Enterococcus faecium
Enterococcus faecium is a lactic acid bacterium found in the gut of people and animals and in some traditional cheeses and fermented sausages. Selected strains are sold as freeze-dried powder at a stated CFU per gram, mostly for animal feed and in some supplements in Europe and Asia. The species also includes hospital strains that carry vancomycin resistance, and some food strains have been reclassified as Enterococcus lactis, so buyers ask for strain-level identity and antibiotic resistance data.
Suppliers sell different products under the same name. Specify the one you need.
Pure E. faecium powder at a high count stated in billions of CFU per gram, sold for dilution or blending by the buyer.
Concentrate diluted with a carrier such as maltodextrin, microcrystalline cellulose or potato starch to a fixed lower count, easier to dose in capsules, sachets and powders.
A specific strain identified by a culture-collection deposit number or a trade designation, sold with that strain's own documentation; the strain designation belongs on the specification.
Strains and grades made for animal feed under feed rules, not for human food or supplements; keep the two on separate specifications.
Compare each result with your own specification when the lot arrives.
Freeze-dried concentrates are usually kept frozen (around -18 °C or colder) or refrigerated, sealed in foil or other moisture- and oxygen-barrier packs, often with desiccant or a nitrogen flush. Let a cold pack reach room temperature before opening so moisture does not condense on the powder, and reseal partly used packs at once. Shelf life is set by the supplier from real-time stability counts at a stated temperature, and aged stock is retested for viable count before use.
Record the count, strain and the resistance and virulence screening for each lot, and confirm the strain name on the COA matches your specification, since some strains are now sold as E. lactis. Rotate stock FEFO.
Facts from regulators and standards bodies, each linked to its source.
Health Canada's Probiotics monograph lists Enterococcus faecium among the live microorganisms excluded from the monograph, so a natural health product with it cannot use the compendial route.
Source: webprod.hc-sc.gc.ca (opens in a new tab)The EU Novel Food Catalogue entry POL-NF-09432, now titled Enterococcus lactis, lists Enterococcus faecium (some strains) as a synonym and gives the status not novel in food.
Source: ec.europa.eu (opens in a new tab)This is general information, not regulatory advice. Status differs by country and by how the ingredient is used, so check the rules for your product and market.
Manufacturers and distributors whose own websites say they sell it.
Manufacturer · Cadorago, Italy
Italian group producing lactic and probiotic cultures, starter cultures and rennet, supplying probiotic strains as single ingredients or blends to supplement and food makers.
Suppliers are in alphabetical order and none pays to appear. Each claim is checked against the supplier’s own website on the date shown. Ask for the specification sheet and a recent COA before you order, and confirm details with the supplier.
Common forms include freeze-dried concentrate, standardized dilution, named strain and feed grade. Ask each supplier for the specification sheet of the exact grade they quote.
Expect viable count (CFU/g), identity, antibiotic susceptibility, contaminant microbiology and heavy metals, each with its method, specification and result for that lot.
Freeze-dried concentrates are usually kept frozen (around -18 °C or colder) or refrigerated, sealed in foil or other moisture- and oxygen-barrier packs, often with desiccant or a nitrogen flush. Let a cold pack reach room temperature before opening so moisture does not condense on the powder, and reseal partly used packs at once. Shelf life is set by the supplier from real-time stability counts at a stated temperature, and aged stock is retested for viable count before use.
Health Canada's Probiotics monograph lists Enterococcus faecium among the live microorganisms excluded from the monograph, so a natural health product with it cannot use the compendial route. The EU Novel Food Catalogue entry POL-NF-09432, now titled Enterococcus lactis, lists Enterococcus faecium (some strains) as a synonym and gives the status not novel in food.
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