Continuing its commitment to shaping the future of probiotics and health, the Philippine Society for Probiotics and Functional Foods, Inc. (PhilProFF) held its 12th PhilProFF Biennial Convention on October 16-17 at MMSU Teatro Ilocandia to discuss evidence-based, ethical, and high-standard innovations to ensure observance of regulatory standards and public safety in the probiotics and functional foods field.

Themed “Shaping the Future of Probiotics: Science, Safety, and Standards,” PhilProff President Rodney Perez said the event emphasizes these three pillars as the foundation for building a resilient and transformative future for the industry.

During the two-day convention, participants explored groundbreaking research projects that identified and optimized probiotic strains, underscored the importance of transparency and consumer safety, and examined regulatory frameworks to secure high-quality products and ethical guidance in product development.

MMSU President Virgilio Julius P. Manzano, Jr. urged participants to elevate the well-being of the nation and beyond through probiotics and functional foods, saying, “Knowledge becomes power only when we use it to improve lives.”

Meanwhile, in her keynote address, Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Chairperson Shirley C. Agrupis reminded participants that “research is not an end in itself, but a lifelong commitment to the Filipino people. As we strengthen probiotics and functional food research, may we also strengthen the values that anchor it: integrity, collaboration, and public service.”

Plenary speakers included Dr. Peter James Icalia-Gann, Chief of the Center for Cellular and Molecular Medical (CMED) Research; Prof. Dr. Ir. Endang Rahayu from Universitas Gadjah Mada; Dr. Valerie Diane Valeriano from the Center for Translational Microbiome Research at Karolinska Institutet, Sweden; Dr. Sheryl Lozel Arreola from the University of the Philippines Los Baños; and Mr. Timothy Moises Colle Mendoza, RND of the Food and Drug Administration.

During the event, Dr. Perez and PhilProff Vice President Joel Cornista presented a plaque of appreciation to Dr. Manzano in recognition of MMSU as an institutional partner, signifying the existing partnership between the two institutions.

Likewise, Yakult Philippines, the convention’s platinum sponsor, was recognized as the industry partner and was represented by Executive Vice President Michael Eric Ong. Other industry partners in the event were Medical Test Systems, Inc., Dakila Trading Corporation, YANA Chemodities, Inc., Diamed, and Golden Bat.

Aside from the plenary sessions, poster presentations of researchers across the participating institutions, both in competing and non-competing categories, were exhibited during the convention and were officially opened through a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Faculty members and students from the Department of Biological Sciences and the Department of Pharmacy also participated in the scientific meeting.

Serving as overall chair of the conference was Dr. Rodney Perez, with co-chairs Prof. Rhian Jaymar Ramil, Program Leader of IFP Probiotics Research, and Dr. Dionisio Bucao for the local organizing committee.

The Philippine Society for Probiotics and Functional Foods, Inc. (PhilProFF), formerly the Philippine Society for Lactic Acid Bacteria (PSLAB), is a non-profit organization founded in 2002 to promote research and collaboration on lactic acid bacteria. It has organized numerous scientific events since its first seminar in 2003. In response to the growing demand for fermented foods and probiotics, it rebranded as PhilProFF in 2023 to advance innovation in probiotics and functional foods in the Philippines.