimately, this allows us to grow our consumer offering and help more people than ever before.” 

With existing research linking gastrointestinal health to improved mood, the intent of this study is to further prove the hypothesis that gut health can have a tangible impact on a person’s overall happiness. Additionally, it aims to confirm that the benefits of probiotics can be seen outside of clinical settings and withstand the rigors of normal lifestyles. 

“After analysing the results of our first pilot study, we knew that it would be beneficial to expand our relationship with Sun Genomics and build upon that success,” says Chris Ireland, US Probiotics business manager of the Active Lifestyle division at NZMP. “Since nothing of this scale has ever been done before, we are looking forward to sharing our findings with researchers and consumers alike.” 

Happiness is an increasingly important topic for many. In the 2022 World Happiness Report, the US ranked behind 15 other countries, despite its relatively high overall standard of living. 

To collect additional information on consumers’ stress levels, moods and probiotics usage, NZMP recently surveyed more than 1,000 US adults through CARAVAN. Of the 37% of respondents who reported having stress and mood issues, 18% said that they currently take probiotics to help with this and 65% said that they would consider it. 

The relationship between Sun Genomics and NZMP began in 2018, when NZMP was impressed by Sun Genomics’ customisable approach to health via personalized probiotics. For more information on Floré, visit www.flore.com. 

 

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