It's a breakthrough worth raising a glass to.

Researchers in Singapore have brewed up a beer containing probiotic bacteria that can improve gut health and boost the immune system.

Food researcher Alcine Chan, 23, experimented for almost a year with a recipe of malt, alcohol, hops and a strain of probiotic bacteria, until she got the formula just right.

"The hops are the main ingredient that kills probiotics, so we had to find a way for the probiotics to overcome the hops," Chan said, demonstrating the pre-fermentation process in a laboratory at the National University of Singapore (NUS).

The popularity of beer promises huge market potential for the process, she said, adding that she hoped it would reach as many consumers as possible.