The global market for pre- and probiotic products continues to grow at pace, and the opportunity to personalise such products could unlock further growth for food and beverage companies – but what are the options, how are they best realised, and what risks are involved? Personalised products that improve individual health and wellness show much promise. However, the gut microbiome is still an emerging field. There is no single definition of a ‘healthy’ gut microbiome or of an ‘unbalanced’ microbiome (dysbiosis). What’s more, microbiome data is not an established biomarker. So, while the potential is great – and continues to grow – aligning microbiome-based food and beverage personalisation with robust scientific evidence is not straightforward.

Much of the scientific rigour stems from investigation of multiple microbiome-disease associations like coronary artery disease and inflammatory bowel disease. Another area of significant activity is the gut-brain axis. Some studies indicate a causal effect between gut microbiota, the brain and behaviour, giving rise to ‘psychobiotics’ which might offer mental health benefits. Postbiotics, para-probiotics and synbiotics are also attracting attention…

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