Love it or loathe it, the Make America Healthy Again movement has reignited the food as medicine philosophy and with it the demand for increasingly sophisticated functional ingredients.
For start-ups it’s a rich opportunity for innovation as manufacturers rapidly pivot to better-for-you SKUs to meet consumers’ expectations that meals deliver more than just macros.
The cradle of creativity in this field is – in the US at least – Silicon Valley, where a vibrant tech and investment landscape intersect with entrepreneurs whose hustle is as important as their health. Many joined the MISTA Growth Hack in San Francisco this fall to showcase their breakthroughs and collaborate with established industry leaders such as Givaudan, Danone, AAK, Nestlé and Ingredion to produce futuristic prototypes with functional properties. From a cognition-boosting brain shot to microbiome-boosting protein puffs, they demonstrated how much further future foods can go to help mitigate many modern health challenges.
Here are five wellness concerns next-gen nutrition can fix
1. Too much sugar
While GLP-1s are shrinking grocery bills as fast as they reduce waistlines, most people in high income countries are eating way over the World Health Organisation’s 25g per day of free sugars.
But what if a food could mop up some of those empty carb calories during a meal? That’s the magic of Monch Monch, a smart fibre that feeds the microbiome, while trapping excess sugars and carbs in its microscopic sponge matrix. The fibres are then excreted from the body, reducing the net calories in a meal. Sticking with the gut, Genbioma’s postbiotic Pediococcus acidilactici supports metabolic health over time by regulating blood glucose levels. Unlike many postbiotics which require advanced delivery systems limiting their use to nutraceutical applications, it can handle the high temperatures and pressure of food processing.
2. Pain and disease
Many chronic diseases – such as cancer, asthma and Alzheimer’s – are driven by inflammation and certain fatty acids have long been deployed to fight this root cause. While essential fatty acids like omega-3 and omega-6 are well known, lesser-known non-essential fatty acids, 7 and 9, have also been shown to support anti-inflammatory processes when ingested. Enter BiomeMega, which uses precision fermentation to create ‘parabiotic’ ingredients (the membrane fragments from bacteria and fungi) rich in these omegas without relying on threatened fish stocks. The RnD team say omega-7 and omega-9 have ‘tremendous unexplored medical potential’.
Another start-up excited about omegas is Koralo which manufactures biomass protein through microalgae and mycelium fermentation. While the firm is gaining most attention for its alt-seafood application Newfish, it can be used in functional beverages, snack and candy and, as well as omega 3, delivers vitamin B3 and B12 as well as probiotics that give it immunity and anti-inflammatory properties.
3. High salt diets
While MAHA isn’t explicitly calling out salt as a primary target, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans does include recommendation to reduce sodium consumption to improve cardiovascular health.
One brand promising to answer that call is Fotortec. It’s oyster mushroom-derived Flavor Enhancer reduces sodium in foods by up to 90% while adding protein and savory umami flavor.
4. Age-related decline
The ancient tradition of using botanicals to boost wellness are getting a tech makeover at Ayana Bio which cultivates the active ingredients – or bioactives – in the lab leading to higher-potency, contaminant-free ingredients grown more sustainably. The portfolio of ingredients is currently five strong with Sage PCA, derived from the sage plant positioned as a support for cognitive health.
Meanwhile, scientists from Harvard Medical School have developed a next-gen microbe that fights fatigue and boost longevity. FitBiomics’ Veillonella atypica eats lactic acid produced by the body turning it into fatty acids that reduce fatigue and enable extra hours of physical activity – good habits that decline as we age.
5. Mental health challenges
According to Mental Health America, almost 46% of adults in the US will meet the criteria for a diagnosable mental health condition sometime in their life. That represents a huge potential market for foods and supplements that boost mental resilience. To that end, biotech firm Kioga targets the gut-immune-brain axis with its inflammation fighting postbiotic found through literally playing in the dirt. Yes, the firm used AI to screen soil’s microbes for strains that might benefit mental wellness. The result? A targeted ingredient formulated for functional food and beverages that reduces neuroinflammation and stress-induced anxiety.
Mood is also the target of Arepa’s intriguing Neuroberry ingredient. Derived from blackcurrants, the antioxidant-rich extract sarmentosin inhibits the MAO enzyme that breaks down neurotransmitters like dopamine, helping to fight fatigue and improve mood. While Arepa has its own B2C drinks and powders available in Australia and New Zealand it is also available as wholesale B2B ingredient.
For more on functional ingredients, don’t miss our Positive Nutrition broadcast series. Starting with Healthy snacking on January 21 and Global GLP-1 disruption on February 5, FoodNavigator journalists will dive into Functional Ingredients on the health frontline on February 19. Speakers include experts from The Magnum Ice Cream Company, Oatly and precision nutrition firm Zoe. Find out more here.
Jess Spiring
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