News
ZBiotics, a genetic engineering company creating consumer products designed to augment health and improve everyday lives, has announced the official launch of ZBiotics, a functional beverage that contains a genetically engineered probiotic bacteria designed to break down acetaldehyde, an unwanted byproduct of alcohol that is associated with rough feelings the day after drinking.
The launch of ZBiotics is claimed to mark the first time this sophisticated level of biotechnology has been applied to probiotics. As a result, the company says it has pioneered a brand new category with ZBiotics, engineered to help improve people's natural ability to digest a byproduct of alcohol, and in so doing feel better the day after drinking.
To create ZBiotics, company co-founder/CEO and microbiologist Zack Abbott started with a naturally occurring probiotic bacteria, then genetically engineered its DNA to replicate the natural process that takes place in the liver when alcohol is consumed: the production of an enzyme that breaks down acetaldehyde.
"Our environment and lifestyles have changed dramatically over the last few thousand years, and as it relates to biotechnology, we no longer have to wait for the next few hundred-thousand years for our anatomy to catch up. That's why we've created a purpose-built, enhanced probiotic beverage designed to augment the capabilities of your gut," said Abbott. "It goes beyond mixing together vitamins and root extracts and hoping for the best. We are a science-forward company that starts with the problem – in this case, the microbiome's natural inability to break down acetaldehyde – and builds a specific solution. It is genetic engineering as it should be: working for you, with effectiveness you can feel for yourself."
Founded in 2016, ZBiotics says it is thoughtfully positioned at the forefront of the "GMO 2.0" movement, inventing game-changing consumer products using sophisticated bioengineering techniques in a responsible, transparent, and accessible manner. It is, the company claims, a new type of genetic engineering company: one that puts people first and that shares clear, detailed information about their technology, their intentions, and their mission to educate and empower consumers to make their own informed decisions about GMOs.
ZBiotics is said to be the result of years of rigorous research and testing, and provides a novel solution never before possible. But this first product is just the beginning, the company says: the team is already working on building other novel solutions using the same technology.
"Whether they are promoting increased levels of nutrient absorption or helping break down environmental toxins, the enhanced probiotics we are building will provide consumers with new health-promoting functionalities that are only possible thanks to genetic engineering," said Abbott. "We are thrilled for people to try our first product and excited to continue in our efforts to solve even more intractable problems with this incredible technology."
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