From viable spore to metabolic activity.
- 01
Ingest
Bacospore® viable spores in supplement, sachet or functional food.
- 02
Survive
Spores tolerate manufacturing, storage, gastric acid and bile.
- 03
Activate
Reach intestinal environment and become metabolically active.
- 04
Interact
Produce lactic acid, organic acids, enzymes, EPS and antimicrobial substances.
Spore survival & microbiota modulation
The resistant spore structure protects the organism through processing, storage and gastrointestinal transit; once in the intestine, Bacospore® can modulate the local microbiota.
- ◆Competitive exclusion of undesirable organisms
- ◆Lactic acid production lowers local pH
- ◆Bacteriocin-like substances add inhibitory effect
- ◆Enzymes and metabolites support digestion
Mucosal defence & barrier integrity
Bacospore® may reinforce the barrier separating intestinal contents from underlying tissue, supporting tight junctions, mucus and antioxidant balance.
- ◆Maintenance of the gastric mucus barrier
- ◆Preservation of tight-junction integrity
- ◆Reduction of reactive oxygen species
- ◆Support for endogenous antioxidant enzymes
- ◆Modulation of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6
Bile acid metabolism & cholesterol handling
Probiotic cholesterol reduction can occur through several related processes involving bile salts and hepatic cholesterol utilization.
- ◆Deconjugation of bile acids (BSH-associated activity)
- ◆Cholesterol assimilation into bacterial cell structures
- ◆Co-precipitation with deconjugated bile salts
- ◆Increased faecal excretion of bile acids
- ◆Increased hepatic cholesterol utilization
What this means for formulators.
Bacospore® combines a stable spore format with strain-specific gastrointestinal and metabolic activity. The 300B grade is standardized to ≥300 billion viable spores/g, soluble in water, with a two-year shelf life. Formulation levels should be calculated against the intended viable count at end of shelf life, processing conditions and required daily CFU delivery. The molecular pathways above are supported primarily by strain-specific in-vitro and animal-model findings; further mechanistic and clinical research is required to confirm human outcomes.