The Muscle Mag
The partnership between APC and Kerry will leverage APC’s two decades of expertise in microbiome research and Kerry’s proven track record in bringing science-based ingredients to global markets.
Based in Ireland, the partners will concentrate on biotic technologies to create innovative solutions targeting the gut-brain axis for addressing issues related to stress, anxiety, and mood.
New findings will enhance Kerry’s existing ProActive Health lineup, which features a variety of clinically validated, branded ingredients for the food, beverage, and supplements sectors.
Gut-brain innovation
The collaboration has already yielded results in the area of gut-brain interaction. Kerry Group exhibited a postbiotic concept focused on cognitive and immune health at Vitafoods earlier this year, developed in partnership with APC researchers.
One of the products showcased was the Stressless Immune summer fruit gummy, which includes Wellmune Adapt, a proprietary baker’s yeast beta glucan postbiotic for immune support, along with vitamin C and Sensoril ashwagandha to address stress-related immune challenges.
Research published in iScience demonstrated that Wellmune functions as a modulator of the innate immune system, with input from a team of researchers from Kerry, Trinity College Dublin, and APC Microbiome Ireland.
Recent research
APC is known for groundbreaking microbiome research, with over 3,000 peer-reviewed publications to date. The institute has successfully collaborated with industry on science-based probiotics and products, securing over €72 million in research funding.
Recent studies by APC researchers have highlighted the connection between social anxiety disorder (SAD) and microbiota composition, pointing to the role of gut microbiota in modulating responses to social fear stimuli.
Using fecal microbiota transplants (FMT) in mice, the team found that microbiota from SAD patients can negatively impact gut bacterial colonization and increase sensitivity to social fear triggers.
Prof. John Cryan, VP for Research and Innovation at UCC and lead author of the study, emphasized the potential for developing therapeutics for individuals with SAD based on these findings.
