FUNPRO-L

Functional foods are among the fastest-growing sectors of the food industry due to their potential to promote health and reduce the risk of disease through bioactive components. The FUNPRO-L project aimed to develop and evaluate a novel fermented milk specifically designed to promote women's well-being. Selected probiotic vaginal strains, exopolysaccharide-producing bacteria and starter cultures were combined to develop an innovative low-fat, lactose-free fermented milk with functional properties. The product was characterized from microbiological, physicochemical, nutritional, sensory and functional perspectives using both laboratory analyses and in vitro models, including the SHIME® simulator of the human intestinal microbiota. Its effects on gut microbiota composition and metabolism were further investigated through a randomized clinical trial involving women with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and a history of recurrent vaginitis, integrating meta-omics, biochemical and inflammatory analyses to assess its potential as a targeted functional food for women's health.

Results achieved

The project was successfully carried out through the close collaboration between the University of Bari Aldo Moro, as coordinating institution, and the University of Bologna, integrating complementary expertise in food microbiology, biotechnology, food science and clinical research. This multidisciplinary approach enabled the successful development of a low-fat, lactose-free fermented milk enriched with the vaginal probiotic Lactobacillus crispatus BC5 and an exopolysaccharide-producing starter culture. Starting from the screening of 17 probiotic strains, the consortium identified the most suitable formulation and successfully transferred it to industrial-scale production. The product maintained high probiotic viability during refrigerated storage and was further evaluated through an in vitro model, the simulator of the human intestinal microbial ecosystem (SHIME®) which confirmed the safety and compatibility of the developed product with the intestinal microbiota. Moreover, a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial involving women with IBS and a history of recurrent vaginitis was performed. The intervention generated an extensive clinical, microbiological and metabolomic dataset, revealing modulation of the gut microbiota, increased production of short-chain fatty acids, improvement of inflammatory markers and patient-reported symptoms, while confirming the safety of the developed fermented milk. Overall, the project demonstrated the feasibility of developing a targeted functional fermented milk for women, generating new scientific evidence on the interaction between probiotics, the gut microbiota and the gut–vaginal axis, while laying the foundation for future nutritional strategies and industrial applications.

The project generated significant scientific outputs, dissemination and knowledge transfer activities. Research findings were presented at several international conferences, including FoodOmics 2024 (Cesena, Italy), IUFoST 2024 (Rimini, Italy), FEMS MICRO 2025 (Milan, Italy), Microbial Diversity 2025 (Rome, Italy) and EFFoST 2025 (Porto, Portugal). The project resulted in the publication of the article by Gottardi et al. (2026) in Applied Food Research, while additional manuscripts based on the project results are currently in preparation for submission to international peer-reviewed journals, further strengthening the scientific impact and future exploitation of the project outcomes.

D.D. del MUR n. 104 del 02/02/2022

Codice progetto MUR: 20228W34ZM

CUP: J53D23009740006

Coordinatore di progetto: Università degli Studi di Bari Aldo Moro 

Ruolo UNIBO: RL

Research areas: Agro-environmental and food microbiology

Scientific officer: Davide Gottardi

Duration: 12/10/2023 - 10/10/2025

Research group: Davide Gottardi, Rosalba Lanciotti, Silvia Malavolta.