Chicago, IL and San Diego, CA—Sun Genomics (creator ofFloré customized precisionprobiotics), andNZMP, the ingredient-solutions brand by global dairy companyFonterra, are expanding thepartnershipthey have had in place since 2018. The companies are working to enhance understanding of the various health benefits of probiotics through in-depth consumer research.

The latest effort: Sun Genomics and NZMP are launching the second phase of the joint clinical trial “Project Happy.”

The goal is to further validate findings from the brands’ first consumer pilot study. That research, which tested NZMP’s LactoB HN001 strain with 52 Floré customers, determined that participants felt happier after taking the probiotics. Now, to gather additional data on the link between gut health and happiness, Sun Genomics and NZMP are launching a larger six-week follow-up study with 120 participants. The new study aims to:
  • Further prove the hypothesis that gut health can have a tangible impact on a person’s overall happiness.
  • Confirm that the benefits of probiotics can be seen outside of clinical settings and withstand the rigors of normal lifestyles.
“We are proud to work on developing the next generation of probiotics, all while discovering new functionalities and health benefits,” said Neal Gidvani, Chief Operating Officer of Sun Genomics, in a press release. “By uncovering powerful responses to novel probiotic strains, such as a boost in happiness levels, we are adding significant value to our current approach. Ultimately, this allows us to grow our consumer offering and help more people than ever before.”

Chris Ireland, U.S. Probiotics Business Manager of the Active Lifestyle division at NZMP, added, “After analyzing the results of our first pilot study, we knew that it would be beneficial to expand our relationship with Sun Genomics and build upon that success. Since nothing of this scale has ever been done before, we are looking forward to sharing our findings with researchers and consumers alike.”

The companies also pointed to the significance right now: In the2022 World Happiness Report, the U.S. ranked behind 15 other countries, despite its relatively high overall standard of living.

NZMP surveyed consumers for more insights on stress levels, moods and probiotics usage, finding:

  • Of the 37% of respondents dealing with stress and mood issues, 18% said they currently take probiotics to help.
  • 65% of respondents reporting stress and mood issues said they would consider taking probiotics to help with mood.

Related: NZMP, Sun Genomics Partner on Precision Probiotics Growth Drivers in the Microbiome Market NZMP Discusses “Super Strain” Probiotic Benefits for Mood