Yakult is a Japanese probiotic milk-like product made by fermenting a mixture of skimmed milk with a special strain of the bacterium Lactobacillus casei Shirota.It was created by Minoru Shirota who graduated from the Medical School of Kyoto University in 1930. In 1935, he started manufacturing and selling Yakult. Official claims state that the name is derived from jahurto, an older form of jogurto, the Esperanto word for "yogurt".
Since then, Yakult has also introduced a line of beverages for the Japanese market that contain Bifidobacterium breve bacteria, and has also used its lactobacilli research to develop cosmetics. More recently, the Yakult Honsha played a major role in developing the chemotherapy drug irinotecan (Camptosar, CPT-11).
After its introduction in Japan and Taiwan, Yakult was first sold in Brazil in 1966, due to the large number of Japanese immigrants in the country, before it was marketed elsewhere.Today, Yakult is sold in 31 countries, although its bacteria cultures are provided from a mother strain from Japan regardless of production location.[citation needed] Yakult is marketed in different sizes.
In Australia, Europe, India, and Indonesia, Yakult comes in 65mL bottles. In the Americas, Japan, Philippines and South Korea, 80 ml bottles are available, the same applies in Mexico, one of Yakult's largest selling markets. In Thailand, Singapore, Taiwan and mainland China, and the United States.
Ingredients:
- Sugar (sucrose, dextrose) to balance sourness with sweetness.
- Skimmed milk powder
- Natural flavours
- Live Lactobacillus casei shirota strain, 6.5 billions per 65 mL bottle (concentration of 108 CFU/mL)Water
The claimed benefits are supported by an array of scientific studies according to the manufacturer website. Those could range from maintenance of gut flora, modulation of the immune system, regulation of bowel habits and constipation and finally effects on some gastrointestinal infections.
Although the number of scientific papers is certainly large, most of them are related to in vitro and in vivo experiments, with some human clinical trials done on cohorts and with daily consumption of 40-100 billions of probiotic L. casei shirota, far above the single bottle concentration of approximately 6.5 billion.
Nutrition facts:
Standard Yakult contains 18g of sugar for every 100g, but comes in 65 mL bottles. This concentration is higher than the level defined as “HIGH” by the UK Food Standards Agency (described for concentrations of sugar above 15g per 100g).
As a comparison Coca-Cola and orange juice are in the range of 10g of sugar per 100g, but with a serving size usually greater than 250 ml, while Yakult is served in much smaller doses. Based on the content of milk protein (1.4 g per 100 mL ), it is not classified as a flavoured fermented milk of the Codex Standard for Fermented Milks.
However, based on the existence of many products like Yakult in the world market, a new category is going to be established into the current Codex Standard for Fermented Milks.
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 outweigh the fact they might be high in one of the designated 'unhealthy' ingredients
Why don't you try one today!
Yakult is a fermented milk drink with billions of Lactobacillus casei Shirota bacteria in each little bottle. These bacteria can survive the acid in the stomach and reach the intestines alive. For over 70 years people have been drinking Yakult around the world and experiencing the benefits. Our founder, the scientist Dr. Shirota had a vision to 'contirbute to the health and happiness of poeple around the world' and today that vision continues to be at the heart of our business and all that we do.
As a comparison Coca-Cola and orange juice are in the range of 10g of sugar per 100g, but with a serving size usually greater than 250 ml, while Yakult is served in much smaller doses. Based on the content of milk protein (1.4 g per 100 mL ), it is not classified as a flavoured fermented milk of the Codex Standard for Fermented Milks.
However, based on the existence of many products like Yakult in the world market, a new category is going to be established into the current Codex Standard for Fermented Milks.
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 outweigh the fact they might be high in one of the designated 'unhealthy' ingredients
Why don't you try one today!
Yakult is a fermented milk drink with billions of Lactobacillus casei Shirota bacteria in each little bottle. These bacteria can survive the acid in the stomach and reach the intestines alive. For over 70 years people have been drinking Yakult around the world and experiencing the benefits. Our founder, the scientist Dr. Shirota had a vision to 'contirbute to the health and happiness of poeple around the world' and today that vision continues to be at the heart of our business and all that we do.
