Our bodies are far from sterile environments; they have an internal balance of natural bacteria, many of which are “good” bacteria that are essential and beneficial to our body functions. Our lifestyle, diet, and pharmaceuticals, especially antibiotics, can change this balance and upset the numbers of naturally beneficial bacteria.
FloraFit™, a branded line of probiotics offered by Rhodia Food (Cranbury, N.J.), includes single- or multi-strain concentrates suited to diverse applications in the dairy, food, dietary supplement and pharmaceutical markets. The “superstar” strain among the FloraFit line is called Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM®. NCFM is one of the most studied probiotics on the market. It has the ability to survive passage through the gastrointestinal tract, so that it may be effective where it is needed. It also exhibits superior adherence to intestinal mucosa, has been identified as a true type A1 L. acidophilus, and is amenable to commercial manufacture. (Sanders ME, Klaenhammer TR, 2001. Invited Review: The Scientific Basis of Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM Functionality as a Probiotic. J Dairy Sci. 84(2):319-31)