TruthAboutProbiotics.com Helps Separate Fact From Fiction

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Natasha Trenev, a noted probiotics researcher, author, manufacturer and probiotics industry insider, today launches TruthAboutProbiotics.com — a forum created to help consumers sort fact from fiction and to share their views on probiotic-fortified foods and dietary supplements.

The announcement comes in the wake of growing interest in probiotic products from both health-conscious consumers and food manufacturers. According to research firm Mintel, in 2008, 142 new foods and beverages have been launched in the digestive health category. These probiotic products—products with “good gut bugs” that aid in digestion—boast impressive health claims which have been under attack of late. For example, some probiotic-fortified food manufacturers use fictitious “marketing names” on their labels instead of the proper scientific names of the bacteria strains used. Many manufacturers do not even list the specific strains contained in their products, nor do they indicate the number of active bacteria present (measured in CFUs or Colony Forming Units).

As co-founder of Natren, a probiotic supplement company based outside Los Angeles, Natasha Trenev will be able to offer her online readers an insider’s perspective on the generally lax way most supplements are manufactured, shipped and stored, as well as the lack of oversight in the industry.

“I have made it my life’s work to study probiotics and created the Truth About Probiotics blog to uncover the truths – and untruths – surrounding probiotics and their use,” says Trenev. “I hope to use this forum to share information that I have discovered during my 40 years in the probiotics industry as a developmental scientist, medical researcher, educator, author, lecturer and probiotic supplement manufacturer.” In addition to the new blog, Trenev has also created a series of educational YouTube seminars addressing the topic.

Natasha Trenev introduced probiotics within the dietary supplement and food categories in the early 1980’s (ironically, the word probiotics was so little known by the public at the time that she was criticized by many in the industry for using it). Since then, she has written three books on probiotics referencing hundreds of studies and clinical trials; has produced an informative DVD series; has lectured to health professionals around the world; and has conducted hundreds of radio and television interviews to educate the public on the value of probiotics for prophylactic and therapeutic use. Perhaps most impressively, Trenev’s probiotic production standards were incorporated into the United States Congressional Record and are currently cited as Probiotic Industry Standards.

For more information, please visit www.natren.com or www.truthaboutprobiotics.com.

About Natren

Located in Westlake Village, California, Natren is the world’s leading manufacturer of naturally-occurring, beneficial probiotics specifically formulated for adults, youths, infants and pets. Founded by Natasha Trenev, an internationally recognized authority on probiotics, the company was born out of the Continental Yogurt Company which is credited for introducing healthy, live culture, natural, Bulgarian-style yogurt to American supermarkets in the 1960s. Natren’s three-strain probiotic supplement, Healthy Trinity (targeting the small and large intestines and transient flora), and 70 other probiotic products are available at Whole Foods, other leading natural food retailers, pharmacies and may also be ordered directly from www.natren.com or 1-866-4-NATREN.

Crier PR for Natren
J.P. Lincoln, 310-274-1878
jp@crierpr.com