“Far beyond digestive health”: Probiotics NPD to uncover untapped potential

27 Mar 2019 --- Gut health is a well-established area of interest in the nutrition space, with continuously emerging science on the gut microbiome highlighting its importance for overall health, ranging from sleep quality to cognition. Personalized nutrition technologies such as wearable nutrition tracking devices and microbiota mapping tools offer novel solutions to an increasingly aware consumer. Probiotics and prebiotics still dominate the space and drive NPD as ingredients manufacturers explore their potential. 

The importance of the microbiome goes far beyond digestive health, Anke Sentko, Vice President Regulatory Affairs and Nutrition Communication at Beneo, tells NutritionInsight. “This means that the influence of fermentable fibers, in particular ones that lead to a prebiotic fermentation pattern and positively support the microbiota, reach out to other parts of the body and may influence hunger-satiety (energy intake), mood and much more,” she notes.

Innova Market Insights reports that the digestive health market is undergoing an NPD boom with innovation happening in a diverse range of categories. While dairy remains the largest category for digestive health claims, fibers and prebiotics have seen a CAGR of 14 percent from 2012-2017. Probiotics are also strongly trending with a growth of 20 percent over this period.

Daniel Ramon Calvo, Marketing & Communications Manager at Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) Biopolis, tells NutritionInsight that technologies for the search of novel microbiome solutions are crucial for the development of probiotic and prebiotic solutions. Other technologies such as metagenomics, metabolomics, transcriptomics or metatranscriptome should also be taken into account. 

What consumers want
As understanding of the importance of digestive health grows, consumers are better recognizing the wider benefits a healthy gut can have on overall wellbeing too, notes Sentko. This rising focus on inner wellbeing presents an opportunity for manufacturers to innovate.

Consumers are asking for proven benefits and offering science-backed microbiome solutions is important, says Calvo. “In terms of safety, consumers are asking for microbiome solutions that are able to survive in the intestinal tract, solutions that do not produce undesirable substances, that are resistant to antibiotics and backed up by regulatory validations,” he notes.

According to recent research endorsed by Sensus, a substantial majority of the European consumers surveyed (84 percent) stated that they believe fiber intake is important for bowel and digestive health. Additionally, two out of three European people are actively trying to consume enough fiber on a daily basis. 

“Consumers seek food that will improve their physical and mental health. Prebiotics will play an important role in the future as well,” Jolanda Vermulst, Manager Market Intelligence, Sensus, tells NutritionInsight.

Ingredients and formulations
In addition to a healthy gut, consumers increasingly turn towards more sustainable options. All natural formulations are fueling consumer trust, in addition to transparent supply chains. This demand for organic and clean ingredients is driving NPD. 

Chicory root-derived inulin and oligofructose are touted as being clean label prebiotic fibers with strong potential for gut health. The prebiotic fibers are extracted from chicory root via a gentle hot water extraction method. They are the preferred nutrients for beneficial gut bacteria and therefore encourage positive modulation of the microbiota composition to take place. “These ingredients improve digestive health by supporting normal bowel regularity and a healthy gut microbiota by increasing beneficial bacteria,” explains Sentko.

“Supplementation of chicory root fiber fructans into foods can increase the beneficial bifidobacteria which offer positive health effects such as improved digestion, mineral absorption, immunity and weight control,” Dr. Elaine Vaughan, Leader Scientific and Regular Affairs at Sensus, tells NutritionInsight.

“The selective bifidogenic effect of chicory root fiber supplementation is quite prominent, while the glucose-based fibers and resistant starches produce broader shifts in the gut ecosystem,” she adds. 

Sensus also has a complete range of chicory derived inulins in its portfolio, including Frutafit inulin and Frutalose oligofructose. According to the company’s Director Marketing & Sales, Paul Vennik, it is always conducting research on the matter. “If specific parts of the microbiome can be further modulated by special chicory inulin types, Sensus will definitely invest in producing these grades as it will further contribute to a healthier consumer,” he notes.

Product applications
Consumers do not only require health benefits from their food but also enjoyable taste. According to the results of a European consumer survey powered by Beneo, breakfast is the key occasion to choose food and beverages that support digestive health. 

“Applications such as breakfast cereals, yogurt, fruit juices, cereal bars, bread and breakfast cookies are all considered to be appealing to consumers in this respect. This highlights the huge opportunity that exists for food and drink manufacturers to develop breakfast products that promote digestive health,” says Sentko.

“Taking into account rising consumer demand for products that promote digestive wellness, the team at the Beneo-Technology Center most recently created a fiber-enriched, prebiotic ready-to-drink coffee, that promotes a balanced blood glucose response, while promoting digestive health,” she adds.

“While consumer interest in digestive health is certainly increasing, taste remains the most important factor. Being soluble and having a mild sweet taste, Beneo’s Orafti inulin and oligofructose deliver an appealing mouthfeel, texture and taste in applications such as dairy, bakery and cereals,” she notes. “This presents food manufacturers with the opportunity to help consumers keep their digestive systems healthy, naturally and with ease, without having to make any major changes to their diet or sacrifice on taste or texture.”

From a consumer point of view, until recently, the most used product applications in this space have been dairy products and food supplements. This is changing, however, Calvo says. “We can see more and more new products based on microbiome solutions being delivered in the form of beverages, nutritional bars or even chewing gums.”

Sensus also notes that in the case of chicory root fiber ingredients – such as Frutafit and Frutalose – there is a wide range of possible applications, such as dairy, bakery and cereal applications, but also in confectionery, infant formula and dietary supplements.

“Our chicory root has a neutral to slightly sweet taste. It can, therefore, improve the taste and mouthfeel in sugar or fat reduced products. The neutral taste is making chicory root fiber the preferred choice of food companies creating great tasting healthy products,” she says.

Fermented beverages are a strong trend with Coca Cola releasing a smoothie-kombucha hybrid earlier this month. At this year’s International Food & Drink Event (IFE) show in London (March 17-20), “Good for the gut” offerings were prominent, with fermented foods such as kombucha and kefir on show. 

Personalization in gut health 
Despite the popularity of prebiotics and probiotics, personalization in gut health is increasingly gaining ground. Microbiota composition is highly variable among individuals and can vary in the same individual during life stages, therefore, there is space for developing suited solutions for each individual and health condition, Dr. Vaughan notes.

“The potential for personalized nutrition with the microbiome has been demonstrated in a study with obese individuals consuming inulin and other fibers, whereby the first potential microbial biomarkers for dietary responsiveness were identified, revealing the capacity for personalized nutrition microbiota,” she says. 

Eventually, microbiome readouts will help predict the response to dietary fibers and can inform personalized dietary recommendations for consumption of specific fiber types based on microbial composition, Vaughan says. “Phone apps to log food intake or that can personalize healthier grocery choices and a suite of wearable devices to monitor health will stimulate tailored nutrition concepts.” 

“Sensus recognizes the importance of developing personalized tools to improve microbiota composition, dietary habits, especially for stimulating the intake of fiber, and relationship to overall health. Therefore, we are investing in pioneering research in this field,” she notes. “Only by developing technology together with bioinformatics, machine learning and AI, can personalized nutrition become a reality,” says Calvo. 

Until then he says, it is key to offer integral product development, ingredient delivery technologies and suitable product matrices, constantly pushing the boundaries of technology and knowledge.

“Product developers and formulators are looking to create health-targeted products. To some extent, this is a way of personalizing nutrition a step forward. However, in order to be more accurate, this should be called clustered nutrition, where different groups of consumers can recognize themselves in certain products,” Calvo notes. 

What’s next
The microbiome and some of its functions still remain quite a mystery for researchers who are continuously looking into the way it affects health and nutrition. Research is a constant. The insights gained are used to develop new recipe concepts that package functionality and health benefits into favorable products that consumers will enjoy. Importantly, these concepts then undergo trials to ensure that ingredients can deliver in terms of performance, taste and texture. 

Regardless of the many approaches to gut health, be it probiotics, personalized gut testing or case-specific nutritional interventions, there is ample space for research and innovation. Ranging from brain functions to even skin health, unlocking the microbiome’s possibly yet untapped potential promises to deliver improvements for overall health. 

By Kristiana Lalou