2023-12-11 18:07:00
“Probiotics are commonly taken at room temperature or cold because there is a belief that ingesting them with a drink at a higher temperature, such as a herbal tea, can kill the bacterial component or cause a reduction in effectiveness. In truth, among probiotic bacteria there is a type of bacilli, such as Bacillus Coagulans, which not only does not fear high temperatures, but finds them suitable for its development, rooting and subsequent performance of biological functions, having an optimal temperature for its growth above 50°C”. Thus Fabio Pace, head of the Department of Gastroenterology and Digestive Endoscopy of the Bolognini Hospital in Seriate (Bergamo), sheds light on microbiota and probiotics – also debunking fake news and false myths and providing useful advice to increase the immune defenses which are particularly under pressure in the months winter – on the occasion of the launch of three innovative Bonomelli herbal teas with probiotic, capable of combining the pleasure of a hot drink, the functionality of herbs and the benefits for the intestinal flora in a single cup.
70% of the cells of our immune system – explains a note – are found right in the intestine, in the microbiota, an ecosystem of over 100 trillion ‘good’ microorganisms. There is a very close collaboration between the immune system and the intestinal microbiota: from birth the former is subjected to training by the microbiota, thus learning to tolerate ‘good’ microorganisms and eliminate ‘bad’ pathogenic ones (acquired immunity). Help to strengthen our immune defenses and the microbiota, according to experts, is to take probiotics, cold but also hot – even if not everyone knows that it is possible – together with a healthy lifestyle and adequate nutrition , i.e. the right mixture of useful substances, in particular vegetable fibres. Probiotics are those precious living microorganisms capable of crossing the gastro-intestinal tract intact and re-establishing the balance of the bacterial flora, providing valid support to the entire organism.
The ‘good’ bacterium used in the production of herbal teas with probiotic Bonomelli belongs to the family of spore-forming probiotic bacteria and, due to its precious characteristics, is among the most studied and increasingly used Gram-positive bacteria in foods to be cooked or in highly warm. In practice, Bacillus Coagulans BC30* is a bacterium capable of producing spores, a dormant form of this microorganism, which allow it to resist and survive extreme environmental conditions. The spores, which can resist in suitable conditions even for a very long time, have in fact a very high resistance to external stresses of various kinds (chemical, thermal, etc.). And this is precisely their strong point: by resisting the infusion temperatures, they begin their ‘awakening’ process, that is, the germination of the bacilli, already in the cup in contact with water and heat, then allowing the bacilli to enter the intestine. find ideal conditions to reproduce and grow. Its benefits are kept intact through an innovative manufacturing process.
With 26.5 million packs sold in 2023 (+40% compared to 2013) – the note continues – food supplements with probiotics are, according to Integratori & Salute data, among the most popular in Italy, the third largest market in the world with over 560 million euros in sales in 2021 (+5% by 2026). We also find them in fermented foods such as kefir or miso, in added yogurt, in certain types of cheeses and in the innovative herbal teas with probiotic Bonomelli, the first brand to introduce this type of drink on the Italian market. It is a range of three herbal teas (Deflating, Immune defenses, After meal), indeed a new frontier of well-being, enhanced by the presence of 1 billion live cells of probiotic Bacillus Coagulans BC30*, which is able to resist high temperatures and, thanks to an innovative manufacturing process, to be activated already in infusion to reach the intestine and carry out its beneficial function on the intestinal flora.
“Winter is one of the moments of maximum consumption for herbal teas and infusions, but also the period of influenza – explains Fausta Fiumi, Marketing & New Business Director Food of Gruppo Montenegro – This pushed us to think of a product capable of uniting the benefits for the intestinal flora to the pleasure of herbal tea, for a synergistic action that enhances that of medicinal plants and herbs. Bonomelli – explains Fiumi – is one of the top players in the herbal drinks sector (chamomile, herbal teas and infusions), which has now exceeded 211 million euros in sales. We boast positive trends in consumption – with a +3.7% in volume in the last 12 months – even in a complex period like this. The trust placed in us by consumer pushes us to continually search for new products to include in our portfolio, to always be in line with the tastes and needs of consumers of all ages”.
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