This study evaluated the patent documents filed in Brazil that reference to probiotics, prebiotics and synbiotics terms. The data were selected from the databases of the National Institute of Industrial Property of Brazil and the European Patent Office. The year 2010 had the highest number of patents. The food industries and pharmaceutical sectors form the most prominent, together representing 70% of patent applications in this field. Among the patents in the food sector, 77.55% of the deposits were made by companies getting highlighted Nestlé SA A search through the related terms reveals that Brazil has a population of 101 applications for patent protection in the National Institute of Industrial Property and of this total only 22.45% were derived from depositors own, implying the need to expand the incentive to protection of industrial property to generate new products.
INPI; Food; Lactobacillos spp.; Innovation; Mapping
