News
APC researchers develop new tool to assess synbiotic potential
Researchers at APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, have developed a new tool to help identify promising synbiotic combinations.
The study, published in Journal of Applied Microbiology, introduces the Synbiotic Potential Score, or SPS. This score gives researchers a structured way to assess how well probiotic strains grow with specific prebiotic fibres.
Synbiotics combine probiotics with prebiotics. The aim is to pair live bacteria with fibres that support their growth. Yet not every strain responds to every fibre in the same way.
In this study, researchers screened eight probiotic strains across a range of prebiotic ingredients. These included Tate & Lyle’s EUOLIGO® FOS and PROMITOR® Soluble Fibre.
The findings showed clear strain-specific responses. Some probiotic strains grew better with certain fibres than others. This supports a more targeted approach to synbiotic selection.
The SPS gives researchers a practical method for early-stage screening. It can help compare candidate combinations before more detailed testing.
Dr Harriët Schellekens, Group Leader at APC Microbiome Ireland, said:
“As interest in gut health continues to grow, there is increasing demand for more targeted and evidence-based synbiotic products. The Synbiotic Potential Score provides researchers with a practical way to compare how different probiotic strains respond to specific fibres and identify promising combinations earlier in the development process.”
Dr Clare Leonard, VP Nutrition and Health Science at Tate & Lyle, said:
“Understanding how specific prebiotic fibres perform with different probiotic strains is central to developing synbiotic products that deliver better gut health. This research is exciting as it gives the industry a more rigorous way to make those connections earlier in the development process.”
The work was led by APC Microbiome Ireland at University College Cork, with support from Tate & Lyle, which contributed scientific expertise and supplied prebiotic ingredients for the study.
About the collaboration
This research was conducted by APC Microbiome Ireland (University College Cork), by Dr Luiza Wasiewska under supervision of Prof Gerard Clarke and Dr Harriët Schellekens, with funding support from Research Ireland and Tate & Lyle, a global leader in ingredient solutions. Tate & Lyle contributed scientific expertise and supplied prebiotic ingredients used within the study.
About APC Microbiome Ireland
APC Microbiome Ireland is a world‑leading research centre focused on understanding and harnessing the microbiome to improve human health and wellbeing. Based at University College Cork, APC brings together academic, clinical and industry partners to translate microbiome science into real‑world solutions. For more information, please visit https://ucc.ie/en/apc or follow APC Microbiome Ireland on Bluesky, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram or Facebook.
About Tate & Lyle PLC
Supported by over 165-years of ingredient innovation, we partner with customers to provide consumers with healthier and tastier choices when they eat and drink. We are proud that millions of people around the world consume products containing our ingredients and solutions every day.
Through our leading expertise in sweetening, mouthfeel and fortification, we develop ingredients and solutions which reduce sugar, calories and fat, add fibre and protein, and provide texture and stability to food and drink in categories including beverages, dairy, bakery, snacks, soups, sauces, and dressings.
Tate & Lyle has approximately 5,000 employees working in around 70 locations in 37 countries, serving customers in more than 120 countries. Science, Solutions, Society is our brand promise and how we will achieve our purpose of Transforming Lives through the Science of Food. By living our purpose, we believe we can successfully grow our business and have a positive impact on society. We live our purpose in three ways, by supporting healthy living, building thriving communities and caring for our planet.
Tate & Lyle is listed on the London Stock Exchange under the symbol TATE.L. American Depositary Receipts trade under TATYY. For the year ended 31 March 2026 Tate & Lyle revenue from continuing operations totalled £2.0 billion. For more information, please visit www.tateandlyle.com or follow Tate & Lyle on LinkedIn, X (Twitter), Facebook or YouTube
