Overcoming the Anaerobic Barrier: A New Approach to Probiotic Manufacturing

Learn how anaerobic probiotic manufacturing and MET technology enable shelf-stable, next-generation probiotics with oxygen-sensitive keystone gut bacteria. CASI Editorial Team May 12, 2026 Over the years, probiotic formulations have typically relied on oxygen-tolerant bacteria like Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, largely because these strains can survive the standard manufacturing process. While they commonly offer clinical benefits, these strains alone do not fully reflect the types of bacteria that characterize a healthy, stable gut microbiome. Many of the bacteria most consistently associated with a healthy, resilient gut microbiome are considered keystone commensals. These organisms play important roles in maintaining microbiome stability through functions such as short-chain fatty acid production, mucin support, and metabolic cross-feeding with other beneficial microbes. Several keystone commensal species, including Faecalibacterium prausnitzii (F. prausnitzii) and Roseburia intestinalis (R. intestinalis), are obligate anaerobes, meaning they cannot survive in the presence of oxygen. Standard probiotic manufacturing involves processes such as fermentation, harvest, freeze-d...