This week, Danone cut the ribbon on its OneBiome Laboratory in Paris-Saclay.
The facility, housed within its International Research and Innovation Centre, is dedicated to one of the most complex areas of health research: the gut microbiome.
Better understanding links between diet and health
Danone has a long history of interest in gut health. The dairy giant developed its first yoghurt – using ferments from the Pasteur Institute – back in 1919. Since then, it’s been building its library of ferments for all parts of its business: from medical nutrition to infant formula, dairy products and plant-based.
The multinational keeps this proprietary library within its Research and Innovation Centre in Paris-Saclay, now also home to a OneBiome Lab. This is where Danone is doubling down on its microbiome research, as a means of better understanding links between diet and health.
Isabelle Esser, Danone’s chief research and innovation officer, told press at the launch that the gut microbiome is the largest in the human body and plays a ‘vital’ role in health. Because it is shaped by genetics, age, stress, and diet, she said, understanding its variations could help Danone deliver more targeted nutrition.
“Our microbiome is completely unique to us. It’s a very complex ecosystem, which is affected by many things,” Esser adds, citing genetics, age, stress, and of course, diet. If Danone can better understand how microbiomes differ among populations and age groups, the company believes it can better deliver targeted nutrition.
In this context, the new OneBiome Lab is a “strategic asset” for Danone, she says. “We want to work on the gut microbiome of specific populations to improve gut health for all consumers.”
From holograms to immersive tech: telling the microbiome story
The ambition is also reflected in the way Danone presents its science to visitors.
Stepping into the OneBiome Lab feels like crossing into a space where something exciting is happening behind those opaque double doors. Danone isn’t just leaning into cutting-edge microbiome research here – it’s also experimenting with next-generation technologies to tell that story.
The tour begins with an introduction from a hologram guide, who explains the links between diet and health before inviting us to zoom in on her own gut. It’s a vivid reminder that the microbiome is far more complex than it seems. From there, we’re led by a real, human guide down the corridor toward the lab benches.
For those willing to dive deeper, the experience turns fully immersive: participants step onto a platform that lights up and transports them inside the gut itself. Suddenly, we’re surrounded by bacteria in a dynamic 3D world, seeing the microbiome from the inside out.
And then on to the final section of the tour – the part where the real magic happens. Behind glass panels, scientists in crisp white coats and goggles focus intently on petri dishes, a scene straight from the heart of modern research.
OneBiome represents a ‘new chapter’ for Danone
For Danone, the lab represents a “new chapter” – both in strengthening its microbiome expertise and in pursuing science-led health innovation.
“We believe the future of nutrition lies in understanding and harnessing the power of biotics – probiotics, prebiotics, postbiotics and symbiotics – for gut health," says Esser. “With these new capabilities, we will continue to push the boundaries of scientific knowledge and its application in food.”
The Paris-Saclay site adds to Danone’s global network of research hubs, including the OneBiome Lab in Singapore focused on early life nutrition. Together, these centres mark an expansion of the company’s efforts to link science with product development, in an area it sees as central to the future of food.
