New breed of toothfriendly foods coming soon

New products containing an ingredient that binds to the bacteria in the mouth that are responsible for tooth decay and stops them sticking to teeth, could hit the market next year.

The active ingredient in pro-t-action is Lactobacillus paracasei​. This could have broad applications in food and drink because it is “effectively dead, meaning it does not need to be kept cool”, said a spokesman at German chemicals giant BASF, which has tied up with OrganoBalance - a specialist in microbial strain development - to commercialise the ingredient.
Pro-t-action could potentially be used in everything from chewing gum and sugar-free sweets to smoothies, he revealed. “As the cells are dead, they are easier to apply to the production process and easier to formulate to the end product - and there is also no need for encapsulation or stabilisation.”
Pro-t-action is tasteless, odourless and pH-neutral, he added. “It works in a matter of seconds. Potential applications would be any everyday products that stay in the mouth for 10 to 15 seconds. We expect the first oral hygiene products to come on the market in 2010/2011.”
OrganoBalance has been working with BASF on a proprietary production process enabling Lactobacillus paracasei​ to be integrated into everyday consumer products like toothpaste, mouthwash, sweets, lozenges, chewing gums and drinks, Dr Caterina Holz, director of research, at Organobalance, told Food Manufacture​: “The cells in our probiotic product are definitively dead due to the production process. The microorganisms are fermented, then stabilised, pasteurised and dried after harvesting.”
She added: “During our studies we could show that the specific activity of the pro-t-action-LB paracasei​ organism is heat resistant (30 minutes at 80°C, 20 minutes at 120°C), which means the activity survives heavy processing.”
The product also has a “good shelf-life of at least six months”, she said.
Caries-causing bacteria such as Streptococcus mutans​ drive tooth decay by converting sugar in food into acids. These destroy tooth enamel, reduce essential minerals protecting the teeth and lead to lesions or cavities. In tests, the L. paracasei​, in pro-t-action precisely targets Streptococcus mutans​ and binds exclusively to them to form clumps, which can be flushed out of the mouth through swallowing or rinsing.
Dr Markus Pompejus, senior manager BASF Future Business, said: “This offers new and exciting possibilities in the way of significantly improving oral health.”
Research on L. paracasei​ was conducted by OrganoBalance and BASF, in collaboration with the School of Dental Medicine at the University of Connecticut.