Start-up incorporates microgel technology in probiotic drink

A Queensland start-up is testing the market for a non-dairy, low-kilojoule probiotic in selected stores in Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

ProGel’s Perkii juice and water drink is based on technology developed by Queensland University’s Bhesh Bhandari to encapsulate bacteria in microgels that keep them alive in drinks and stomach acid.

Perkii is available in three flavours, with each bottle containing 1bn live Lacobacillus case bacteria. At 109 kilojoules per bottle, the company says the live probiotics in Perkii can help consumers control weight, improve gut health and boost immunity.