HOERSHOLM, Denmark—Chr. Hansen announced the launch of a large probiotic study to determine if consumption of probiotics defends against influenza and the common cold.
The new study of 1,058 healthy adults will investigate how consumption of L. casei 431, one of the company’s probiotic strains, will support the immune system in fighting off viral respiratory tract infections.
“Chr. Hansen’s probiotic portfolio is already among the best scientifically documented in the world, and very recently an immune study with remarkable findings was published in the British Journal of Nutrition. The study which we are now initiating will significantly improve the scientific evidence of the immune health benefits of our probiotics in healthy people," says Chr. Hansen’s Birgit Michelsen, Director of Scientific Affairs, Health & Nutrition Division. “The study stands out by being very large, by involving healthy people, and by taking advantage of using the same standards and quality tools as pharmaceutical studies."
The study is conducted in collaboration with the Department of Human Nutrition, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark, and the Harrison Clinical Research in Munich, Germany, a contract research organization.
Professor Lars O. Dragsted who heads up the University of Copenhagen’s research team involved in the study, says: “We are exceptionally pleased and proud to be collaborating with Chr. Hansen on this prestigious study. Carrying this unusually large and ambitious study through requires clinical excellence and we expect it to add significant new evidence to the research area and also benefit the University of Copenhagen as a trusted and competent academic partner."
