ISSUE FOCUS 58 FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE December 2025 For the first part of the study, adult zebrafish were divided into four groups. All were fed a standard diet, and some received a diet enriched with either live L. helveticus HA-122, heat-treated L. helveticus HA122, or heat-treated L. plantarum HA-119. After five weeks, fish receiving heat-treated bacteria showed clear improvements in gut barrier integrity and immune responsiveness—evidence that the postbiotics retained beneficial activity even without live cells.1 The second part of the study focused on whether these postbiotics helped to strengthen the animals’ natural defenses against a viral challenge. After three weeks on the dietary treatments, L. plantarum HA119 showed the strongest effect, and fish receiving the heat-treated form exhibited significantly elevated immune gene expression.2 Combined, these studies showed strong evidence that postbiotics could help strengthen gut barrier integrity and natural defenses in the zebrafish model, paving the way for validation in dogs. FROM FISHBOWL TO PET BOWL: TESTING DIGESTIVE RESILIENCE IN DOGS While model organisms help us uncover mechanisms, the real evidence emerges when we test these ingredients in the animals we care for. Building on the encouraging zebrafish data, researchers from Lallemand zoomed in exclusively on L. helveticus HA-122 for validation in dogs—the studies that really count. After all, findings in a model become even more meaningful when they are confirmed in the target species we are aiming to support. The research team designed two studies addressing scenarios familiar to veterinarians and pet owners alike. The first in-vitro study focused on antibiotic-induced dysbiosis—a common complication when dogs require antibiotic treatment. Using an advanced bioreactor system that replicates the canine gut environment, researchers administered a five-day course of broad-spectrum antibiotics known to disrupt gut microbial balance.3 One bioreactor was infused with heat-treated L. helveticus HA-122 concurrently with the antibiotic treatment. The critical phase came next: monitoring gut microbiota recovery over the following weeks. The results showed that the heat-treated L. helveticus HA-122 accelerated the re-establishment of microbial balance compared with controls. The second in-vivo study involved 40 healthy adult dogs and examined another common digestive stressor: dietary transitions. Whether upgrading nutrition or managing sensitivities, food changes can challenge gut stability. Dogs received either their standard diet or the same food supplemented with the postbiotic. All dogs then transitioned to a high-protein formula to assess digestive adaptation. The results demonstrated consistent benefits compared to control animals: • Improved digestive function: Stool quality Photo: Freepik
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