Compositions and methods for mucosal delivery of agents are provided. The emulsion compositions are intended for administration to a mucosal surface, such as oral, gastrointestinal and nasal mucosa. The emulsion compositions provided contain one or more mucoadhesive proteins and an agent to be delivered. Methods for delivery of agents using the compositions provided herein are also provided.

The present invention is a yogurt product that may be consumed by dogs and other mammalian pets. The yogurt product is in an unflavored form comprising as essential constituents: (A) 0% to 88% by weight water; (B) 0.2% to 25% by weight of a no-fat protein component selected from the group consisting of skim milk and cultured skim milk; (C1) 0.001% to 6% by weight sugar component comprising: (C1) 0.001% to 6% polydextrose and (C2) 0.001% to 6% Glycoses and Galactoses; (D) 2% to 8% by weight milk derived solids; (E) 0.2% to 2.5% by weight stabilizers and emulsifiers; and (F) at least one probiotic microorganism. The yogurt product may be refrigerated and served as a mousse, frozen dessert, or as a fermented yogurt drink similar to Ayran or Kefir. A method for producing the yogurt product is also disclosed herein.

A method for producing -aminobutyric acid includes cultivating, in a culture medium containing glutamic acid or a salt thereof, a probiotic composition including at least one lactic acid bacterial strain selected from the group consisting of Bifidobacterium breve CCFM1025 which is deposited at the Guangdong Microbial Culture Collection Center under an accession number GDMCC 60386, Lactobacillus acidophilus TYCA06, Lactobacillus plantarum LPL28, and Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis BLI-02 which are deposited at the China General Microbiological Culture Collection Center respectively under accession numbers CGMCC 15210, CGMCC 17954, and CGMCC 15212, Lactobacillus salivarius subsp. salicinius AP-32 which is deposited at the China Center for Type Culture Collection under an accession number CCTCC M 2011127, and combinations thereof.

Disclosed herein are methods for improving gastrointestinal barrier function, alleviating a gastrointestinal barrier dysfunction-associated disorder, and inhibiting growth of enteric pathogenic bacteria using a composition containing Lactobacillus rhamnosus MP108, Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis BLI-02, and Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB-115, which are deposited at the China General Microbiological Culture Collection Center (CGMCC) respectively under accession numbers CGMCC 21225, CGMCC 15212, and CGMCC 21840. A number ratio of Lactobacillus rhamnosus MP108, Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis BLI-02, and Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB-115 ranges from 1:0.2:0.67 to 1:9:9.

A digestive product includes a probiotic component and an immune modulator, such as transfer factor and/or a nanofraction immune modulator. The digestive product may also contain a prebiotic component, such as one or more of galactooligosaccharides, xylooligosaccharides, and fructooligosaccharides. The probiotic component may be encapsulated, such as probiotic micro beadlets.

The inventions described herein relate generally to the use of compositions to increase output of acetate and lactate while reducing pH and the levels of pathogenic bacteria and inflammation in the gut of a nursing infant mammal including humans. These compositions generally comprise one or more bacterial strains selected for their growth on mammalian milk oligosaccharides, a source of mammalian milk oligosaccharides, and, optionally, nutritive components required for the growth of that infant mammal.

The disclosure provides a method of freeze-drying encapsulated cells, the method comprising at least two consecutive incubation steps, wherein the encapsulated cells are incubated in each incubation step in an incubation solution containing cryoprotectant over a suitable period of time, wherein the concentration of cryoprotectant in the incubation solution is increased with each subsequent incubation step. The disclosure also provides freeze dried cells that are obtained by this method as well as various uses of these cells as pharmaceutical, food additive or additive in cosmetics. The disclosure also provides a composition that contains skim milk, glycerol and a carbohydrate.

Processes for producing a nutritional supplement that contains sulforaphane, and supplements formed thereby. Such a process includes combining a cruciferous vegetable, for example, broccoli sprouts, with strains of Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, and Streptococcus to form a mixture, causing the mixture to undergo lactic acid fermentation, transform a glucosinolate within the cruciferous vegetable to sulforaphane, and yield a fermented mixture that contains sulforaphane, and then producing from the fermented mixture a supplement that can be ingested by an individual.

A sweetener composition comprising xylose, a sugar alcohol and brown seaweed extract in solid form, preferably powdered or crystalline form. The sugar alcohol is preferably an erythritol and the brown seaweed extract is preferably obtained from Laminaria japonica. The sweetener composition can further comprise one or a combination of additional vitamins, minerals, probiotic cultures, and other plant-based extracts.

The present invention provides a method and composition for ameliorating or reducing the symptoms and signs and for the treatment of obesity, diabetes, and related conditions in a mammal in need thereof, said method comprising administering effective amounts of a pharmaceutically acceptable composition comprising a mixture of probiotic microorganisms with distinct but complementary pathways of carbohydrate metabolism, for a time sufficient to ameliorate, reduce or treat at least one sign or symptom of obesity, diabetes or cardiovascular disease. Compositions having the desired properties, and methods for their use in pharmaceutical and nutritional formulations, are provided.