The International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the science behind probiotics and prebiotics. ISAPP participates in science-based written and oral communications and responds to emerging scientific issues regarding probiotics and prebiotics. The primary means through which ISAPP accomplishes its goals are annual meetings and follow up publications from that meeting.
Contents
- Probiotics and Prebiotics
- Mission
- History
- Membership in ISAPP
- Student and Fellows Association
- Publications
- References
In addition, ISAPP collaborates with a number of related organizations (such as the American Gastroenterological Association, World Gastroenterology Organisation, National Academies of Sciences, International Life Sciences Institute of Europe and ILSI-North America, Harvard Division of Nutrition, Food Chemicals Codex and the New York Academy of Sciences) on common goals, such as sponsorship of meetings, preparation of probiotic and prebiotic usage guidelines, or preparation of position papers.
The business of ISAPP is conducted by a Board of Directors, currently composed of 10 globally recognized, academic scientists. In addition, an Executive Director and a representative from the ISAPP Industry Advisory Committee (IAC) are non-voting members of the board. Its source of revenue is from companies whose membership dues earn them a seat on the IAC.
All ISAPP activities are focused on science, not promotion of specific products. Industry scientists are invited to contribute their scientific ideas and participate in conferences, but no group or commercial entity directs ISAPP.
Probiotics and Prebiotics
Probiotics are live microorganisms, which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host. A prebiotic is a selectively fermented ingredient that results in specific changes in the composition and/or activity of the gastrointestinal microbiota, thus conferring benefit(s) upon host health.
Mission
To engender and disseminate information on high quality, multidisciplinary, scientific investigation in the fields of probiotics and prebiotics, and to advance the development of scientifically substantiated, health-promoting probiotic and prebiotic products worldwide.
History
ISAPP was created in 2000 by a group of professional scientists at a Fermented Foods and Health Meeting in New York. This group recognized the lack of an organization that brought together the multidisciplinary scientists from fields such as microbiology, medicine, nutrition, food science, immunology, biochemistry and nutrition, who are conducting research on probiotics and prebiotics. ISAPP was established as a 501(c)3 organization in August 2002. As of spring of 2011, ISAPP has held eight meetings, alternating between locations in North America and Europe. Over 30 papers have been published under the auspices of ISAPP, in numerous peer reviewed journals. The ISAPP organization also prepared guidelines for probiotic and prebiotic scientific standards.
Membership in ISAPP
ISAPP is a member based organization, composed of companies and organizations with an interest in probiotics and prebiotics (known as the Industry Advisory Committee). The primary benefit of IAC membership is to provide input to the Board of Directors on emerging issues related to the industry, topics to address at the annual meeting and the opportunity to send up to two representatives to the annual meeting. The companies participating in ISAPP's IAC include the most scientifically committed and advanced probiotic and prebiotic companies globally. Under the current organizational structure, there is no mechanism for individual membership in ISAPP. The organization is run by its Board of Directors guided by bylaws, not by voting of individual members. There is no structure for collection of individual dues and there is no official ISAPP scientific journal. A working list of interested scientists is maintained, and this list is used to disseminate information relevant to the fields of probiotics and prebiotics.
Student and Fellows Association
In November 2009, the ISAPP Students and Fellows Association (ISAPP-SFA) was created to encourage graduate students and fellows conducting research in the probiotic and prebiotic fields an opportunity to interact with professionals in the field. The SFA functions to represent students and fellows to the board of directors of ISAPP as well as offer professional development opportunities to the members.
Publications
Articles written by ISAPP, commissioned by the organization, or been produced after ISAPP annual meetings, have included the following topics: - Letter to the editor from ISAPP board members, expressing concerns over the way probiotic and prebiotic health claims on food are being assessed.
- Other letters to the editor by the ISAPP board of directors on timely probiotic and prebiotic topics.
- A summary of the Continuing Medical Education lecture series produced in conjunction with the American Gastroenterological Association, ILSI – North America, several industry sponsors and ISAPP.
- A review on how probiotics and prebiotics can impact the immune system.
- Providing probiotics and prebiotics to the developing world with the goal of improving health.
- Perspectives from clinical physicians on conducting human research human studies with probiotics.
- A review of prebiotics, advancing a new and improved definition of prebiotics.
- Perspectives on what makes some people respond to probiotics but others not.
- Probiotic safety.
- How probiotics relate to the concept of the “hygiene hypothesis”.