Technological projects portfolio

In France, malnutrition affects over 2 million people, mainly old people living in ALFs or hospitalised for long periods. It is characterised by substantial weight loss in a short time: this harmful spiral starts with a loss of appetite and leads to weight loss, wasting of muscle, depletion of the intestinal microbiota, and weakening of the immune defence.

Its consequences may therefore include the complication of illnesses, a deterioration in the quality of life, loss of autonomy or lengthening of hospitalisation, which makes malnutrition a major public health issue.

The LACTOINSIDE project is based on the use of a bacterial strain of Lactobacillus which can help to combat malnutrition by reducing muscle loss in malnourished people.

The objective of the project is to define this strain more clearly, in particular by confirming its  probiotic effect and its non-toxicity, and to secure intellectual property. This strain could potentially be included in food that will act on the different stages of the spiral of malnutrition.

The probiotic developed by the LACTOINSIDE project is intended primarily for elderly persons, particularly ALF residents, half of whom are considered to be suffering from malnutrition (almost 300,000 people), or who are hospitalised or living at home (700,000 people).

In the long term it could also target the animal health markets.