Kaneka Probiotics has announced the launch of the newest ingredient in its probiotics portfolio: Lactobacillus plantarum DR7. This launch of the DR7 strain comes after completion of a multi-year research project that resulted in journal publications demonstrating its effect in clinical trials.
 
The strain, which was originally isolated from fresh bovine milk, was shown to have positive effects on upper respiratory tract infections during a randomized-controlled clinical trial published in the Journal of Dairy Science. The human study involved the participation of 109 subjects between the ages of 30 and 60, who were administered 10⁹ CFUs of DR7 once per day. It was found that the probiotic decreased pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma in the subjects, as well as reduced duration of nasal symptoms.
 
Other research demonstrates potential effects on mood, after it was determined that DR7 upregulated the tryptophan-serotonin pathway by driving the tryptophan metabolic pathway toward serotonin instead of the kyneurine degradation pathway, which researchers associated with negative immune response outcomes. Therefore, DR7 impacts not only immunity, but brain metabolism, through the serotonin pathway, Kaneka Probiotics said. This tryptophan-serotonin modulation may be one of several mechanisms involved in a study demonstrating that DR7 may lower symptoms of stress and anxiety.
 
“A particularly unique aspect of this strain is its ability to enhance immune function in normal ranges, promote the protection of the upper respiratory tract, and help the body modulate the Gut Brain Axis,” Mike Kolifrath, vice president of Kaneka’s Probiotics Division. “Our DR7 is a Kaneka Probiotics exclusive and present a new option for product developers in creating specialized products in the immune, brain, and gut-brain axis categories.”
 
L. plantarum DR7 is non-GMO, gluten-free, and is approved by the EFSA (Qualified Presumption of Safety, QPS).