Linked banner for FIC 2026 in Shanghai, Mar 17–19, featuring grandfather and child with “Better lifelong health starts here” by Novonesis
Nutrition Insight February in Review

February in review: GLP-1 nutrition strategies, probiotic innovations, and food reformulation

February’s highlights include accelerating innovations around GLP-1s, advancing gut microbiome research, growing scrutiny of infant formula safety, and ongoing debates over supplement quality, protein policies, and food reformulation. In our February review, Nutrition Insight features some of the month’s biggest stories, including how supplements can help bridge nutrition gaps related to GLP-1 use and rapid weight loss. In the UK, researchers identified gut microbes that could unlock next-generation probiotics, and we examined Novonesis’ biosolutions toolbox for healthier foods. 
woman stretches outdoors in urban park wearing sportswear
Clinically-backed collagen supplements gain popularity for multi-benefit joint and skin health
Consumers are searching for multi-benefit solutions, and targeted collagen peptides and holistic matrices are emerging as answers. Nutrition Insight speaks with BioCell Technology, Bioiberica, Gelita, and Lonza Capsugel, who spotlight their top validated collagen ingredients for joint and skin health. We also learn how personalization and sustainability are driving innovation. 
AI powered digital assistant displayed on tablet held by woman cooking in modern kitchen
AI not ready for post-bariatric nutrition guidance, researchers warn
Turkish researchers have confirmed that AI tools can create educational nutrition plans or support diet planning. However, these cannot yet replace professional dieticians, underscoring the need for human oversight to ensure personalized care and safety. The study is especially relevant as AI is not just being used privately. The US government has recently integrated former Trump administration adviser Elon Musk’s Grok into guidance on the country’s new dietary guidelines. FDA deputy commissioner Kyle Diamantas says the tool aims to “provide parents and consumers with clear and concise answers.” However, several reports question its trustworthiness and usefulness in advising people and creating healthy diet plans.
Collagen Pulse
The Collagen Market Pulse report: what’s real and what’s next?
Clarity in the collagen category is becoming harder to find. As consumer expectations collide with expert guidance, brands face tough choices. Bioiberica’s Collagen Market Pulse report cuts through the noise, combining the company’s Collagen Symposium insights and independent perspectives to reveal what really matters – and where the biggest opportunities lie.

This Technical Paper is brought to you by Bioiberica.
Mathieu Millette & Haelim Choi, Kerry
Kerry: BC30 brings gut health benefits cross-culture amid tight probiotic regulations

Kerry representatives Mathieu Millette, Ph.D., and Haelim Choi discuss the clinical relevance of BC30 (Bacillus coagulans GBI-30, 6086), showing benefits for Caucasian and Chinese populations in gastrointestinal comfort. Millette, who is scientific director at Bio-K+ and Choi, senior global marketing manager for Digestive Health, also address regulatory challenges in product differentiation, as health claims must remain general despite solid clinical trials. New probiotics face stricter hurdles and delays — showing scientific innovations are outpacing regulatory approval timelines and limiting expansion potential. 

Most read stories
Nutrition industry 2025 in review: Most read stories
This year, scientific and technological advances, along with growing scrutiny of health claims and regulations, shaped the nutrition industry. Research on the gut microbiome, growing interest in healthy aging, and increasing popularity of GLP-1 medications have driven innovations in targeted solutions, spanning biotics, collagen, botanicals, and protein ingredients. Meanwhile, policy shifts, climate impacts, and geopolitical pressures influenced nutrition security and access to healthy diets. Let’s review this year’s industry-shaping highlights.

Latest headlines

View more
Brevel brings chlorella from “illuminated fermentation” to nutraceuticals
Chlorella under microscope
Addressing gaps in global chlorella supply, microalgae protein innovator Brevel has launched its Purallis brand of chlorella to the nutraceuticals sector — expanding beyond its flagship activities in the alternative dairy and meat categories. The ingredient is made using its “illuminated fermentation” closed indoor system. Previously, manufacturers had to choose between pond-grown chlorella and that produced through traditional fermentation. The first uses natural light, but comes with a high risk of heavy metal contamination and seasonal inconsistency.
Largest vegetarian study links lower risk of several cancers but controversial...
woman eating salad from a bowl
The largest study to date on vegetarian diets has linked them to a lower cancer risk of breast, prostate, kidney, pancreas, and blood (multiple myeloma). However, it flags an increased risk for squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus — the tube that transfers food from the mouth to the stomach. The analysis included 1.8 million participants and compared the risk of 17 cancers across five diet groups: meat eaters, poultry eaters (excluding red or processed meat), pescetarians, vegetarians (including dairy and eggs), and vegans.
Hunger levels fall in Latin America and the Caribbean amid soaring healthy diet...
fruit and vegetable stall
The UN has found that undernourishment in Latin America and the Caribbean has decreased four years in a row. However, the remaining food-insecure people face rising healthy diet costs than prior years. The 2025 Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition report details that undernourishment affected 5.1% of the population in 2024, down from a peak of 6.1% in 2020. This means that 6.2 million fewer people are hungry in the region, encompassing Brazil, Costa Rica, Guyana, and Uruguay. 
Bulletproof launches functional creatine coffee for performance and hydration
Bulletproof functional creatine coffee supplement
Bulletproof has launched Coffee + Creatine, a “first of its kind” functional coffee innovation featuring creatine. It is an instant black coffee with toxin-tested 100% Arabica beans. Each cup offers 5 g of creatine monohydrate and 250 mg of electrolytes to support performance and hydration. The company says consumers are increasingly seeking more from beverages, such as mental focus, science-backed claims, and functional benefits. Bulletproof’s Coffee + Creatine combines researched ingredients for human nutrition into consumers’ existing daily rituals.
New microbiome tool: Gut bacteria cooperation vs. competition determines health
woman who makes a heart shape by hands on her stomach
Scientists have discovered a new way to differentiate healthy microbiomes from diseased ones, based on gut bacteria interactions. They coin this method as the Ecological Network Balance Index (ENBI), which assesses whether microbial communities are dominated by competition or cooperation. Nutrition Insight speaks with study author Martin Blaser, M.D., the director of Rutgers Health’s Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine in the US, who says the metric shows potential links to nutrition, metabolic health, and disease resilience. 
Symrise reveals Gen Alpha’s growing impact on household food choices
Gen Alpha children eating burgers looking at laptop screen.

Food Ingredients First

Adolescents are not just a “future-consumer” focus — F&B businesses should already be targeting Gen Alpha consumers as a longer-term growth lever. Companies that ignore 6–14-year-olds risk losing influence at the family decision-making level, while early engagement could help secure early and lasting brand loyalty. But what do Gen Alphas prioritize when making F&B purchases, and how can ingredient producers empower brands to reach this increasingly influential consumer base? A new study by Symrise across Europe, Africa, and the Middle East (EAME) has sought to answer these questions, revealing how adolescents shape F&B choices in these regions.
Highlighted features
doctor including nutrition in healthcare
Key interview
Nutrition in healthcare brings opportunity for industry...
The Physicians Association for Nutrition (PAN) International urges integrating nutrition science into healthcare policy, arguing it is crucial to promoting healthy diets while empowering professionals. This opens the door for policymakers to step up and set standards, incentives, and accountability mechanisms that align with preventive care and dietary strategies. It also presents an innovation opportunity for the nutrition industry to reformulate products into healthier alternatives.
Man eating a small salad
Nutrition & Health News
Expo West 2026: Rousselot to showcase collagen peptides for...
At the upcoming Natural Products Expo West 2026 in Anaheim, California, US (Mar 3–6), Rousselot will feature its collagen peptides, Peptan and Nextida GC, highlighting their benefits for GLP-1 users and consumers seeking alternatives to the increasingly popular weight-loss drugs. Florencia Moreno Torres, global marketing manager at Rousselot by Darling Ingredients, tells Nutrition Insight about Nextida GC’s recently granted US patent and its completion of a second clinical study to validate earlier findings. 
A woman drinks a supplement shake from a cup in the sun.
Nutrition & Health News
How the supplement industry is bridging Ozempic’s nutrition...
The rise of GLP-1 receptor agonists such as semaglutide has thinned the waistlines of millions and opened the door for innovation in the US$200 billion supplement and nutraceutical industry. As the accessibility of drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy increases, users are eating less and discovering the biological effects of rapid weight loss.

Nutrition focus

View more
ImageClick to read

Collagen support solutionsFeb2026

Innova Market Insights data shows that over half of global consumers are paying attention to collagen in their diets. The majority of these consumers prefer collagen supplements in on-the-go or powder...

Brought to you by:

Biocell

Product innovation

View more
Image

Mood-enhancing ingredients Mar 2026

Innova Market Insights data indicates that 34% of consumers globally have used supplements to enhance mood and emotional regulation, boosting supplement launches with mood health claims, which grew by 10% annually from 2021 to 2025. Growth in ingredients like alpha-GPC, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, and Bifidobacterium lactis, linked to the gut-brain axis, is also evident.

Trend analysis

View more
Image

Omega-3 supplement market trendsMar 2026

Innova Market Insights data indicates that consumers are actively including omega-3 in their diets. It remains a steady performer in supplement innovation, but new product development is accelerating as sustainable, eco-friendly, and vegan omega-3 options begin making waves in the market. Most often, omega-3 supplements come in soft gel format, but there has been an increase in omega-3 capsule supplement launches.

Multimedia

View more
Mathieu Millette & Haelim Choi, Kerry
Video14:13
Kerry: BC30 brings gut health benefits cross-culture amid tight probiotic regulations

Kerry representatives Mathieu Millette, Ph.D., and Haelim Choi discuss the clinical relevance of BC30 (Bacillus coagulans GBI-30, 6086), showing benefits for Caucasian and Chinese populations in gastrointestinal comfort. Millette, who is scientific director at Bio-K+ and Choi, senior...

University of Giessen Thumbnail
Video13:49
University of Giessen: Scientific evidence linking nutrition, mitochondria, and healthy aging
Patrick Diel, Sport University of Cologne
Video13:38
Sport University Cologne: Nutrition and physical activity “inseparable” for healthy aging
Wageningen University & Research Video Thumbnail
Video07:40
Wageningen University & Research: Rethinking food design from sustainability to longevity
Subscribe to our newsletters
PlatformsFood Ingredients FirstNutrition InsightPackaging InsightsPersonal Care InsightsThe World of Food Ingredients
About usContact usAdvertisingPrivacy statementSitemapArchive
Follow us
linkedinrss_headergoogle_news
Image