Actimel

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First launched in Europe in 1994 in innovative 100ml daily-dose bottles, Actimel (also known as DanActive in the United States and Canada) is a 'probiotic' yoghurt-type drink produced by the French company Danone. It is sold in 100ml bottles, typically as an 8, 6 or 4 pack, but more recently as a 12 or 16 pack. The main claimed benefit of Actimel is the strengthening of the body's natural defences through the use of patented bacterial culture called Lactobacillus casei DN-114001, marketed as Lactobacillus casei Defensis or Immunitas(s). Each bottle contains 10 billions of this probiotic bacteria.[1] In addition Actimel has the traditional yoghurt cultures Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus.

Actimel’s meteoric rise helped create a category which did not previously exist. At the most conservative estimate, Actimel earned over €1.4 billion ($1.8 billion) in retail sales in 2006 [2]. Today it can be found in more than 20 European countries as well as in South America and the Middle East. Actimel was released as DanActive in the United States on a limited regional basis in 2004 (flavours Strawberry, Vanilla, and Blueberry) then was given a nationwide launch in 2007 (adding the flavour Cranberry/Raspberry). Its success has helped make Danone one of the world’s biggest players in functional foods.[3]

After the introduction of Yakult in Europe in 1993 several other companies responded releasing their own L. casei based product (including Actimel), starting an advertising war about the properties of each bacteria advantages. Since 1994, L. casei based yogurts have become a common part in West European diets.

Contents

[edit] Ingredients

Standard Actimel (excludes variations such as Actimel Light) contains:

  • Milk (fresh/powder)
  • Sugar (sucrose)
  • Live Lactobacillus casei DN-114001 probiotic strain, 10 billions per 100 mL bottle[4]
  • Live yoghurt cultures

[edit] Scientific basis

The main claimed benefit on body's defences is supported by several scientific studies as reported by the manufacturer various websites[5], although the list of scientific papers appears to be not homogeneous depending on each country's website.[6][7][8]

Benefits could range from diarrhea[9][10][11] and allergy (rhinitis[12]) reduction for young children, improvement of the immune function in adults[13]) and seniors[14][15] and reduction of duration of winter infections for elderly.[16]

Some clinical studies, unmentioned by the manufacturer website, suggest potential effects in hospitalized environment, like eradication of H. pylori along with antibiotics treatment for children[17] or restoration of activity of fecal enzymes in children after surgery.[18]

A recent study published by the British Medical Journal[19] suggests that the product could help to avoid antibiotic associated diarrhea and to limit Clostridium difficile infections in elderly patient, an information that received some media coverage in the UK.[20] In 2008 some British hospitals decided to use the product as part of the patient’s diet to fight the dangerous spread of C. difficile superbug.[21]

More research are on going to demonstrate the effectiveness of this product on fighting more common illnesses in children attending daycare centers in the US [22], as mentioned by the US government website www.clinicaltrials.gov[23] were clinical trials have to be registered prior to their start, in a move to increase overall credibility when studies are financially sponsored by the drug (or food) manufacturer (proponents of a registry argue that the results of clinical trials with negative results are often not published by the sponsor of the study).

[edit] Debates surrounding Health Claims on probiotic foods

On January 23rd 2008, a proposed class action was filed in California, accusing Danone Co. Inc. of false advertising in their marketing of yogurt containing probiotic bacteria (Danactive & Activia), alleging that the claimed health benefits have never been proven [24]. The company has denied this accusation. [25]

Within the 27 countries of the European Union, a new health claims regulation was put in place by the European Commission as of July 1st 2007 [26], under which companies who wish to make claims about the nutritional & functional benefits of a product must support the claims with scientific evidence.[27]

In Canada, a similar regulation is currently in the works at Health Canada,[28], as it plans to update its assessment framework to make the system clearer and the claims more credible.[29]

See also Health claims on food labels.

[edit] Nutrition facts

Danone Actimel plain 0% actually contains 3.3 g of sugar, original plain contains 10.5 g of sugar, multifruit contains 12.0g of sugar for every serving (100g). None of those concentrations are higher than the level defined as “HIGH” by the UK Food Standards Agency (described for concentrations of sugar above 15g per 100g).[30] As a comparison Coca-Cola and orange juices are also in the range of 10g of sugar per 100g, but with a serving size usually higher than 250 ml the total sugar quantity is much higher.

Through Nutrient profiling guidelines, current health claim regulation in European Union may forbid the use of health claim on food products that are nutritionally unbalanced, but dairy products and probiotic drinks are likely to be considered as favorable carrier because their health benefits outweight the fact they might be high in one of the designated 'unhealthy' ingredients.[31]


[edit] References

  1. ^ DanActive: Help strengthen your body's defenses
  2. ^ Account Login and Registration
  3. ^ Account Login and Registration
  4. ^ DanActive: Help strengthen your body's defenses
  5. ^ How does Actimel help to boost your immune system | Scientific evidence | For Children
  6. ^ http://www.actimelusa.com/8044-Lactobacillus%20Casei%20Clin%20study_a.pdf
  7. ^ Actimel Ayuda a tus Defensas
  8. ^ Danone-et-Vous-Vos-Marques-Actimel
  9. ^ Pedone CA, Arnaud CC, Postaire ER, Bouley CF, Reinert P (Nov 2000). "Multicentric study of the effect of milk fermented by Lactobacillus casei on the incidence of diarrhoea". Int J Clin Pract 54(9): 568–71. PMID 11220983. 
  10. ^ Pedone CA, Bernabeu AO, Postaire ER, Bouley CF, Reinert P (Apr-May 1999). "The effect of supplementation with milk fermented by Lactobacillus casei (strain DN-114 001) on acute diarrhoea in children attending day care centres". Int J Clin Pract 53(3): 568–71. PMID 10665128. 
  11. ^ Agarwal KN, Bhasin SK (Dec 2002). "Feasibility studies to control acute diarrhoea in children by feeding fermented milk preparations Actimel and Indian Dahi". Eur J Clin Nutr 56(4): 56–9. doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601664. PMID 12556949. 
  12. ^ Giovannini M, Agostoni C, Riva E, Salvini F, Ruscitto A, Zuccotti GV, Radaelli G; Felicita Study Group (Aug 2007). "A randomized prospective double blind controlled trial on effects of long-term consumption of fermented milk containing Lactobacillus casei in pre-school children with allergic asthma and/or rhinitis". Pediatr Res 62(2): 215–20. doi:10.1203/PDR.0b013e3180a76d94. PMID 17597643. 
  13. ^ Marcos A, Wärnberg J, Nova E, Gómez S, Alvarez A, Alvarez R, Mateos JA, Cobo JM (Dec 2004). "The effect of milk fermented by yogurt cultures plus Lactobacillus casei DN-114001 on the immune response of subjects under academic examination stress". Eur J Nutr 43(6): 381–9. doi:10.1007/s00394-004-0517-8. PMID 15309418. 
  14. ^ Parra MD, Martínez de Morentin BE, Cobo JM, Mateos A, Martínez JA (Jun 2004). "Daily ingestion of fermented milk containing Lactobacillus casei DN114001 improves innate-defense capacity in healthy middle-aged people". J Physiol Biochem 60(2): 85–91. PMID 15457926. 
  15. ^ Parra MD, Martínez de Morentin BE, Cobo JM, Mateos A, Martínez JA (2004). "Monocyte function in healthy middle-aged people receiving fermented milk containing Lactobacillus casei". J Nutr Health Aging 8(4): 208–11. PMID 15316583. 
  16. ^ Turchet P, Laurenzano M, Auboiron S, Antoine JM (2003). "Effect of fermented milk containing the probiotic Lactobacillus casei DN-114001 on winter infections in free-living elderly subjects: a randomised, controlled pilot study". J Nutr Health Aging 7(2): 75–7. PMID 12679825. 
  17. ^ Sýkora J, Valecková K, Amlerová J, Siala K, Dedek P, Watkins S, Varvarovská J, Stozický F, Pazdiora P, Schwarz J (Sep 2005). "Effects of a specially designed fermented milk product containing probiotic Lactobacillus casei DN-114 001 and the eradication of H. pylori in children: a prospective randomized double-blind study". J Clin Gastroenterol 39(8): 692–8. doi:10.1097/01.mcg.0000173855.77191.44. PMID 16082279. 
  18. ^ Pawłowska J, Klewicka E, Czubkowski P, Motyl I, Jankowska I, Libudzisz Z, Teisseyre M, Gliwicz D, Cukrowska B (Dec 2007). "Effect of Lactobacillus casei DN-114001 application on the activity of fecal enzymes in children after liver transplantation". Transplant Proc 39(10): 3219–21. doi:10.1016/j.transproceed.2007.03.101. PMID 18089357. 
  19. ^ Use of probiotic Lactobacillus preparation to prevent diarrhoea associated with antibiotics: randomised double blind placebo controlled trial - Hickson et al., 10.1136/bmj.39231.599815.55 - BMJ
  20. ^ Actimel drinks stop superbug | The Sun |HomePage|News
  21. ^ Doctors unveil latest weapon against hospital superbugs - drinking probiotic yoghurt | Mail Online
  22. ^ Decreasing Rates of Illness in Kids (DRINK) - Full Text View - ClinicalTrials.gov
  23. ^ Home - ClinicalTrials.gov
  24. ^ CTV.ca | Dannon sued over probiotic yogurt claims
  25. ^ Dannon Refutes Class Action Lawsuit Alleging Misleading Claims | Reuters
  26. ^ EFSA releases first health claims guidelines
  27. ^ Health claims deadline passes
  28. ^ Managing Health Claims for Foods in Canada: Towards a Modernized Framework
  29. ^ Canada seeks opinion on health claims review
  30. ^ http://www.eatwell.gov.uk/healthydiet/nutritionessentials/fatssugarssalt/sugars
  31. ^ European nutrient profiling may exempt key food groups

[edit] External links

v • d • e
Groupe Danone Co.
Corporate Directors:
Bruno Bonnell · Richard Goblet d'Alviella · Michel David-Weill · Emmanuel Faber · Jean Laurent · Hirokatsu Hirano · Bernard Hours · Christian Lauble · Hakan Mogren · Jacques Nahmlas · Benoît Potier · Franck Riboud · Jacques Vincent
Products:
Actimel (DanActive in US) · Activia · Evian · Lattella · Volvic
Annual Revenue: $18.6 billion USD (▲12% FY 2004) · Employees: 89,449 · Stock Symbol: Euronext: BN NYSE: DA · Website: www.danonegroup.com