Most "probiotic" products I see in Japanese pharmacies contain live bacteria and need a cool shelf. Lactis does something different, and when customers write to ask me what it actually is, the honest answer starts with what it is not: it is not a live-culture product. I have lived in Japan since 2002 and ship Lactis to you from Kobe, so in this review I will stick to what the maker, B&S Corporation, publishes on the box and the product page, and nothing beyond it.
What Lactis is
A fermentation extract, not live bacteria
In Japan Lactis is sold as 乳酸菌生成エキス, a "lactic acid bacteria fermentation extract". According to B&S, sixteen strains of lactic acid bacteria are used to ferment soy milk. The culture is then aged for a year, during which the bacteria die and break down, and only the resulting liquid is extracted. What is in each sachet is therefore the products of fermentation and the broken-down cell material, not living bacteria.
The maker's framing
B&S describes the approach as supporting the conditions for the bacteria a person already has, rather than introducing new ones. That is the maker's framing of what the product is, and I will not go beyond it. This is a food supplement, not a medicine, and I do not claim that it affects any condition.
Who makes it
Lactis is made at B&S's own GMP-certified health-food plant in Fujinomiya, Shizuoka. The box comes in its Japanese retail packaging with the maker's printed ingredient list and nutrition panel.
What is in the box
Thirty sachets of 10 ml
One box holds thirty individually sealed 10 ml sachets, 300 ml in total. B&S gives a daily amount of one to two sachets, so a box lasts thirty days at one sachet a day or about a fortnight at two. The box is ¥12,000, which is ¥400 per sachet. We order it for you from the Japanese distributor after you place your order, so please allow for the processing time shown on the product page.
Three ingredients
The declared list, in the maker's order, is the lactic acid bacteria fermentation extract (contains soy, produced in Japan), citric acid and lactic acid. That is the whole list. B&S states that every raw material is plant-derived and that the product is casein-free, with no milk ingredient, sugar, color, fragrance or preservative.
| Per 10 ml sachet (B&S's published panel) | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 0.5 kcal |
| Protein | 0 g |
| Fat | 0 g |
| Carbohydrate | 0.1 g |
| of which sugars | 0 g |
| Salt equivalent | 0.0 g |
About the soybeans
B&S states that the soybeans are Japanese and grown without pesticides at cultivation (国産農薬不使用（栽培時）大豆). That is a real but narrower claim than "organic". In Japan 有機 and オーガニック are reserved for products with 有機JAS certification, B&S uses neither word, and so I do not call Lactis organic.
How to take it
Taste: sharp and lemony
Lactis is not sweet and it is not neutral. B&S describes a fresh acidity close to lemon juice, which is what the citric and lactic acid in the declaration give it. Stirred into black tea it tastes like lemon tea; in sparkling water, like lemon squash. B&S also suggests it as a salad dressing.
Hot or cold, no fridge
Tear open a sachet and stir it into whatever you are drinking: water, sparkling water, tea or a hot drink. B&S confirms hot drinks are fine, because there are no live cultures to protect. Store the box at room temperature away from heat and humidity; refrigeration is not required, and the shelf life is two years from manufacture. Each sachet is a single serving, so use it once it is open.
A portable habit
I like the format for travel: a sealed 10 ml stick needs no spoon, no fridge and no measuring. Take one to two sachets a day at whatever time you will remember.
Who it suits, and who should skip it
It may suit you if
You have tried live-culture products and want a different approach; you avoid dairy (the base is soy, and B&S declares no milk ingredient); you want something portable; or you simply like to read a short declaration with a published nutrition panel.
Skip it if
You specifically want live cultures; you dislike a sharp, lemon-like acidity; or you have a diagnosed soy allergy. B&S states that soy allergen is not detected in the finished product, but if you have a soy allergy, please treat that as a reason to ask your doctor, not as clearance. The extract is also acidic, so if you have reflux, a sensitive stomach or mouth ulcers, dilute it well and take it with food.
Pregnancy, children and medication
B&S states that the product is suitable during pregnancy and breastfeeding and for children. I would still ask you to check with your doctor or pediatrician first, particularly for a young child; that is my recommendation, not the maker's restriction. If you are under medical care or take prescription medication, speak to your doctor before adding any supplement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Lactis contain live bacteria?
No. According to B&S, the bacteria are aged for a year until they die and break down, and only the resulting liquid is extracted. Nothing in the sachet is alive, which is why it does not need cold storage.
Does Lactis need to be kept in the fridge?
No. B&S states that it keeps at room temperature with a two-year shelf life from manufacture. Only heat and humidity should be avoided.
What does Lactis taste like?
B&S describes no sweetness and a fresh acidity close to lemon juice. In tea it reads as lemon tea and in sparkling water as lemon squash.
Is Lactis organic?
No. B&S's claim is that the Japanese soybeans are grown without pesticides at cultivation. The product carries no organic certification.
How many sachets a day?
B&S gives one to two sachets a day. One box of thirty sachets is therefore thirty days at one a day.
Final thoughts
What I value in Lactis is how plain the declaration is: three ingredients, a published panel, and a maker that states what the product is and does not stretch it. If you want to compare it with live-culture options, I have a guide to Japanese probiotics; for other supplements, browse the Japanese supplements collection, and for another daily drink, see the best Japanese collagen drinks. You can find Lactis itself on the Lactis 30×10 ml product page. Questions about the label? Write to me at support@tsujimotomarket.com.
Supplements are not medicines. Consult your doctor before use, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medication. A food supplement is not a substitute for a varied and balanced diet.
Natalia Tsujimoto lives in Japan (since 2002) and selects products in Japanese pharmacies and directly from manufacturers. Her blog covers what actually works, without invented miracles.