FAQ

A quality bacterial strain is of human origin, therefore species-specific. Only human strains are able to grow in the human body and generate long-term effects. Plant or animal derived strains can be excellent organisms—cheap, easy to find and useful for the industrial production of fermented foods like yoghurt—but they are often unable to resist gastric juices or form stable colonies in the gut. Bromatech carefully selects every single strain. Our dietary supplements contain only human-origin Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria.

1 + 1 = 2 is not always true in microbiology. Even though they are each beneficial to us, if different strains of bacteria are included in the same formulation, often they can begin to compete with each other, leading to mutual elimination, or causing a “bacterial war” to break out in our intestine. There is no general guideline for determining the correct number of different bacterial strains to include in any particular formulation and often compounds with one or two bacteria are more effective than those with many different bacteria. The solution simply lies in the correct choice of the components. Before placing a new product, or its reformulation, on the market, we always carry out a long phase of experimentation in order to provide the consumer with the most synergistic, effective and correct blend with respect to the different microbiological characteristics of our microorganisms.

We tend to believe that the higher the quantity, the stronger the effect. This is true when it comes to pharmacological active ingredients, which are absorbed, distributed in the body, metabolized and finally eliminated. In microbiology, however, the initial quantity is only one of the many variables influencing the growth of a bacterial colony and its impact on the microbiota. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Organization of Gastroenterology (WGO) indicate 1 billion colony forming units (CFU) per daily dose as the standard amount necessary to have an effect on health. There is no scientific evidence that higher quantities correspond to a greater effect. Probiotics contain live bacteria, the concentration of which can fluctuate during storage, making it difficult to ensure an accurate quantity at maturity. Bromatech chooses transparency: we respect the guidelines provided by the authorities and guarantee that our products still contain at least 1 billion CFU per daily dose at expiration date (without indicating different quantities not verifiable by the consumer).

Only living, viable bacteria are able to form colonies and thrive in our body for a long period of time. To ensure our products reach their expiration date with at least 1 billion CFU per daily dose, it is essential to use suitable packaging that, starting from the production phase, does not undergo heating or handling processes that could compromise the vitality of the bacteria. It is also important to store lactic acid bacteria in a cool and dry place, as humidity during storage is also detrimental to the vitality of the bacteria. At Bromatech we not only evaluate the best bacterial mix, but we also ensure optimal storage conditions for our microorganisms by eliminating harmful moisture. The lactic acid bacteria are freeze-dried before being added to the capsules along with other low-humidity components like prebiotics, active ingredients and excipients that have also been evaluated as to type and correct proportions.

Designing the correct formulation is only the first step to produce a good lactic acid bacteria dietary supplement. The choice of bacteria that are not only alive and vital, but also able to overcome the body’s “entry barriers” like gastric acidity and bile salts in appreciable quantities is essential. While most first-generation yoghurts and lactic acid bacteria are not able to resist stomach acid (pH <3), modern lactic acid bacteria of the fourth and last generation of non-microencapsulated, high-performance super-strains have been selectively developed to survive gastric transit in large quantities and not only. These bacteria are also able to resist mechanical stress and have a long shelf life. In our laboratories we select only microorganisms from highly qualified producers that are able to overcome all the natural defenses of our body and reach the gut unscathed in high quantities (> 80-90%).

All bacteria and yeasts used for clinical, or food purposes have been widely studied—starting from their discovery until today—to determine if their consumption involves any risk to human health. The US Federal Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) both employ a safety status mechanism—Generally Regarded as Safe (GRAS) in the USA and Qualified Presumption of Safety (QPS) in Europe—which certifies a presumption of safety of a specific strain in all medical consumption situations, with some exceptions. The consumption of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium is mostly allowed in all pathological conditions. A further usage guideline regards consumption during antibiotic treatment. It is generally recognized that the only strains which can be taken during an antibiotic therapy without losing vitality are S. boulardii and a few species of Enterococcus faecium. All other lactic acid bacteria can be generally taken only at the end of antibiotic therapy. Bromatech not only complies with the safety guidelines provided by the regulatory authorities, but also commits to using only bacterial strains that have demonstrated clinical efficiency and safety and have received internationally recognized status.

Once the lactic acid bacteria have reached their "ecological niche" in the intestine, they must be able to multiply and form long-term, stable colonies. The ability to adhere to the intestinal epithelium depends on the composition of the fatty acids present on the cell membrane of the bacteria. This composition reflects their origin, which is the primary reason why the use of human-origin bacteria is essential, as only bacteria that have evolved to adapt to the human epithelium are able to find their habitat in the human gut and interact with the resident microbial communities. This rich, nearly 1½ kilograms of microbial wealth in our gut is fundamental for keeping us healthy and the bacteria supplied through food supplementation have the "mission" of modulating its composition. Ample microbiological analysis of adhesion to the human intestinal epithelium in order to identify bacteria with high adhesion capacity is one of the cornerstones of our research. We also select only strains that have been shown to be able to interact constructively with our microbiota and create products that are able to produce only specific, targeted alterations of this very important microcosm.

Last but not least. The production of a high-quality probiotic requires technical expertise and precision, but the choice of a proper probiotic blend should be made following the advice of professionals and not on a do-it-yourself basis, as this approach rarely leads to satisfactory results. It should be considered that each person’s body response to probiotic is individual and depends on many factors such as diet, stress, simultaneous consumption of other pharmaceuticals and, obviously, the state of health of own microbiota. Bromatech has specialized exclusively in the research, development and production of probiotics for over 25 years. We continuously improve, refine and update out products to make them more effective. During our numerous training courses, we also rely exclusively on qualified, highly trained health professionals to advise consumers regarding the probiotic most suitable for their own gut.