October in review: GLP-1 nutrition, pharma-grade supplements & Abbott spin-off

GLP-1 companion nutrition, microbiome science, and product substantiation continued to dominate the nutrition industry last month. We explored new opportunities at industry events in longevity and women’s and metabolic health. 

In our October review, Nutrition Insight explores some of the month’s biggest stories, with industry experts urging GLP-1 companion nutrition complementing drugs and stronger clinical evidence for menopause supplements. 

Exhibitors at CPHI Milan 2026, Italy, highlighted pharmaceutical standards as a growing priority for nutraceutical manufacturers. At SupplySide Global 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada, US, companies showcased innovations in women’s health, longevity, and the gut microbiome. 

New research raised questions about the metabolic effects of ultra-processed foods, while another study found that a third of Swedish infants lacked detectable Bifidobacterium in the gut. 

Meanwhile, the American College of Lifestyle Medicine underscored the importance of lifestyle medicine and nutrition, while IFF Health Sciences stressed probiotic strain quality. 

In business news, Abbott announced it will spin off its Nutrition division into a separate business, while Aker BioMarine cautioned omega-3 demand could outstrip fish oil supplies in 2027. 

GLP-1 companion nutrition must complement drugs, not compete, suppliers urge
Companion nutrition can’t match GLP-1 drugs but can support their safe and effective use, Beneo, Saanroo, HTBA, and Phynova told us. The suppliers called for ingredient-specific trials that measure more than weight loss, such as muscle, energy, and gut health. With 50–67% of users estimated to stop within a year, they also pointed to a post-treatment opportunity. 

Exhibitors at SupplySide Global 2026 pointed to metabolic, gut, and women’s health as leading 2027 trends.Roquette, Probi, FrieslandCampina Ingredients, and HTBA warned that the GLP-1 companion category risks a credibility gap without scientific evidence to back its efficacy. Meanwhile, ADM, Cargill, and Synergy Flavours called for systemic reformulation that considers GLP-1 shifts in taste and texture. 

CPHI Milan 2026 review: Pharma standards and GLP-1 trends reshape nutraceuticals
Pharma-grade validation, substantiation, and documentation are becoming entry requirements for nutraceuticals, exhibitors told us at CPHI Milan 2026. Our review also found GLP-1s shifting from a weight-loss story to a companion opportunity spanning hair loss, satiety, and lean mass, while women’s health has split into targeted subcategories such as menopause and vaginal microbiota.

Also at the show, Lonza Capsugel featured its capsule-in-capsule technology for sensitive actives, while Gelita told us that gelatin selection “makes or breaks softgels.” ADM highlighted the benefits of stable postbiotics for stress, sleep, and mood, and Bioiberica spotted strong momentum in mobility, beauty, and digestive health. We also spoke with Natix’s CEO, Stefaan Vandaele, who cautioned that fake bromelain enzymes can pass protease-based identity tests. 

Abbott to spin off US$8.5B Nutrition business behind Ensure and Similac
Abbott announced its plan to spin off its Nutrition business into an independent, publicly traded company. This division is home to brands such as the adult supplement drink Ensure, infant formula Similac, pediatric supplement PediaSure, and diabetes management nutrition Glucerna. The new business is projected to deliver about US$8.5 billion in annual sales, with around 16,000 employees and 14 manufacturing sites. Abbott said the transaction is structured as a tax-free distribution for US federal income tax purposes and that it expects to complete the separation by the end of 2027. 

In other business news from October, Perrigo agreed to sell its infant formula business to MeridianMade for up to US$175 million. SuanNutra said it is preparing to expand its nutrition, business, and R&D capabilities following its acquisition of IFF Health Sciences’ portfolio of natural ingredients, vitamins, and minerals. 

SupplySide Global 2026: Kerry backs life-stage women’s health and targeted gut health
Hormonal health is one of the industry’s biggest growth areas, and consumers now view it through a life-stage lens, said Kerry’s Amy Smith at last month’s SupplySide Global 2026 trade show (Oct 28–30). Kerry presented seven concepts, including menopause chews with Sensoril ashwagandha and a savory snack with its BC30 probiotic that is linked to gastrointestinal comfort. Smith urged brands to target a specific life stage and need, and to present the microbiome-estrogen link as developing research.

Nutrition suppliers at CPHI Milan 2026 highlighted an affordability squeeze and metabolic health boom.At the event in Las Vegas, Gnosis by Lesaffre presented its longevity portfolio with branded ingredients for brain and heart health, and mobility. Kyowa Hakko was this year’s official women’s health sponsor and featured applications of Setria and Cognizin for women’s health, longevity, and immunity. Saanroo presented new research on Trpti, HairAge, and Levagen+ and highlighted delivery technologies designed to improve bioavailability. 

Menopause supplements need women-only trials to move beyond wellness claims
Women-only clinical trials are becoming the key credibility differentiator for non-hormonal menopause products, industry players flagged during Menopause Awareness Month. Gnosis by Lesaffre, Lallemand Health Solutions, and Lallemand Bio-Ingredients pointed to studies designed for postmenopausal women, including a resveratrol trial, and highlighted that evidence gaps, such as mixed-gender subgroup analyses, are a weakness holding the category back from mainstream trust. 

Ultra-processed foods linked to insulin spikes even when nutrients match, study finds
A study linked ultra-processed foods to higher insulin release, greater energy expenditure, and lower carbohydrate burning, compared with nutritionally identical non-ultra-processed foods. Thirty-two adults ate 300-kcal meals matched on calories, carbohydrates, fat, protein, water, and salt. The authors told us the ultra-processed version also triggered different reward-region brain activity. The findings suggest that industrial processing methods alter human metabolic and neural responses. In related news, researchers linked sugar consumption during antibiotic treatment to disruptions in gut microbiome diversity in blood cancer patients. 

IFF backs probiotic strain quality over CFU counts, taps biomics to predict behavior
Strain quality matters more than high colony-forming unit (CFU) counts, said IFF technical fellow Arthur Ouwehand. He added that labels should name the specific strain, guarantee CFU counts at the end of shelf life, and match clinically tested doses. IFF’s biomics analysis helps select which probiotics to test for which benefit, but Ouwehand stressed that human testing remains essential. He also noted that emerging tools, such as gut models, sampling capsules, and in silico simulations, could help close knowledge gaps in microbiome research. In the second part of this interview, Ouwehand weighed encapsulation limits and next-generation probiotic potential. 

ACLM pitches lifestyle medicine to address chronic disease and planetary health
In a position paper, the American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) suggested that “lifestyle medicine” can address public health threats of chronic diseases and growing environmental challenges through a multi-pronged approach. The organization highlighted optimizing food-based nutrition interventions, regular physical activity, restorative sleep, and stress management. 

Danone’s Magdalena Broseta spoke about the company’s expanding medical nutrition capacity at its facility in Steenvoorde, France.Co-author Kathy Pollard said that treating root causes of chronic diseases through nutrition, activity, sleep, and stress could cut reliance on resource-intensive medical care and reduce the environmental footprint of health care. In a separate report, experts at Cargill, Qina, Lonza Capsugel, Jubilant Ingrevia, and the Netherlands-based Wageningen University & Research discussed how to push personalized nutrition beyond the niche. 

“Invisible extinction”: A third of infants lack Bifidobacterium, including breastfed babies
Deep sequencing of stool samples from 253 Swedish infants found 30% had no detectable Bifidobacterium, including babies born vaginally and breastfed — factors thought to ensure its presence. The Gut Microbes study, co-authored by at-home microbiome test provider Alba Health, tied the pattern to antibiotics, formula feeding, and increasingly sterile environments. It found that infants with Bifidobacterium-dominant guts showed the best health outcomes. 

In other infant nutrition news, the US FDA opened a public comment period on draft guidance to help manufacturers reduce cadmium in processed baby and toddler foods. Meanwhile, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has proposed a draft amendment to ban added sucrose and fructose in infant nutrition products for babies up to six months old. We also spoke with Ana Céspedes, the president and CEO of Vitamin Angels, about the nonprofit’s five-year strategy to reach 477 million women and children globally, addressing nutrient deficiencies and expanding access to free deworming services. 

Aker BioMarine warns omega-3 demand could outstrip fish oil supply next year
Omega-3 demand could exceed crude fish oil supply as early as 2027, according to Aker BioMarine’s Ross Norris. He pointed to the Peruvian anchovy fishery’s exposure to El Niño events, with the Marine Ingredients Organisation (IFFO) reporting that cumulative fish oil output of its members in 2026 was running 26% behind the same period in 2025. Norris also said that aquaculture is absorbing the majority of crude fish oil. He urged brands to diversify their omega-3 sources, such as krill and algae oil, noting that algae oil is closing the price gap with fish oil. In a second interview, Norris spoke about Aker BioMarine’s krill oil as a premium and sustainable alternative to fish oil.