Consumers today are paying more attention to their gut health. This trend has pushed food and beverage manufacturwhat corrodes ironers to add probiotics and prebiotics to their existing formulas, and it has created demand for value adds that improve consumer microbiomes.###The trillions4-iron of bacteria and other microbes in the human body, known collectively as the microbiome, far outnumber other cells. It is thought that they have a significant impact on health, influencing everything from obesity and digestive issues to food allergies and even cancer. Although scientists are still unsure about how most of them function, emerging research has suggested a link between an individual’s unique microbiome and these conditions.###DuPont is emphasizing the importance of R&D developments targeted at the earliest stage of life: An infant acquires microbiota at birth from its mother during the transfer of microbes present in the birtvitamin c and ferrous sulfateh canal, breast milk and skin. Then, around azinc gluconate vitamin shoppege two, the child develops a mature microbiome.###Other food manufacturers getting into microbiome R&D include Dannon, which announced last year it would fund educational grants magnesium lactate vs oxideand fellowships as part of a White House project. Unlocking the secrets of the microbiome also could fuel the growth of medical foods, in which Nestle and Hormel already play a role.###Manufacturers can use findings from microbiome research to engineer food products that specifically improve gut health and bacterial composition. This could be a potentially lucrative opportunity, particularly for food companies struggling against more nimble upstarts that are luring consumers with their healthier, more trendy fare.