History of ProViva

The discovery of LP 299v is a product of Swedish research. This groundbreaking research was permeated by enthusiasm and entrepreneurship. Collaboration between researchers from Probi and Skåne Dairy resulted in the creation of the ProViva brand. ProViva, freely translated from the Latin, means "for life."

Our story begins in the mid-1980s at the Department of Surgery in Lund, Sweden.

When patients are scheduled for major surgery they are kept fasting and are often given large doses of antibiotics. This wipes out the patient's normal intestinal flora and since the intestines are empty, they begin to leak aggressive bacteria. In the worst of cases, such bacteria can wipe out vital organs, like the kidneys.

To solve the problem, Kåre Larsson, professor of food technology at the Lund Institute of Technology, was consulted. He recommended tube-feeding patients with oats. In order to achieve the right consistency for the oats, Professor Larsson turned to Nils Molin, professor of microbiology. At the time Professor Molin headed up a research group that studied lactobacilli in food and had succeeded in discovering Lactobacillus plantarum 299v – the most interesting bacteria from a health standpoint.