Definition:

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HOLIVE®Bifidobacterium BB-12 Health Benefits:

Bifidobacterium bifidum is a lactic acid-producing, gram-positive, non-spore-forming, non-motile anaerobic bacterium. Bifidobacteria were discovered and isolated from the feces of breast-fed infants in 1899 and are a common component of the indigenous flora of the human gut.

HOLIVE®Bifidobacterium BB-12 is a peroxidase-negative, rod-shaped bacterium belonging to Bifidobacterium animalis subspecies lactis.

■ Source

HOLIVE®Bifidobacterium BB-12 is a well-developed technology that has demonstrated fermentation vigor, good stability, and a high degree of acid and bile tolerance and is also used as a lyophilized product in dietary supplements. In addition, HOLIVE®Bifidobacterium BB-12 has no side effects on taste, appearance or food texture and survives in probiotic foods until consumed.

Particularities of HOLIVE®Bifidobacterium BB-12:

Product Specifications:

HOLIVE®Bifidobacterium BB-12 is available in the following specification and contents, and accept customoziation.

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☑ HOLIVE®Bifidobacterium BB-12 powder 10 billion CFU/g

Product quality standards:

● In house, Infant formula, Food grade

▶ Adjustment of the intestinal function

▶ Immune function modulation

HOLIVE®Bifidobacterium BB-12 Applications:

HOLIVE®Bifidobacterium BB-12 has achieved extensive penetration across multiple sectors including infant formula, dietary supplements and fermented foods, owing to its universal tolerability, high level of clinical evidence and regulatory compliance across diverse regions.

Infant formula is the core application area for HOLIVE®Bifidobacterium BB-12 Suitable products include infant formula milk powder (0-12 months), follow-on formula milk powder (6-12 months), toddler formula milk powder (1-3 years), infant formula for special medical purposes, and infant complementary food nutritional supplements (e.g. nutritional sachets, rice cereal). In infant formula milk powder, microencapsulation technology is employed (acid/bile resistant). It is blended with prebiotics (galacto-oligosaccharides GOS and fructo-oligosaccharides FOS, in a 2:1 ratio). Processing temperatures are maintained below 60°C (dry-blended after spray drying).

Applications of HOLIVE®Bifidobacterium BB-12 within dietary supplements for adults, children and the elderly encompass single-strain probiotic supplements, multi-strain probiotic formulations combined with LGG, Lactobacillus acidophilus and so on, synbiotic products containing both probiotics and prebiotics, and functional supplements designed to support gut health, immune regulation and allergy relief. Microencapsulation technology is employed to ensure that the live bacterial count loss remains at ≤10% throughout the product's shelf life at ambient temperatures. Enteric-coated capsule formulations prevent gastric acid degradation and release live bacteria within the intestine (pH 6.8-7.2). Powder formulations incorporate natural sweeteners such as erythritol and stevioside to mask the odour of the bacteria, enabling them to be consumed directly in beverages.

Applications of HOLIVE®Bifidobacterium BB-12 within the fermented dairy sector include yoghurt, fermented milk beverages, drinks containing lactic acid bacteria, cheese, yoghurt ice cream and plant-based fermented foods such as fermented soy milk beverages. During fermentation, HOLIVE®Bifidobacterium BB-12 is metabolised to produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and B vitamins, thereby enhancing the nutritional value of the final products. It works synergistically with traditional starter cultures to improve product texture by increasing viscosity and reducing whey separation, as well as improving flavour by lowering lactose content and imparting a mild acidity. Other food applications include functional beverages, baked goods, confectionery and snacks. Sports drinks and electrolyte waters fortified with HOLIVE®Bifidobacterium BB-12 and prebiotics claim to support gut recovery after exercise. Children's functional beverages have a low sugar content and are fortified with added vitamins, making them suitable for daily consumption. Probiotic biscuits and bread utilise low-temperature baking processes that incorporate encapsulated HOLIVE®Bifidobacterium BB-12 to prevent inactivation at high temperatures. Probiotic gummies use a gel matrix (gelatine or pectin) containing dispersed encapsulated HOLIVE®Bifidobacterium BB-12 formulations.

As a beneficial probiotic naturally present in the human gut, HOLIVE®Bifidobacterium BB-12 competes with harmful bacteria (such as Escherichia coli and Clostridium perfringens) to inhibit their adhesion to the intestinal mucosa. It promotes the growth of beneficial bacteria, such as Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus species, thereby optimising gut microbiota composition. In cases of diarrhoea associated with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), HOLIVE®Bifidobacterium BB-12 reduces the frequency of diarrhoea and improves stool consistency by regulating intestinal motility and microbial metabolism. It also alleviates accompanying symptoms such as bloating and abdominal pain. It is metabolised to produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), such as acetate and propionate, which lower intestinal pH and stimulate smooth muscle contractions. This increases stool bulk and water content, thereby promoting bowel movements. It also enhances the expression of tight junction proteins (such as occludin and ZO-1) in intestinal epithelial cells. This strengthens mucosal integrity and prevents undigested macromolecules or allergens from entering the bloodstream.

HOLIVE®Bifidobacterium BB-12 stimulates the activity of innate immune cells within the intestinal mucosa, such as macrophages and dendritic cells. It promotes the secretion of anti-inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-10 and TGF-β, while inhibiting the release of pro-inflammatory factors, such as IL-6 and TNF-α. This balances the intestinal immune microenvironment. It also promotes the secretion of secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) by the intestinal mucosa, which serves as the mucosal barrier's 'first line of defence' by neutralising pathogens and allergens. In elderly individuals or those with compromised immunity, this regulation of immune cell activity enhances resistance to pathogens and reduces the risk of community-acquired infections. Bifidobacterium BB-12 can suppress Th2-type immune responses (allergy-related) and promote a balance between Th1 and Th2 responses, reducing the production of allergen-specific IgE antibodies.

▶ Health benefits exclusively for infants and young children

Bifidobacteria make up 60-90% of the gut microbiota in breastfed infants. HOLIVE®Bifidobacterium BB-12 helps formula-fed infants to establish a gut microbiome similar to that of breastfed infants, thereby promoting intestinal development. In preterm or low birth weight infants, supplementation with HOLIVE®Bifidobacterium BB-12 reduces the incidence of necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) by 40%-50%. NEC is a severe condition commonly encountered in neonatal intensive care units. HOLIVE®Bifidobacterium BB-12 aids the absorption of nutrients such as calcium, iron and vitamins in infants and young children, whilst also metabolising to produce B vitamins (including B1, B6 and folic acid), thereby supporting growth and development.

☑ HOLIVE®Bifidobacterium BB-12 powder 50 billion CFU/g

■ Biological characteristics

HOLIVE®Bifidobacterium BB-12 expresses specific adhesion proteins on its surface, such as fibronectin-binding protein and BopA adhesin. These enable it to bind to components of the mucus layer on intestinal epithelial cell surfaces, such as mucins MUC2 and MUC3, as well as to cell surface receptors, such as glycoproteins and glycolipids. This forms stable 'bacteria-mucosa' interactions. BB-12 efficiently ferments multiple soluble dietary fibres and prebiotics, such as galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS), fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) and inulin, producing short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), including acetic acid, propionic acid and butyric acid. This lowers the intestinal pH to between 5.5 and 6.0, thereby inhibiting the proliferation of harmful bacteria, which predominantly favour neutral or alkaline environments. BB-12 also inhibits the production of toxic metabolites, such as ammonia, indole and hydrogen sulphide, by harmful gut bacteria (e.g. reducing hydrogen sulphide levels by 35-45%), thereby decreasing inflammatory stimuli and mucosal damage within the intestinal tract.

■ Production process

The production process for HOLIVE®Bifidobacterium BB-12 involves a rigorously standardised anaerobic fermentation procedure. The core objectives are to ensure strain purity, a high viable cell count, stability and intestinal colonisation capacity. Strain preservation and revival are controlled from the outset to guarantee purity and stability. Seed culture expansion uses stepwise propagation to meet the microbial biomass requirements for industrial fermentation. The core process is industrial-scale fermentation, which produces high concentrations of viable bacteria with real-time monitoring of fermentation parameters. Post-fermentation treatment involves separation, purification and concentration of the cells, and removal of impurities. Freeze-drying protection and lyophilisation are critical technologies that maintain bacterial viability. The freeze-dried lumpy powder is pulverised to 80-100 mesh to enhance its flowability and uniformity. Lyophilized viable bacteria of the Bifidobacterium BB-12 in the culture medium. The culture medium consists of yeast autolysate, enzymatic casein hydrolysate, lactose monohydrate, maltodextrin, purified water.

☑ HOLIVE®Bifidobacterium BB-12 powder 100 billion CFU/g

☑ HOLIVE®Bifidobacterium BB-12 powder 200 billion CFU/g

The health benefits of HOLIVE®Bifidobacterium BB-12 (Bifidobacterium bifidum subsp. lactis) are backed by over 300 scientific publications and more than 200 human clinical trials covering all age groups, from infants to the elderly. Its primary benefits focus on gut health and immune regulation, and there is also clear evidence of its effectiveness in areas such as metabolic management and allergy prevention.