Live Cultures 30 Billion: comparing a higher stated count
A bigger number is only comparable when both labels state the same basis, the same strains and the same storage.
Three times the number is not three times the information
A 30 billion pack and a 10 billion pack look like a simple ranking. They are only rankable if both labels state their counts on the same basis and name the strains those counts belong to.
If one states a figure at manufacture and the other to end of shelf life, the larger number may be describing the weaker commitment.
Same count, different strains, different product
Two packs can print identical counts and contain entirely different strains. The strain list, not the headline figure, is what distinguishes one live culture product from another.
Check whether the higher count comes from more strains, from more of the same strains, or from something the label has not told you.
- Strain names in full on both packs before any comparison
- Whether the count is a total or split across strains
- Whether the two packs share any strains at all
The basis line is the one to find
The useful part of a declared count is the condition attached to it. Look for wording that ties the figure to either manufacture or the end of shelf life, and for the date format printed alongside it.
Storage affects what you are buying
Storage instructions are part of the specification on a live culture product. A pack that needs refrigeration is a different proposition from one stored at room temperature, and only the label can tell you which this is.
Working out value across the two packs
Both packs hold 30 capsules, so price per capsule is easy. Price per portion is the better figure, and it needs the stated portion from each label.
- Stated portion for each pack, which may not be one capsule
- Portions per pack, worked out from that
- Price per portion, compared only once both counts share a basis
What the label tells you
The full ingredients list, the amount per portion, allergens, dietary suitability, directions and storage are printed on the pack.
Read the label before you take any supplement, and check the product page for the format, pack size and price before you buy.
