Biotics — whether prebiotics, probiotics, or postbiotics — are at the core of nutritional and therapeutic strategies aimed at preserving or restoring gut microbiota balance. However, with increasing regulatory requirements (EFSA, FDA) and growing market competition, it is crucial to demonstrate their efficacy through robust scientific evidence.
Prebiotic
Non-digestible fibers that nourish good gut bacteria and improve microbiome diversity.
Probiotic
Live beneficial bacteria that support gut balance and boost digestive and immune health.
Postbiotic
Bioactive compounds from probiotics that strengthen the gut barrier and modulate immunity.
Biotics & Genomics: A scientific approach to gut health
Genomic and metagenomic microbiota analysis tools make it possible to:
- Identify promising candidate strains
- Evaluate structural effects on the microbiota (composition and functional (active metabolic pathways))
- Provide strong scientific evidence for regulatory submissions
These insights are essential for product development, clinical research, and regulatory documentation.
Go further: A tailor-made analytical strategy
Every biotic product is unique. Our team helps you design an analytical strategy tailored to your biotic type, study model (in vitro, in vivo, clinical), and objectives (R&D, communication, or regulatory compliance).
We support you through:
- Selecting the most relevant analytical methods
- Developing your study design
- Interpreting the results
- Highlighting and valorizing your scientific data
Which methods should be used to assess the impact of a biotic?
To assess the efficacy or benefits of a probiotic, prebiotic, or postbiotic, several analytical approaches are available:
GenoScreen Focus:
First-Res, reveal microbial composition with precision
GenoScreen’s First Res solution offers targeted analysis of bacterial (16S) and fungal (ITS) microbiota composition
Ideal for:
- Characterizing microbial communities before intervention
- Monitoring changes following biotic treatment or product use
- Identifying microbial signatures associated with specific pathologies or clinical improvements
This is a crucial first step to provide objective, science-backed evidence for your biotic developments.
FAQ – How to efficiently study a biotic product?
A biotic’s value lies in its ability to interact with both the microbiota and the host. Studying the microbiota helps to:
- Identify potential probiotic strains (isolated from healthy microbiota)
- Validate target effects (restoration of diversity, activation of beneficial metabolic functions)
- Provide scientific evidence supporting product benefits, aligned with regulatory expectations
Probiotic efficacy can be assessed at two levels:
- Clinically , through measurable outcomes in subjects (e.g., digestion, immunity, inflammation, etc)
- Biologically, through microbiota analyses showing structural or functional changes after administration
Targeted or whole-metagenome sequencing (First Res & Full Reveal) approaches help demonstrate these modifications in in vitro, in vivo, or clinical studies.
The impact of a biotic can be evaluated by analyzing:
- The microbial species composition (microbiota structure)
- The associated genes and biological functions (e.g., SCFA production, inflammation regulation)
These insights are obtained using metagenomics, for species and encoded functions and metatranscriptomic, for functions actually expressed in the microbiome (Activ'Reveal).
Yes with strain-specific tools such as qPCR (iQuant), it is possible to:
- Detect a target strain within a complex microbial community
- Quantify its relative abundance
- Distinguish between live and dead cells (using PMA treatment)
This is essential for verifying probiotic persistence in the microbiota and for quality control in finished products.
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