The newly established company at Ås in Norway offers a method which concurrently identifies the presence of a number of bacteria in the human gut. The company is based on a patented method for concurrent analyses of many DNA mutations.
Do probiotics work?
Their business concept is to provide a complete description of the gut flora in one human being. Such analyses are useful for the food industry, the pharmaceutical industry and for various types of research. For the food industry, Genetic Analysis can offer valuable knowledge on how the gut flora is influenced by substances such as probiotics and prebiotics. In this way the food industry can document the beneficial effects of the food they produce on human health.
Starting with the youngest
The first test from the new company will be available shortly and involves analyses of infant gut floras.
"There are several reasons why we have started by analysing the gut flora in babies up to one year old. Firstly, it's important to study the gut flora in infants as it can affect the development of autism and allergies. Secondly, the gut flora of infants is easier to test and involves simpler analyses. Infant guts contain fewer types of bacteria than adult guts, as infants naturally have a simpler diet," says Research Scientist Knut Rudi.
Overall health status
The company has also started looking at the gut flora in adults, and hopes to produce results from these analyses next spring. Their ambitions also include describing a person's overall health in relation to his or her gut flora. They are in contact with an American company in order to produce analyses far beyond the traditional test methods used today.
"Imagine how interesting it would be to receive a presentation of your overall health status in relation to your gut flora. This is possible, but it will probably take some time before it's available," says Knut Rudi. He and two other research scientists from Nofima Mat are co-owners of Genetic Analysis, which is also owned by The Innovation Centre Bioparken. Akershus County Administration Investment Fund has invested in the company.
