ChengduMay 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — On May 27, during the 32nd Annual Conference of the China Dairy Industry Association, the “Scientists Forum – Probiotics and Health,” hosted by the China Dairy Industry Association and co-organized by Yakult and other entities, was successfully held in Chengdu. This forum is one of the projects under the “Probiotics and Health Joint Laboratory” co-established by the Department of Nutrition and Health at China Agricultural University and Yakult. The conference invited authoritative experts in the probiotics field from both domestic and international backgrounds to engage in in-depth discussions on hot topics such as basic research, clinical applications, industrial transformation, and public health.
Scene of the Scientists Forum – Probiotics and Health event
At the conference site, multiple experts from Sichuan Agricultural University, Nanchang University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China Agricultural University, and West China School of Public Health at Sichuan University, along with representatives from various enterprises, presented nine high-level special reports, comprehensively showcasing the cutting-edge progress in probiotics research and industrial practice achievements. Among them, Masanobu Minamino, Special Advisor to the Board of Yakult Honsha Co., Ltd., and Yang Xiaodong, Associate Researcher at Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, delivered keynote speeches related to the scientific evidence of Lactobacillus paracasei strain Shirota (LcS).
Experts Analyze the Scientific Value of LcS from Multiple Dimensions
Masanobu Minamino, in his speech titled “Probiotic Scientific Innovation Leading the Development of Public Health,” systematically reviewed the development trajectory of gut microbiota research and probiotic applications. He pointed out that since the 21st century, gut microbiota research has achieved continuous breakthroughs, confirming its close association with various diseases, making the regulation of gut microbiota for precise health management an important direction. Meanwhile, global health challenges are increasing, and novel intervention methods based on gut microbiota are highly anticipated in the field of health economics.
Masanobu Minamino delivers a keynote speech titled ‘Probiotic Scientific Innovation Leading the Development of Public Health’
As a preferred method for regulating gut microbiota, probiotics have gained widespread consumer recognition due to the health concept of “prevention over treatment,” with the market size continuing to grow.Probiotics can promote health by improving the body’s inflammatory state and maintaining immune homeostasis, with their safety and efficacy needing to be established on a solid foundation of scientific evidence. Minamino highlighted Yakult’s core strain, LcS. Research has confirmed that long-term consumption of fermented milk drinks containing LcS is associated with a reduced risk of cancer incidence, helps inhibit upper respiratory tract infections, and can improve quality of life by regulating the immune system and vagus neural network. Minamino emphasized that the health benefits of probiotics vary among individuals. In the future, it will be necessary to differentiate between responders and non-responders, combined with precise gut microbiota analysis, to create personalized probiotic solutions, promote the implementation of precision medicine, and contribute to the upgrade of public health.
Yang Xiaodong, focusing on the connection between gut microbiota and brain health, delivered a themed presentation titled “Gut-Brain Axis and Parkinson’s Disease: New Intervention Strategies Based on Microbial Regulation,” concentrating on the innovative application of probiotics in the intervention of neurodegenerative diseases, providing new ideas and directions for the prevention and treatment of Parkinson’s disease.
Yang Xiaodong delivers a themed presentation titled ‘Gut-Brain Axis and Parkinson’s Disease: New Intervention Strategies Based on Microbial Regulation’
Yang Xiaodong’s team conducted clinical research on the intervention effects of LcS in patients with Parkinson’s disease, with related results published in the internationally renowned journal Food & Function. The research findings showed that supplementation with LcS could significantly improve specific gastrointestinal symptoms in Parkinson’s disease patients and increase the abundance of Lactobacillus in the gut; simultaneously, it could regulate tyrosine metabolism in patients, reducing fecal tyrosine concentration and increasing plasma tyrosine levels. Tyrosine, as a precursor of dopamine, offers a new pathway for Parkinson’s disease intervention through its optimized metabolism. Dietary-microbiota intervention may become a potential adjunctive strategy for treating Parkinson’s disease, providing important support for clinical translational research in the gut-brain axis field.
Industry-Academia-Research Jointly Explores the Potential of Probiotics
Yakult has always been centered on scientific evidence, deeply engaged in basic research and clinical validation of probiotics. For over 90 years, it has adhered to driving innovation through research, establishing a global integrated R&D system focused on key areas such as gut microbiota analysis, immune regulation, and disease prevention, forming a complete closed loop from strain screening and functional validation to industrial transformation. Since entering the Chinese market, Yakult has remained committed to quality and the original intention of scientific research, consistently promoting deep integration of industry, academia, and research. It has conducted extensive scientific collaborations with renowned domestic universities and medical institutions, contributing to the development of probiotics research and industry in China.
Yakult Honsha Central Research Institute
The “Probiotics and Health Joint Laboratory” co-established by Yakult and the Department of Nutrition and Health at China Agricultural University is a model of corporate research investment and industry-academia-research cooperation. Leveraging the scientific research advantages of China Agricultural University in the field of nutrition and health, combined with Yakult’s deep accumulation in probiotic strain research and industrial application, the laboratory conducts joint scientific research on LcS, exploring its health effects on different populations, and helping to deepen basic research and functional mechanism exploration of probiotics, leading the development of the probiotics industry through scientific innovation. Professor Ren Fazheng from the Department of Nutrition and Health at China Agricultural University stated in his address: Although lactic acid bacteria research started late in China, it has been at the forefront globally in recent years. The establishment of a separate Scientists Forum at the industry conference highlights the leading role of scientific research, inviting domestic and international experts to share results and promote technical exchanges both domestically and internationally. Yakult has been conducting extensive science communication on probiotics and health in China, contributing to enhancing public awareness.
Yakult will continue to base itself on scientific research, deepen collaborations with universities, research institutions, and clinical hospitals, explore the health value of probiotics, promote the transformation and application of more scientific research achievements, and contribute to improving public health literacy and building a healthy China through scientifically evidenced health practices.