Clostridium butyricum
Clostridium butyricum suppliers and sourcing guide
Clostridium butyricum is a strictly anaerobic, spore-forming bacterium that produces butyric acid. Commercial strains, the best known being MIYAIRI 588 from Japan, are grown by anaerobic fermentation, induced to sporulate and sold as dried spores. It is widely used in Asia in supplements and animal feed but is less common in North America and Europe. Rare strains of the species can produce botulinum-type toxin, so strain documentation matters more here than for most probiotics.
- Category
- Probiotics, cultures and yeasts
- Also known as
- C. butyricum · Clostridium butyricum MIYAIRI 588
- Facts checked
- November 2026
Forms and grades of clostridium butyricum
Suppliers sell different products under the same name. Specify the one you need.
Spore powder
Dried spores of a named strain at a stated CFU per gram.
Standardized dilution
Spores diluted with lactose, starch or another carrier to a fixed lower count for tablets and powders.
Named strain
A specific strain with its deposit number and safety dossier; the strain belongs on the specification.
Combination products
Blended with Enterococcus or Bacillus strains in some Asian formulations; ask for a separate count for each organism.
What to check on the COA
Compare each result with your own specification when the lot arrives.
- Spore count (CFU/g)
- Anaerobic plate count after heat treatment, on a medium such as reinforced clostridial agar, reported as CFU per gram.
- Identity
- Species confirmed by 16S rRNA sequencing and the strain by whole-genome sequencing against the deposited strain.
- Toxin gene screen
- PCR or genome data showing the strain lacks botulinum neurotoxin genes, which buyers should require for this species.
- Contaminant microbiology
- Enterobacteriaceae, E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus, yeast and mold, absence of Salmonella, and a check for other clostridia.
- Moisture
- Loss on drying against the supplier's maximum.
- Heavy metals
- Lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury by ICP-MS against the supplier's specification.
Storage, lots and expiry
Storage and shelf life
Spore powders are more stable than freeze-dried lactobacilli and are usually stored sealed at room temperature, cool and dry, away from humidity; follow the supplier's stated conditions. Keep containers closed between uses to keep moisture out. Shelf life is set by the supplier from spore count stability data, and aged stock is retested for count.
Lots and expiry dates
Record the spore count, strain and toxin-gene documentation for each lot, and check the count method matches your specification, since anaerobic methods vary. Rotate stock FEFO.
Regulatory status
Facts from regulators and standards bodies, each linked to its source.
Health Canada's Probiotics monograph lists Clostridium butyricum 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)FDA's draft guidance on dietary supplements containing live microbials states its intent to exercise enforcement discretion so that firms may declare live microbial quantity in colony forming units (CFUs), in addition to the weight declaration required by regulation.
Source: fda.gov (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.
Clostridium butyricum suppliers
Manufacturers and distributors whose own websites say they sell it.
We are checking clostridium butyricum suppliers now
Every listing is checked against the supplier’s own website before it goes live, so this list fills in over the coming weeks. The specs and COA checklist above are ready today.
Sell clostridium butyricum? Request a listingFrequently asked questions
What forms of clostridium butyricum can brands buy?
Common forms include spore powder, standardized dilution, named strain and combination products. Ask each supplier for the specification sheet of the exact grade they quote.
What should the COA for clostridium butyricum include?
Expect spore count (CFU/g), identity, toxin gene screen, contaminant microbiology, moisture and heavy metals, each with its method, specification and result for that lot.
How should clostridium butyricum be stored?
Spore powders are more stable than freeze-dried lactobacilli and are usually stored sealed at room temperature, cool and dry, away from humidity; follow the supplier's stated conditions. Keep containers closed between uses to keep moisture out. Shelf life is set by the supplier from spore count stability data, and aged stock is retested for count.
What is the regulatory status of clostridium butyricum?
Health Canada's Probiotics monograph lists Clostridium butyricum among the live microorganisms excluded from the monograph, so a natural health product with it cannot use the compendial route. FDA's draft guidance on dietary supplements containing live microbials states its intent to exercise enforcement discretion so that firms may declare live microbial quantity in colony forming units (CFUs), in addition to the weight declaration required by regulation.
More probiotics, cultures and yeasts
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- Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosusLactobacillus rhamnosus · L. rhamnosus
- Lactiplantibacillus plantarumLactobacillus plantarum · L. plantarum
- Lacticaseibacillus caseiLactobacillus casei · L. casei
- Lacticaseibacillus paracaseiLactobacillus paracasei · Lactobacillus casei subsp. paracasei
- Limosilactobacillus reuteriLactobacillus reuteri · L. reuteri
- Lactobacillus gasseriL. gasseri
- Limosilactobacillus fermentumLactobacillus fermentum · L. fermentum
- Ligilactobacillus salivariusLactobacillus salivarius · L. salivarius
- Lactobacillus helveticusL. helveticus
- Lactobacillus crispatusL. crispatus
- Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricusLactobacillus bulgaricus · L. bulgaricus
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