What Is Pasteurized Akkermansia Muciniphila? A Guide for Supplement Brands

Akkermansia muciniphila is a bacterium that lives in the mucus layer lining the human intestine. It feeds on mucin, the main protein of that mucus, which is where its name comes from. It is one of the most studied “next-generation” microbiome species and a common subject of gut-barrier and metabolic research.

It is strictly anaerobic, meaning it grows only without oxygen. That is the main reason it is hard to deliver as a living supplement, and one reason pasteurized material has become popular with ingredient buyers. For a direct comparison, see pasteurized vs live Akkermansia.

In this context pasteurized means heat-inactivated: the culture is heated so the cells can no longer grow, then freeze-dried into a powder. The cells stay intact and the heat-stable parts of the cell, including outer-membrane proteins such as Amuc_1100, remain. Ingredients of this type are often grouped under the label “postbiotic”.

For our ingredient, AKM Lab-01, the specification holds the culturable count below 10 CFU/g. Potency is not described in CFU at all. It is stated as total cells in TFU (total fluorescent units) per gram, measured by an in-house total-cell method.

• Room-temperature stability. AKM Lab-01 powder carries a 36-month shelf life in sealed, room-temperature storage, with no cold chain.
• No survival problem. Nothing has to stay alive through blending, tableting, depositing or shelf life, so more formats are practical: capsules, tablets, stick packs, gummies, liquids and solid beverages.
• Predictable label values. Total cells are measured and stated per gram, so a lot can be dosed consistently.
• A defined regulatory category in the EU. Pasteurized A. muciniphila has its own novel food authorisation (see the regulatory section below).

The species has human data: Depommier et al. (2019) ran a proof-of-concept study in volunteers that included a pasteurized form of A. muciniphila, and reported on safety and tolerability. That study used a different strain from ours.

Published work on AKM Lab-01 itself is preclinical: diet-induced obese mouse models and a 90-day mouse safety study (see references 2 and 3). Human research on AKM Lab-01 is early: an internal pilot study has been completed and two clinical trials, NCT06974266 and NCT07331974, are registered as ongoing research. We publish no outcome numbers from human work and draw no efficacy claims from it.

Want the full limits for metals, microbiology and stability? See the specification table on our Akkermansia powder page, and the research summary on the Akkermansia muciniphila ingredient page.

EU. Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/168 authorises pasteurized Akkermansia muciniphila as a novel food, following an EFSA safety opinion. The authorisation sets conditions of use and specifications, so brands selling in the EU should read the regulation and confirm their product fits it.

US. Dietary supplement labels use structure/function wording with the standard DSHEA disclaimer. For AKM Lab-01, the manufacturer holds a self-affirmed GRAS conclusion from an independent expert panel (2025) for conventional foods and beverages at up to 3.4×10¹⁰ cells per day. This is not an FDA approval and there is no FDA GRAS notice. Brands using the ingredient in supplements should confirm new dietary ingredient requirements with their own regulatory advisor.

We provide technical documents, but each brand is responsible for compliance and labeling in its target market. Our Quality & Certifications page lists which credentials belong to which company.

Strain deposit number, potency unit, marker-protein assay, a COA for every batch, and who actually holds the certificates are the questions that separate suppliers. We list them in How to Choose an Akkermansia Ingredient Supplier.

1. Depommier C, Everard A, Druart C, et al. Supplementation with Akkermansia muciniphila in overweight and obese human volunteers: a proof-of-concept exploratory study. Nat Med. 2019;25:1096–1103. doi:10.1038/s41591-019-0495-2. Human pilot study of the species, including a pasteurized form (a different strain from AKM Lab-01).
2. Huang B, Xian Y, Xue W, et al. Probiotic attributes and safety profile of AKM Lab-01 in diet-induced obese mice (title abridged). Front Microbiol. 2026;16:1627870. doi:10.3389/fmicb.2025.1627870. Preclinical study; authors are mostly company employees.
3. Huang B, Chen Z, Xue W, et al. A. muciniphila AKM Lab-01 combined with Garcinia cambogia extract in diet-induced obese mice (title abridged). Food Sci Nutr. 2026;14:e72140. doi:10.1002/fsn3.72140. Preclinical study.
4. Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/168 authorising the placing on the market of pasteurised Akkermansia muciniphila as a novel food. Consult the current text on EUR-Lex for the exact conditions of use, specifications and labeling requirements.

References describe published research and regulatory context. They are not claims about any product we supply. Regulatory status differs by country and intended use; brands should confirm compliance and labeling for their own market.