Abbreviation for colony forming units. In preparations with microorganisms, it is used to express the number of living units capable of growing under specific test conditions. A high CFU count does not in itself mean benefits. Strains, portions, storage conditions and whether the declaration refers to production or the end of shelf life are also important.
Number of units capable of growing
CFU, in Polish CFU, determines the colony-forming units under given test conditions. It is not simply the mass of bacteria or the number of total particles in the powder. The result depends on the method and the ability of the microorganisms to grow. When describing a preparation, the species, strain designation and the moment to which the declared number refers are also important. It is worth distinguishing between production value and end-of-life warranty. A larger number without this data does not create an independent product ranking.
When writing billions, it's easy to confuse the scale, so it's a good idea to keep the full exponent or number. JTK does not provide information on the number of different strains. One strain may be declared in a large number of units, and a mixture of several strains requires an additional description of their identification.
Meaning and application
The CFU number is important in the context of a specific product and manufacturer's declaration. It does not describe the weight of the capsule nor does it allow you to choose the best preparation. You need the names of the microorganisms, the strains and the basis of the portion.
In practice
Check whether the quantity applies to one capsule or the entire portion and to what point the declaration refers. Read the storage conditions. Don't add a refrigeration requirement or the ability to skip it based solely on the type of packaging.
Don't add up CFUs of different products, assuming the benefits will automatically increase. Do not rely on the name of a bacterial genus as a complete identification of the strain. The supplement does not replace the diagnosis of persistent symptoms, and choosing a preparation requires more than comparing the number of zeros.