Lonza’s new kimichi-derived sports nutrition probiotic addresses clean label demands

18 Sep 2020 --- Lonza is launching its first probiotic ingredient for the sports nutrition market. TWK10 is a Lactobacillus plantarum probiotic strain that has been clinically shown to improve endurance, body composition and energy levels for both elite athletes and active consumers. 

TWK10 has been licensed exclusively from Synbiotech for North America and is already available for sale there. It can be used in dietary supplements and in foods, with additional applications already in development.

The probiotic is isolated from naturally fermented Taiwanese Kimchi and is clean label and vegan. 

Kuei-Ming Lee, vice-president of human healthcare of Synbiotech, notes that fermented dairy products with active bacterial cultures are the typical source of many probiotics currently on the market.

“However, our research exploring over 300 plant-derived probiotic strains revealed a unique strain with excellent survival rates. Currently, two human clinical trials have been completed on TWK10 probiotic, and studies have shown that it delivers significant benefits for fitness enthusiasts and active individuals, including increasing muscle endurance,” he explains.

The probiotic works by allowing greater energy harvesting. By enhancing muscle endurance, TWK10 probiotic allows consumers to train for longer. 

According to Thomas Kiy, vice-president of strategy and portfolio development at Lonza Capsules & Health Ingredients, TWK10 also appears to support increased butyrate-producing bacteria in the gut for a positive increase in energy metabolism.Consumers are increasingly concerned with the clean label credentials of the products they buy.

Appealing to the clean label crowd
The probiotic’s clean label credentials are important to a growing proportion of consumers. According to a 2019 Innova Market Insights survey, two in three global consumers specifically want to avoid products with ingredients that are difficult to understand. 

The market researcher defines clean label products as those with one or more of these four positionings: organic, natural, GMO-free and no artificial additives/preservatives. In 2019, North American clean label supplement product launches reached a five-year high, with 70 percent of all supplement introductions having at least one clean label claim.

Notably, clean labels are most prevalent in fruit and vegetable concentrates, but the most significant increases have been in probiotics and beauty. Additionally, one-third of all 2019 clean label supplements also included a vegan claim. 

“We continue to look for and develop science-backed ingredients to help brands create cleaner, more effective products that active consumers demand. TWK10 probiotic is a world-first for the sports nutrition market,” says Kiy.

An expanding portfolio
The probiotic is the latest addition to Lonza’s growing clean label sport nutrition ingredient portfolio. Its vegan MuscleGuard formulation aids for muscle strength, mass and activity. Meanwhile, a sustainably-sourced phytoplankton ingredient, Oceanix brand offers clinically-studied benefits for sustained strength and power, and short-term recovery. 

Carnipure L-carnitine delivers both exercise and muscle recovery benefits and was reported to be performing strongly last year. 

Another offering is UC-II undenatured type II collagen, which improves joint health to further support active lifestyles. Lonza recently hosted a webinar detailing how supplement users increasingly aspire to more sustainable, health-focused ideals and are on the hunt for high-quality products that help them to stay mobile and live better.

By Katherine Durrell, with additional reporting by Kristiana Lalou