Innovating for mobility: Bioiberica examines Mobilee’s health and formatting opportunities

23 Jan 2024 --- Demand and product offers for joint health solutions in F&B and supplements continue to grow. The market is diversifying from healthy aging to active living. Nutrition Insight meets with Antonio Vendrell, marketing director at Bioiberica, to discuss the formulation potential and benefits of the company’s hyaluronic acid (HA) matrix for joint health — Mobilee.

“Joint health as a segment has evolved immensely in the past decade — expanding its appeal beyond sports enthusiasts and seniors with joint issues. With a broadening consumer demographic, it now caters to individuals focused on ‘aging well’ or those who want to support their overall well-being,” says Vendrell.  

He adds that with joint health supplements becoming more mainstream, there is an increase in format innovations. “While powders and capsules have traditionally been the form of choice — and served their purpose well — a new generation of time-short consumers are seeking alternative delivery formats that provide even greater convenience.” 

“Another trend is science. Scientifically supported ingredients and products are fast becoming a key purchasing driver in health and nutrition. Formulators leveraging ingredients backed by research are poised to stay ahead in this competitive landscape.” 

The multifunctional, evidence-based Mobilee can meet demands for novel, science-backed joint health ingredients, says Vendrell. 

Ingredients for innovation 
Traditional joint health ingredients include glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate, which remain staples in the market. However, Vendrell observes growing attention for less renowned molecules because of the opportunities they offer for expanding product offerings. These include HA, native (undenatured) type II collagen and herbal extracts. 

“As the first HA matrix ingredient in the mobility category, Mobilee stands out as a unique ingredient for innovation. It closely resembles the body’s natural HA composition. It supports joint and muscle health at a low dosage of 80 mg daily due to the synergistic effects of its three naturally-occurring components — a high concentration of HA, plus polysaccharides and collagen.” 

While research demonstrates Mobilee’s benefits in joint health, Vendrell notes that new research showcases its benefits in supporting muscle health when paired with whey protein.

“The in vitro study demonstrated that a Mobilee and whey protein combination was beneficial for muscle cell turnover and can be beneficial in the muscle regeneration process and the promotion of muscle health.” 

Combining ingredients  
Rather than supporting joint health in isolation, formulators increasingly combine ingredients to deliver enhanced benefits, states Vendrell. “For example, products targeting mobility may contain protein (muscle), HA and native type II collagen (joints and cartilage), plus calcium or boron (bones).” 

“Science shows that combining ingredients, like chondroitin sulfate, glucosamine hydrochloride, Mobilee and Collavant n2 (native type II collagen) supports joint health more effectively — highlighting the benefits of delivering molecules together in one solution.” 

In addition to Mobilee’s benefits in joint health, research finds it can support muscle health when paired with whey protein.He specifies combining collagen — an increasingly popular ingredient for joint health — and HA matrices can yield a beneficial and complementary effect to deliver more comprehensive mobility support. “HA matrices and collagen are two entirely different ingredients with distinct mechanisms of action and benefits in the body.” 

“Whereas collagen is viewed largely as a structural component for the body’s cartilage and muscles, and supplementation with collagen ingredients has been associated with joint health benefits, Mobilee helps joints and muscles function completely differently.” 

Vendrell details that Mobilee promotes the synthesis of endogenous HA to help lubricate joints and maintain homeostasis of the synovial fluid, which is altered in joint-based conditions. 

“On the other hand, collagen works via entirely different pathways — depending on the specific composition of the collagen ingredient. Mobilee can potentially increase muscle cell proliferation at the muscle level, supporting muscle health and function.”  

Functional formats 
Since Mobilee offers multiple advantages, Vendrell underscores that it can make multifunctional product development more accessible for formulators. He adds that research on the solution’s various effects opens possibilities for innovation in food supplements and functional foods. 

“A key focus is the ingredient’s application in functional foods. Crafting formulations with novel ingredients can (and does) bring challenges — often stemming from a lack of familiarity with the ingredient. However, the HA matrix is easy to formulate, thanks to its low dosage — 80 mg/day. It’s also compatible with other mobility ingredients, making the creation of multifunctional formulations possible.”

The stability and biological function of active ingredients in functional foods are impacted by pH, temperature, oxygen, light and chemicals. However, Vendrell illustrates that Mobilee exhibits good thermal stability and resistance to storage conditions in yogurt applications. 

“We have a strong commitment to investment in research and development in the mobility space, and we’re always open to exploring ingredient combinations, novel delivery formats and ingredient science to advance the field,” he underscores. 

By Jolanda van Hal