Shelf-stable probiotics offer the promise of digestive and immune support on-the-go. As their name implies, shelf-stable probiotics are stable outside of the refrigerator, making them ideal to include in your future travel plans. Flora’s line consists of Women’s Care, Complete Care and Travel Care. What’s special about them that makes them shelf-stable though?
The first aspect is that the probiotic strains themselves are more resilient at room temperature than many refrigerated probiotic strains. Next, Flora adds a higher overage amount of probiotics to the formula. This refers to what’s basically extra probiotics in order to guarantee the minimum label claim potencies. Bonus probiotics!
In addition, the excipient system and an extra drying step when the probiotics are made helps ensure potency at room temperature. The excipients, or ‘non-medicinal’ ingredients include things like silicon dioxide, ascorbic acid, and potato starch to help to keep moisture out and maintain stability and potency. Moisture, when the probiotics are outside of their natural habitat (namely, us!), is a big killer of probiotic potency.
Finally, they are packaged in convenient, light-weight blister packs that are great for travel. While the material is not recyclable it does have an overall smaller carbon footprint than glass.
One especially unique strain used in our shelf stable line is found in Travel Care. This formula uses a probiotic yeast, so it is resistant to antibiotics and has no die off during its 2-year shelf life. It uses Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. boulardii CNCM I-1079 (definitely a mouthful of a name!) with 5 billion CFUs (colony forming units, the measurement of probiotic potency) per capsule.
Travel Care blister packs are also nitrogen flushed to remove oxygen and ensure potency. This specific strain of probiotic is clinically proven to reduce the risk of traveler’s diarrhea, help reduce the risk of antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD) and to support gastrointestinal health by neutralizing pathogenic bacteria and supporting the health of the gut immune system and intestinal lining.*
All of the probiotic strains we use are human adapted (meaning they won’t just pass right through us) and resistant to stomach acid. Whatever your future plans hold, rest assured that these probiotics will arrive and survive when you need them most!
Use promo code STABLE15 for 15% off shelf-stable probiotics at www.florahealth.com. Promo code valid thru 06.22.20 in the US & Canada.
Robert Dadd is a Master Herbalist (Dominion Herbal College) with a BA in Communications from Simon Fraser University. His areas of research include adaptogens, probiotics, and essential fatty acids. He is currently the Product Information Supervisor for Flora Manufacturing and Distributing.
