{{Short description|Probiotic yoghurt drink}} {{cs1 config|name-list-style=vanc}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2026}} {{Infobox brand | name = Actimel | logo = Actimel Logo.png | logo_size = 200 | image = Actimel.jpg | image_size = 120 | producttype = Probiotic dairy | currentowner = Danone | introduced = {{start date and age|1994}} | related = Activia | markets = Worldwide {{URL|https://www.actimel.com/|actimel.com}} | module = <!-- or: misc --> | module1 = <!-- or: misc1 --> }}
'''Actimel''' (known as '''DanActive''' in the United States and Canada) is a probiotic yoghurt-type drink produced by the French company Danone.
Actimel earned over €1.4 billion (US$1.8 billion) in retail sales in 2006.<ref name=autogenerated1>{{cite web|url=http://www.marketresearch.com/product/display.asp?productid=1493783&g=1 |title=Danone Actimel: Innovation Builds a Probiotic Mega-Brand |publisher=Marketresearch.com |date=2007-05-01 |access-date=2012-07-09 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110305144703/http://www.marketresearch.com/product/display.asp?productid=1493783&g=1 |archive-date=5 March 2011 |df=dmy }}</ref>
== History == Actimel was invented in the 1980s when the first steps to developing a fermented milk based on ''Lactobacillus casei'' had already been taken. It was not commercially launched in Belgium until 1994. The word Actimel was derived from the Dutch “actieve melk”, meaning “active milk”.
== Scientific basis == Claimed benefits range from reducing the incidence of diarrhea<ref>{{cite journal| title=Multicentric study of the effect of milk fermented by Lactobacillus casei on the incidence of diarrhoea|date=November 2000| pmid=11220983|vauthors=Pedone CA, Arnaud CC, Postaire ER, Bouley CF, Reinert P | journal= Int J Clin Pract| volume=54 | pages=568–71| issue=9|doi=10.1111/j.1742-1241.2000.tb10929.x |s2cid=756239 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal| title=The effect of supplementation with milk fermented by Lactobacillus casei (strain DN-114 001) on acute diarrhoea in children attending day care centres|date=Apr–May 1999| pmid=10665128|vauthors=Pedone CA, Bernabeu AO, Postaire ER, Bouley CF, Reinert P | journal= Int J Clin Pract| volume=53 | pages=568–71| issue=3|doi=10.1111/j.1742-1241.1999.tb11698.x |s2cid=27622450 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal| title=Feasibility studies to control acute diarrhoea in children by feeding fermented milk preparations Actimel and Indian Dahi|date=December 2002| pmid=12556949|vauthors=Agarwal KN, Bhasin SK | journal= Eur J Clin Nutr| volume=56 | issue = 4 | pages=56–9| doi=10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601664| doi-access=free}}</ref> and rhinitis reduction for young children,<ref>{{cite journal| title=A randomized prospective double blind controlled trial on effects of long-term consumption of fermented milk containing Lactobacillus casei in pre-school children with allergic asthma and/or rhinitis|date=August 2007| pmid=17597643| vauthors=Giovannini M, Agostoni C, Riva E, Salvini F, Ruscitto A, Zuccotti GV, Radaelli G, ((Felicita Study Group))| journal=Pediatr Res| volume=62 | pages=215–20| doi=10.1203/PDR.0b013e3180a76d94| issue=2| doi-access=free}}</ref> to improvement of the immune function in adults<ref>{{cite journal| title=The effect of milk fermented by yogurt cultures plus Lactobacillus casei DN-114001 on the immune response of subjects under academic examination stress|date=December 2004| pmid=15309418|vauthors=Marcos A, Wärnberg J, Nova E, Gómez S, Alvarez A, Alvarez R, Mateos JA, Cobo JM | journal=Eur J Nutr| volume=43 | pages=381–9| doi=10.1007/s00394-004-0517-8| issue=6|s2cid=42278966}}</ref> and elderly people<ref>{{cite journal| doi=10.1007/BF03168444| title=Daily ingestion of fermented milk containing Lactobacillus casei DN114001 improves innate-defense capacity in healthy middle-aged people|date=June 2004| pmid=15457926|vauthors=Parra MD, Martínez de Morentin BE, Cobo JM, Mateos A, Martínez JA | journal=J Physiol Biochem| volume=60 | pages=85–91| issue=2| s2cid=22526012}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal| title=Monocyte function in healthy middle-aged people receiving fermented milk containing Lactobacillus casei| year=2004| pmid=15316583|vauthors=Parra MD, Martínez de Morentin BE, Cobo JM, Mateos A, Martínez JA | journal= J Nutr Health Aging| volume=8 | pages=208–11| issue=4}}</ref> and reduction of duration of winter infections for elderly.<ref>{{cite journal| title=Effect of fermented milk containing the probiotic Lactobacillus casei DN-114001 on winter infections in free-living elderly subjects: a randomised, controlled pilot study| year=2003| pmid=12679825|vauthors=Turchet P, Laurenzano M, Auboiron S, Antoine JM | journal= J Nutr Health Aging| volume=7 | pages=75–7| issue=2}}</ref>
A 2007 study published by the ''British Medical Journal''<ref>[http://www.bmj.com/content/early/2006/12/31/bmj.39231.599815.55 Use of probiotic Lactobacillus preparation to prevent diarrhoea associated with antibiotics: randomised double blind placebo controlled trial - Hickson et al., 10.1136/bmj.39231.599815.55 - BMJ]</ref> suggests that the product could help avoid antibiotic-associated diarrhoea and limit ''Clostridioides difficile'' infections in elderly patients.
==Debates surrounding health claims on probiotic foods== {{See also|Health claims on food labels}}
On 23 January 2008, a proposed class action was filed in California, accusing Danone Co. Inc. of false advertising in their marketing of yoghurt containing probiotic bacteria (Danactive & Activia), alleging that the claimed health benefits have never been proven.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/dannon-sued-over-probiotic-yogurt-claims-1.272735 |title=Dannon sued over probiotic yogurt claims |publisher=CTV.ca |date=2008-01-24 |access-date=2012-07-09 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080128195157/http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20080124/danone_080124/20080124?hub=Health |archive-date=28 January 2008 |df=dmy }}</ref> The company has denied this accusation.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS242897+24-Jan-2008+BW20080124 | archive-url=https://archive.today/20120909171530/http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS242897+24-Jan-2008+BW20080124 | url-status=dead | archive-date=9 September 2012 | title=Dannon Refutes Class Action Lawsuit Alleging Misleading Claims | date=2008-01-24 | work=Reuters}}</ref>
Foodwatch claims that Danone "makes a mountain out of a molehill" in suggesting that Actimel protects from cold and boosts health. Foodwatch believes that the company sells a commodity product as a niche product using branding.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abgespeist.de/actimel/index_ger.htm|title=Abgespeist: Actimel von Danone. Activer Etikettenschwindel|work=Foodwatch|language=de|access-date=27 January 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140127213301/http://www.abgespeist.de/actimel/index_ger.htm|archive-date=27 January 2014|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) is an independent regulator for advertisements, sales promotion and direct marketing in the UK. According to ''Spiegel Online'' one TV spot from Actimel was blocked by the ASA in 2006 and one in 2008.<ref>Amann, Susanne: Marketing-Erfolg. Mit Joghurt Millionen scheffeln. ''Spiegel Online'' 22.12.2008 http://www.spiegel.de/wirtschaft/0,1518,druck-597184,00.html</ref> In the first case the ASA upheld a complaint that the advert misleadingly implied that children given Actimel would be prevented from catching bacterial infections.<ref>ASA adjudication 1 November 2006 {{cite web|url=http://www.asa.org.uk/asa/adjudications/Public/TF_ADJ_41911.htm |title=Danone UK Ltd |access-date=2009-04-19 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081203115725/http://www.asa.org.uk/asa/adjudications/Public/TF_ADJ_41911.htm |archive-date=3 December 2008 }}</ref> Meanwhile in the second case complaints about the use of the phrase "Actimel is scientifically proven, and you can see that proof for yourself on our website" were upheld as only summaries of, or references to, these studies were present on the website and the full content was not available.<ref>ASA adjudication 12 March 2008 {{cite web|url=http://www.asa.org.uk/asa/adjudications/Public/TF_ADJ_44120.htm |title=Danone UK Ltd |access-date=2009-04-19 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081203075750/http://www.asa.org.uk/asa/adjudications/Public/TF_ADJ_44120.htm |archive-date=3 December 2008 }}</ref> A TV advert that stated that Actimel was "scientifically-proven to help support your kids' defences" was banned by the Advertising Standards Authority.<ref>BBC [https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8305918.stm 'Healthy' yogurt advert banned] 13 October 2009</ref>
Alexa Meyer, from the Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Vienna, Austria, comparing probiotic drinks and normal yoghurt, found no significant difference in the effect of Actimel and normal yoghurt with living bacteria. The nutritional researcher recommends getting enough sleep, washing hands often and eating a daily bowl of yoghurt. She says this would activate more active germ-fighting white blood cells, enhancing the immune system, probably due to the presence of ''Lactobacillus bulgaricus'', from any normal yoghurt, which is half the price of Actimel.<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Meyer | first1 = AL | last2 = Micksche | first2 = M | last3 = Herbacek | first3 = I | last4 = Elmadfa | first4 = I | year = 2006 | title = Daily intake of probiotic as well as conventional yogurt has a stimulating effect on cellular immunity in young healthy women | journal = Ann Nutr Metab | volume = 50 | issue = 3| pages = 282–9 | pmid = 16508257 | doi=10.1159/000091687| s2cid = 2640406 }}</ref>
The equivalence of yoghurts is supported by Berthold Koletzko from LMU Munich, Metabolic Diseases and Nutrition. In case of diarrhoea, Koletzko advises parents to give their children yoghurt with living bacteria. It does not necessarily need to be Actimel, but may also be other yoghurts. A measurable health benefit linked to the presence of live ''Streptococcus thermophilus'' and ''Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus'' in yoghurt was reported by Koletzko and colleagues in 2005. In this review Koletzko and colleagues say that it was clearly demonstrated that yoghurt containing viable bacteria improves lactose digestion and eliminates symptoms of lactose intolerance, and clearly fulfill the current concept of probiotics.<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Guarner | first1 = F. | last2 = Perdigon | first2 = G. | last3 = Corthier | first3 = G. | last4 = Salminen | first4 = S. | last5 = Koletzko | first5 = B. | last6 = Morelli | first6 = L. | date = Jun 2005 | title = Should yoghurt cultures be considered probiotic? | journal = Br J Nutr | volume = 93 | issue = 6| pages = 783–6 | pmid = 16022746 | doi=10.1079/bjn20051428| doi-access = free | hdl = 11336/56926 | hdl-access = free }}</ref>
The net "all-cause" effects of yoghurts have also been questioned; its 6 September 2009 issue, ''Nature'' featured an article by Didier Raoult who claimed that "probiotic-enriched" yoghurt beverages may have contributed to the increase in obesity over the past 20 years.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Probiotics and obesity: a link? |journal=Nature Reviews Microbiology |date=2010-05-01 |volume=7 |issue=9 |doi=10.1038/nrmicro2209 |pmid=21548178 |page=616|last1=Raoult |first1=Didier |doi-access=free }}</ref>
In 2007, a health claims regulation was put in place by the European Commission within the 27 countries of the European Union, and a similar regulation came into consideration at Health Canada.<ref>[http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/consultation/init/man-gest_health_claims-allegations_sante_e.html Managing Health Claims for Foods in Canada: Towards a Modernized Framework] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080219192933/http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/consultation/init/man-gest_health_claims-allegations_sante_e.html |date=19 February 2008 }}</ref>
== References == {{reflist|35em}}
==External links== * {{official website}} {{Group Danone}}
Category:Brand name yogurts Category:British banned television advertisements Category:Groupe Danone brands Category:Products introduced in 1994 Category:1994 introductions Category:1994 establishments in Belgium