Although consuming something that’s alive might sound like a challenge from NBC’s “Fear Factor” TV show, probiotic beverages introduce consumers’ digestive systems to beneficial live cultures in a more appetizing way.

Once again, Virgo’s SupplySide West expo and conference experienced growth, breaking all previous records set.

Whether it’s because of its weight management capabilities or its preventative links, fiber is putting its stamp on the American diet.

Across the globe, consumers continue to seek more nutritional foods, beverages and supplements in order to improve their digestive health, according to a report by DuPont Nutrition & Health, Reigate, United Kingdom. As a result, digestive health is the largest segment of the functional foods market in Europe, Japan and South America, and it is on its way to becoming the largest functional segment in the United States as well, the report states.