Roadmap for Microbiota optimisation

What are we trying to achieve and why? What is the problem we are trying to solve?

Establishing analytical methods to standardise the pro/prebiotics used

What are the scientific and technological challenges (knowledge gaps needing to be addressed)?

Standardised technical and analytical methods to produce, deliver and use of pro/prebiotics.
Growing anaerobic bacteria (a lot of the bacteria associated with health are strict anaerobes and fermentation companies are not set up to grow these).
Regulatory framework (what organisms can one use and standardisation of the product). Classification as therapeutic or nutritional will impact on this.
Standardisation of dose – may depend on strain of organism.
Develop a stable way to delivery and store probiotics – especially anaerobes
Purity and genomic stability of bacteria grown.
Screen for unwanted bacteria/genomic elements.
Production of all the different types (cocktail) of microorganisms to achieve effect.
Creating an effective ecological system in which other wanted organisms thrive.

What approaches could/should be taken to address the research question?

Study on effective methods to store and deliver probiotics to target maintaining their viability.
Exploration of further biocompatible materials for delivery of probiotics.
Study on efficacy of delivery routes / effects on performance for different products.

What else needs to be done before we can solve this need?

Existing knowledge including successes and failures

Microencapsulation technologies are available
Several biomaterials for encapsulation are available (e.g. gelatin, chitosan, whey proteins, cellulose acetate, locust bean gum…)