Probiotic cheese found linked to healthier immune system

A recently published clinical study has shown that commercially produced cheese has the potential to provide immune health benefits when fortified with probiotics. Published by FEMS Immunology & Medical Microbiology, the study comprised of 31 healthy elderly subjects involved in three consecutive phases of monitored cheese consumption.

In the first phase, the subjects ate 15g of a control cheese at breakfast for two weeks. In phase two, the intervention, they consumed 15g of a similar cheese containing Danisco probiotics (109 CFU/dose) for the next four weeks. In phase three, the subjects switched back to consuming the control cheese for the last four weeks.

The cheese enhanced with Howaru Rhamnosus (Lactobacillus rhamnosus HN001) and Howaru Dophilus (Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM), which was consumed during phase two, was shown to significantly improve immunity defense indicators in the subjects' blood when compared with tests conducted during phases one and three. The intervention resulted in enhanced phagocytic and natural killer cell activity, which is believed to be linked to immunity.