Content

BTEC provides support for Ummino development of prebiotic

Published Jan. 13, 2025

Ummino has developed a patented precision fermentation technology to produce Hummino^® at commercial scale so that food producers can incorporate it in their products, according to a recent article by the North Carolina Biotechnology Center. BTEC’s Bioprocess Services has supported the Durham-based health and biosciences company by producing a 300 L batch of the product for testing in human subjects.

A non-prescription food ingredient, Hummino^® is a vital prebiotic — a type of dietary fiber that significantly nourishes and supports the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut. Ummino’s technology platform uses a yeast-bound recombinant enzyme to biomanufacture a human milk oligosaccharide prevalent in breast milk, creating a prebiotic that previously couldn't be produced at commercial scale.

According to the Ummino website, “Hummino^® restores the natural balance to our microbiome and enhances gut barrier function by strengthening the gut lining, reducing intestinal permeability known as ‘Leaky Gut,’ which compromises the immune system and is directly tied to autoimmune conditions, allergies, and chronic diseases.”

Ummino's technology platform originated with research and innovation developed at NC State by co-founder José Bruno Barcena, professor in the Department of Plant and Microbial Biology and chief science officer at Ummino. The company is partnering with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill on a human safety clinical trial through another co-founder, Andrea Azcarate, Ph.D., director of UNC’s Microbiome Core Research Program.