Yogurt is a dairy product produced from the fermentation of milk and characterised by the use of specific starter cultures. For yogurt, the symbiotic cultures used in the manufacture of yogurt are Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsc. Bulgaricus. Alternate culture yogurt may use the cultures of Streptococcus thremophilus and any Lactobacillus species.

The Codex Standard for Fermented Milk (CODEX STAN 243-2003) currently provides that "if the product is heat-treated after fermentation the requirement for viable microorganisms does not apply." However, Danone believes that its name is inextricably linked to the presence of living bacteria in yogurt and thus, any heat treated fermented milk produced by Danone is not called yogurt.

The World Health Organisation defines probiotics as: "live micro-organisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host" (WHO 2002). For foods to be called probiotic, they must have the following features:

• They must contain a sufficient number of these 'good' bacteria that are still alive and active at the end of the shelf-life of the product.
• These bacteria must be proven to survive the strong acids in the stomach.
• The bacteria within them that cause the probiotic effect must be identified and named as being of a specific type and strain.

Probiotic yogurt drinks and yogurts contain live bacteria which help our health in different ways, depending on the strain of the bacteria and the amount of it in the product that we eat or drink. Summary:
Probiotics are live micro-organisms that when consumed in sufficient amounts should be capable of reaching the intestine alive and conferring a health benefit on the consumer. In layman's terms:
probiotics are 'good' or 'friendly' bacteria that contribute to the health and balance of the intestinal tract. They often exist as live cultures that can be found in food, such as certain types of yogurt.

Encyclopedia:
Non digestible oligosaccharides (type of carbohydrate) that support the growth of colonies of certain bacteria in the colon.

Summary:
Substances ingested to promote the growth of probiotic microbes bacteria are called prebiotics.

The cultures or probiotics found in Danone products are added after the pasteuriszation or heat-treatment process. If the products were pasteurised with the live cultures and probiotics in the yogurt the live cultures or probiotics would be destroyed during the heat-treatment process. Therefore, addition of the live cultures or probiotics after the pasteurization stage ensures that consumers are gaining the maximum benefit from the products.

Danone UK recommends that all of its dairy products are stored in the refrigerator at below +6°C for no longer than the use by date marked on the product. The quality of the product and the viability of the live micro-organisms contained in the product cannot be guaranteed if the product is frozen and eaten after thawing.

As with all additives, sweeteners are thoroughly assessed for safety before they are permitted for use. Additionally, continual investigations are carried out on sweeteners by relevant food authorities and organisations to ensure that their presence in food does not compromise food safety. The use of sweeteners in food is controlled in Great Britain by the Sweeteners in Foods Regulations 1995 (SI 1995 No.3123) as amended.

The sensory profiles of original and sugar free products should be the same. However, some people are more sensitive than others to the taste and mouthfeel of sweeteners, but their presence in the product does not affect the flavour from a sensory point of view.

The Food Standards Agency provides guidance on the labelling of a product with "suitable for vegetarians." It provides that the term 'vegetarian' should not be applied to foods that are, or are derived from animals that have died, have been slaughtered, or animals that die as a result of being eaten. Animals means farmed, wild or domestic animals, including for example, livestock poultry, game, fish, shellfish, crustacea, amphibians, tunicates, echinoderms, molluscs and insects.

All due care has been taken to ensure that Danone products labelled as "suitable for vegetarians" follow this guidance. Some ingredients used to enhance colour, for example, cochineal, are not vegetarian and products containing such ingredients will not be labelled as "suitable for vegetarians". Therefore, it is important that vegetarians check product labels before consuming.

Actimel is made from fermented cow's milk and therefore is suitable for lacto-vegetarians, but not for vegans. All packaging clearly indicates whether it is suitable or not.

Danone understand that food allergies or intolerances can seriously affect the health of certain sensitive people.

Danone take into account both the risks linked to intentional inclusion of allergens and those resulting from the adventitious presence in products, otherwise known as cross-contamination.

In order to control the risk, Danone apply a due diligence process based on GMP (good manufacturing practice for its activities), or - in other words - an obligation to use the most appropriate control measures following a prior risk analysis, based on HACCP (hazard analysis critical control point) principles.

Depending on the results obtained from cross-contamination risk evaluations in our factories and those of our suppliers, consumers will be informed accordingly on the intentional and possible presence of potentially allergenic ingredients in the products via clear labelling in the form of ingredients lists and positive allergen warnings.

Danone dairy products contain lactose originating from the milk they are made with.

If you are lactose intolerant, you may still be able to eat our dairy products, but you should first consult with your doctor or specialist to make sure.

Our dairy products are not however suitable for those people with milk allergies.

Diabetes is a complex condition - depending on the individuals needs, the product could be suitable providing the sugar content is factored into their overall diet. We suggest the consumer discusses it further with their health practitioner or dietician.

GDA's (Guideline Daily Amounts) translate nutritional information into consumer friendly figures. GDA's provide on-pack guidelines to help put nutritional information into the context of an overall healthy balanced diet, by showing how much of your GDA's a serving of the food provides.

The term 'BIO' was previously used by Danone, and generally well understood when used in the UK, to indicate the presence of a probiotic within dairy products such as live yogurts.

Changes in legislation (2004) however precluded the use of such terms as 'bio' and 'eco' in the labelling and advertising of conventional foodstuffs which are not produced in accordance with conditions set out for organic products.

Previous to the changes described above, the UK interpreted existing organic legislation as not prohibiting the use of terms such as "bio" and "eco" on conventional produce sold here, because they appeared sufficiently far from the term "organic" as to be unlikely to lead to confusion in the minds of consumers, however it has since been recognised that there is a real possibility of confusion arising from the use of the terms in question, given the fact that organic production in other Member States is described by such terms as "biologic" and "ecologic".

These forced changes came into effect in 2004 however manufacturers of conventional products were granted a 'transitional period' in which to amend existing labels due to the complexity of such an activity and the anticipated consumer confusion over such a change.

We nevertheless anticipated the impact of the legislation on our products sold in the UK and started responding to it as early as 2001, gradually changing some of our trade marks. For example, 'BIO' became 'BIOACTIVIA', then simply 'ACTIVIA', in order to keep consumers familiar with the product they enjoy and value.

This process was an ongoing project for Danone UK, completed in July 2006.

To summarise, the removal of the word 'BIO' was purely in response to legislation, which now reserves the term for organic produce only and we confirm that the formulation has not changed products previously marketed as 'BIO' continue to include probiotics.

Danone produce, in some of our French factories, Activia Muesli which contains nuts.

Neither Activia nor Actimel is better for you. Both products offer different health benefits which target different individuals dependent on your lifestyle.

Actimel is a drinking yogurt which helps support your body's natural defences when consumed daily as part of a healthy balanced diet and lifestyle.
By contrast, Activia is a yogurt which targets mainly healthy women, who experience slower digestive transit and associated sensations, such as bloating. It improves slower digestive transit when one or two pots are consumed daily as part of a healthy balanced diet and lifestyle.

Although not a legal requirement, we state suitable from age 3 upwards as Actimel is not manufactured/intended for young children - this statement has been included due to the fact that we have a 'kids' version on the market.

We wanted to make it clear that the kids version was not intended for young children (Note: these types of product have to conform to particular specifications and standards of manufacture which are not employed in the manufacture etc. of Actimel and Actimel Kids) and so, in turn, we may put the warning on standard Actimel.

Young children, as defined in 'The Processed Cereal-based Foods and Baby Foods for Infants and Young Children Regulations', refers to children aged between one and three years. Infants, as defined, refers to children under 12 months. To summarise, Actimel Kids (and Actimel by association) is not a baby food i.e. for 'young children' (1-3 yrs) or 'infants' (<12 months). As 'kids' is non-specific term we state from age 3 upwards to clarify it is not a baby food.

We are not aware of issues of toxicity for a high level of consumption of Actimel. However, you need to factor in the nutritional composition against your daily energy requirements. An extremely high level of consumption could account for more than half the Guideline Daily Amount for calories and more than the total amount of sugar GDA (see packaging for GDA details). Actimel should be consumed as part of a healthy and balanced diet & lifestyle.

Diabetes is a complex condition - depending on the individuals needs the product could be suitable providing the sugar content is factored into the overall diet. We suggest the consumer discusses it further with their health practitioner or dietician.

All Actimel products sold in the UK are gluten free and therefore suitable for coeliacs.

Actimel is suitable for pregnant women provided it forms part of a varied and balanced diet.

Actimel is a probiotic drinking yogurt that is scientifically proven to help support your body's defences. Actimel goes to work directly in your digestive tract where about 70% of your immune system is located. A key ingredient in Actimel is the exclusive L.casei Imunitass ® culture. Evidence from studies demonstrates that daily consumption of Actimel helps support your body's defences.

Danone UK recommends that all of its dairy products are stored in the refrigerator at below +6°C for no longer than the use by date marked on the product. Actimel is a drinking yogurt, so normal household temperatures would tend to kill the live cultures that Actimel contains. As with all chilled food products, we recommend that Actimel is transferred to your fridge as soon as you arrive home from shopping.

The effect of Actimel will be the same whenever it is taken during the day. However, it is suggested to integrate Actimel into your morning breakfast, in order to establish a daily routine.

The bacteria in Actimel are not encapsulated but are living. They contribute to the fermentation of the dairy product during the yogurt production steps, and remain alive during the duration of the products shelf-life.