1 trillion CFU: Why is it important?

The easiest way to estimate the number of bacteria is to stain their cells and count them under a microscope. In this process, it is not possible to distinguish between their current states—alive, dead, or dormant.

Furthermore, most bacteria are not solitary and form small cell clumps that act as progenitors of single future colonies. Hence, direct cell counting can lead to biased and unreliable results. Because of this, a method based on colony-forming units (CFUs) is applied, which compensates for these shortcomings.

To be precise, CFU is a measure used in microbiology to estimate the number of viable bacterial or fungal cells in a sample. The procedure involves a standardized, serially diluted bacterial solution that is spread over a petri dish. The plate is then stored under controlled environmental conditions for a predefined amount of time, allowing the bacteria under scrutiny to proliferate and grow into colonies. The number of colonies on the plate is then counted with the unaided eye. Finally, the CFU count is calculated by applying the dilution factor used in the process.

In probiotic products, CFU counts vary widely depending on the strain and product. Natural sources of probiotics, such as yogurt, typically contain about 1 million to 100 million CFUs per gram or milliliter. Commercial probiotic supplements often aim for higher doses, with counts ranging from 1 billion to 10 billion CFUs per serving. Cormune is far more enriched with beneficial strains: one capsule contains an astonishing 400 billion CFUs, while a full shot exceeds a trillion. Higher CFU counts are generally sought for therapeutic uses, particularly in gut health and immune support.

Japanese people have a taste for healthy food deeply rooted in their ancient culture and cuisine. Despite Japan not being among the world's top dairy consumers, it has a longstanding love for Bulgarian yogurt. Since 1972, when Bulgarian lactobacilli strains were first imported into the country, the Japanese conglomerate Meiji Holding has been manufacturing Bulgarian yogurt.

Today, these probiotic products are consumed by over 40 million Japanese citizens, making up an impressive 38% of the population.

This LB-backed dietary tradition has become synonymous with robust health and longevity.

From a research perspective, Meiji established Meiji Dairies Corp. to advance its expertise in probiotics. Over the years, it has conducted more than 350 clinical trials and patented numerous potent strains. Meiji now produces 700 tons of yogurt daily across its 29 factories and distributes 32 dairy products containing Bulgarian bacterial species.

Since 1972, when LB yogurt first appeared in Japan, the country's life expectancy at birth has increased by almost 20% (16.3 years). In light of this, it is plausible to hypothesize a correlation between the increased life expectancy of the Japanese population and the health benefits of probiotic yogurt.