Oct 11 201 --- A major collaboration between the Teagasc Food Research Centre and the Japanese company Suntory Wellness Limited on research into probiotics is commencing. This new collaboration is funded under an Enterprise Ireland Innovation Partnership scheme.

A leading scientist, Takayuki Izumo, from the Japanese Company; Suntory Wellness Limited will be working at the Teagasc Food Research Centre, Moorepark for the next two years. He will work closely with Teagasc researcher Dr. Catherine Stanton and scientists in the Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre (APC) to characterise the health effects of the probiotic bacteria Lactobacillus pentosus.

The scientists will compare a Japanese Suntory Lactobacillus pentosus with similar strains in the culture collection at the Teagasc food research centre in Moorepark.  The strains will be compared and contrasted in relation to a number of activities including anti-obesity, immunomodulatory and antimicrobial activities.  Ultimately the project will investigate Lactobacillus pentosus strains as probiotics, and will evaluate the efficacy of these Japanese and Irish cultures for the development of credible and substantiated health claims.