Signing ceremony of the PolyU-Yakult Joint Research Laboratory for Probiotics and Prebiotics in Human Health

RiFood has been established at PolyU in May of this year to advance and transfer knowledge by research, public education and professional service to address the challenges in Food Science and Human Health, under the three themes of Food Sustainability, Smart Technology & Functional Food Development, and Nutrition & Human Health.

Recently, increasing evidence has demonstrated the link between gut microbiota and disease, and accordingly, the market for probiotics and prebiotics has exploded with huge attention from the public due to their potential for use in maintenance of health and prevention of disease. In order to provide scientific evidence for the benefits and safety of probiotics and prebiotics, the PolyU Laboratory for Probiotics and Prebiotics in Human Health (PolyU LPPR) has been established under the PolyU RiFood. The PolyU LPPR aims to establish the university as a forerunner in probiotics and prebiotics research and education in the city. An interdisciplinary, inter-institutional research team has been established to conduct innovative research and uncover novel findings, focusing on several major thematic areas: gut health, brain health, ocular health, and women’s health. Existing knowledge will be built upon and expanded, and results communicated to raise public awareness, promoting the use of probiotics and prebiotics for the prevention and therapy of disease. Collaboration with industry partners will also be established for the development of novel candidates into commercial products, ultimately contributing to the benefit of the general public.

Yakult is a pioneer in the field of probiotics and has established itself as a global leader in the probiotics drinks market. Yakult has consistently pursued research tapping into the potential of probiotics, and finding alignment in our research direction and ideals, Hong Kong Yakult Co. Ltd. has agreed to donate HK $2 million to support the establishment of the PolyU-Yakult Joint Research Laboratory for Probiotics and Prebiotics in Human Health (PolyU-Yakult Joint Research Lab). Through the PolyU-Yakult Joint Research Lab, we will develop innovative research platforms and conduct human studies to obtain data on the use of probiotics and prebiotics on intestinal disease, brain disease, and chronic diseases such as eczema, for the benefit of Hong Kong, the nation, and worldwide.