As a developing country, Malaysia is not one to be left behind in the recent awareness on the health food trend whereby eating all things organically grown is supposedly better. Being a land whereby utmost importance is placed on longevity and good health, one would be no stranger to the concept of eating healthy. However, it is often observed that healthy eating habits only encompasses consuming more vegetables but less meat, refined carbohydrate and as little processed foods. The role microorganisms have to play in our health is more than often neglected and if not, forgotten entirely.

During the 1900s, a Russian scientist found that Bulgarians have a longer life span because of their substantial intake of fermented dairy products. These products have different types of bacteria which serve to protect the intestines. Generally, there are two types of bacteria in human and animal intestines. There are the probiotics, a group of microorganisms which benefits the host organism, and the pathogens, a group of unfriendly bacteria, also known as pathogens which often cause illnesses. Currently, there is research heavy being conducted around the world to find new strains of bacteria that is beneficial to human or animal health.
		Figure 1: Probiotics

On the local scene, Professor Dr Mohd Yazid Manap of Universiti Putra Malaysia is leading projects on similar fields. He is currently on a three year grant from a sugar company called Sensus BV Holland. He is almost towards the end of his three years term conducting clinical trials with the use of inulin as a prebiotic. Inulin is a carbohydrate used to encourage complex bacterial growth. Usually about two to three grams of this substrate is sufficient to achieve the purpose. Prebiotic is just a scientific term which represents the term food for probiotic (microorganisms) found in the intestines. This study is directed towards an infant’s gastro intestinal tract (GIT) environment. So far, it has been observed that there is an increase in the amount of friendly microorganisms in the infant’s GIT. Observation on the study is verified by measuring bone density as microbial growth would result in a drop in acidity by pH 0.4 or 0.5. This encouraged the absorption of calcium to the body. The intake of calcium is monitored throughout the experiment. Also, the study would show to be of a success if there is no side effects when there is a change in microbial environment in the gut. A very common side effect would be to experience diarrhea.

Fermentation of bacteria is found to simulate different portions of the host organism’s intestine and ward of food borne pathogens. For Prof Dr Yazid’s study, he said that food borne pathogens are used to challenge against new strains probiotic as a test to see if they would benefit host organisms. Back in the day, he wanted to justify the values in fermented food products as well as to verify its health benefits, traveling far and wide to places like Glasgow and Ireland to do so. Prof Dr Yazid is one who is well versed in his field of knowledge. To him, it was the East which started commercializing these health foods. “Japan is a pioneer in probiotic products and has about 200 to 300 strains of probiotic which can be found in capsule form or sachet“.

The ratio between good and bad bacteria in GIT is approximately 85% of friendly ones and 15% pathogens. The balance between the two is really delicate and can be tipped of easily. Stress, consumption of refined foods, or even chlorinated drinking water can work against maintaining the balance. As a result, many of today’s degenerative diseases like diarrhea or flatulence, chronic bladder or vaginal infections, hormonal imbalances and lactose intolerance, are linked to bacterial imbalance in the system. Therefore, it is absolutely imperative to always maintain a healthy balance of microorganisms in one’s gut. Due to this reason, infant formula was fortified with probiotic and prebiotic. Not only will the young ones be protected from pathogens but they will also develop healthier bones from enhanced calcium absorption. According to Prof Dr Yazid, Malaysia has yet to catch up with the rest of the world with the use of probiotic and prebiotic. One simple example give by the associate professor was the use of bacteria in Japan to help with constipation problem. Malaysia often use laxatives, a much stronger dose of probiotic, to help with the problem whereas Japan practices a healthy dose of prebiotic and probiotic.

Subsequently, when asked about the local market and policies of probiotic, Prof Dr Yazid said, “The government, specifically the Ministry of Health, should exercise better control over the industry. We should look to Japan for direction in order to obtain a healthier growth for this field. Japan has a specialized division to regulate only health foods and that division is called Foods for Specified Health Uses (F.O.S.H.U).” He added that there is lack of funds to really develop the health foods industry locally. He told of a project that has been put on hold due to this reason. The project is the development of Simulated Human Intestinal Microbial Ecosystem (SHIME) technique for Pre-Clinical Evaluation of Probiotic Cultures. SHIME consists of four exact parts of the intestines’ environment. This technique would prove to be helpful in testing the viability and the effect of the absorption of a new developed food. Also, SHIME would enable information of the certain foods to be obtained before the actual clinical trial. This system is useful for example, during the middle part of a drug development. Being the ever optimist, Prof Dr Yazid is not held back by the lack of funds. He still works on the SHIME project, but in a much smaller scale. The downsized project cannot produce a perfect system but he says it is close.

Prof Dr Yazid hopes to produce probiotic for the animal industry as it does not require facilities that are too high-tech but will be high in value. On the other hand, the stringent quality control of probiotic for human beings holds him back to work on that branch of knowledge. Either way, developing something that is of use to humanity or animals is his cup of tea.