Conferences

While there is a lot of discussion about gummies as a fast-growing and popular dosage format for dietary supplements, traditional dosage formats such as capsules are not going anywhere. They allow for highly complex and fills that make it possible for dietary ingredients to impart their benefits. Softgel capsules, in particular, are a popular dosage format for dietary supplements with a number of advantages for formulators.

“In softgel [capsules], the fill materials are really protected from oxygen,” explained Michael Baumann, global strategic marketing manager, dietary supplements, at IFF’s Pharma Solutions (New York City). This protects ingredients that are less stable and more susceptible to oxidation. Fish oils, for example, are a very popular fill for softgel capsules because they are prone to oxidation when exposed to air. Aesthetics is also a factor when using softgel capsules.

“[Softgel capsules are a] very elegant dosage form that you can achieve different aesthetics depending on your brand strategy,” said Benjamin Roscoe, application and innovation manager for IFF’s Pharma Solutions. “It's adaptable to different colors, you can take on different sizes and shapes. You can make them colorless and if you have a nice colored fill they can come through as looking almost like a gem or a crystal.”

While a tried-and-true method of delivering dietary ingredients, the industry is constantly improving itself and solving new problems. IFF, for example, launched during Vitafoods Europe 2023, a carrageenan-free softgel technology called Verdigel SC which is a ready-to-use pectin-based premix that only requires the addition of water and a plasticizer to produce high-performance softgels. This is particularly significant as IFF specializes in vegan softgel capsule technology, with carrageenan being a component of its successful SeaGel softgel technology.

“The utility of carrageenan is that its chemistry as a primary film former conveniently lends itself to the vegan softgel dosage form,” explained Roscoe. “Over the years, as we evaluated the other chemistries on the market, we found that there was a need for a carrageenan chemistry that worked very well. And that is why we developed SeaGel. It's a tailored chemistry that was made for the soft capsule application and through that it provides fantastic film forming properties. That lend itself to a wide variety of different soft capsule possibilities: very large capsules, those encapsulating very difficult, complex fill materials, even those with high viscosity.”

“We kept hearing from our customers that they're looking for additional tools in their toolbox, additional options to formulate vegan softgels. And what we kept hearing is that they're looking for an additional option that is carrageenan free,” said Baumann. Having the ability to formulate “clean label” products is a big motivation for manufacturers as consumers actively avoid ingredients such as carrageenan.

On the other end of the spectrum, Gelita (Eberbach, Germany), which specializes in gelatin-based formulations also showcased new softgel capsule technology with its Gelita EC, an enteric release softgel capsule. According to Gelita, this new technology is easier and more cost effective than other enteric release options. According to Oliver Wolf, head of B2B marketing, global marketing and communication, for Gelita, enteric release capsules have to go through a two-step process in which the capsules are filled with the active ingredient, then have to go through a separate process to be coated. Sometimes, the coating process can take place at a completely different facility, Wolf explained. Gelita EC, in contrast, is already enteric. This means the capsule is able travel through the stomach, survive the acidic environment and be release in the intestine.

Enteric release can be beneficial for a number of fills, including fish oils in order to avoid the fishy burps often associated with those products, as well as probiotics. Live bacteria needs to survive the gut in order to populate the small intestine. Enteric release capsules can therefore greatly improve the effectiveness of ingredients like probiotics, which are immensely popular and only continue to grow as our understanding of the gut microbiome becomes more sophisticated.

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Softgels are still a desirable dosage format, and innovation continues to deliver high quality and effective dietary supplements. Highlights include clean-label carrageenan free vegan softgels and improved enteric release technology.

Softgel sophistication: Vitafoods Europe 2023 report

There is a growing openness about menopause and the needs related to that stage of women’s lives, but women also have needs across multiple life stages that the dietary supplement industry can help with. While a number of products already exist that target the specific needs of women, the category will only become more sophisticated as the body of scientific literature grows and manufacturers invest more in new product development to meet demand.

An important place to start is motherhood, because there has been a lot of innovation when it comes to infant nutrition, with supplements expecting mothers can take to support the healthy development of their fetus as well as fortify the nutritional value of their breast milk when nursing their babies during infancy. A probiotic strain called LC40 (

 CECT5716) from Kerry Group (Tralee, Ireland), can offer support to both the mother and infant. Specifically, LC40, a probiotic strain isolated from human breast milk of healthy mothers, has been shown to reduce the incidence of mastitis, which is the inflammation of the breast tissue.

“If you reduce [mastitis], then parents can manage to breastfeed longer because mastitis, of course, is very painful and mothers stop breastfeeding,” explained Alexandra Boelrijk, global senior director of RDA, ProActive Health for Kerry Group. “The same strain is actually also used in infant formula, for immune and digestive benefits. You see probiotics in infant formula coming up more and more because in mother's milk there's also probiotics, so [manufacturers are] trying to be as close to human milk as possible.”

“All [our] research…about probiotics in women during breastfeeding is related with microbiota in [the] mammary glands. But it's not just about the women, it's also about the benefits for the infants,” added Monica Maria Olivares, RDA director for women and infant health, with Kerry. “We have observed that women consuming a probiotic strain during breastfeeding period obtain benefits for the infant, so everything is connected.”

So, strains like LC40 not only improve the quality of life of mothers by reducing discomfort, but also extend breastfeeding so that the infants can receive the benefits of mother’s milk associated with the strain. At the same time, if a mother chose to bottle feed, infant formula manufacturers can leverage these kinds of strains to make their products as similar to mother’s milk as possible.

Other strains such as IFF Health’s (Londerzeel, Belgium) 

Lactobacillus acidophilus La-14 and Lactobacillus rhamnosus HN001

 have been shown to impart immune health benefits to infants when consumed by the mother during pregnancy, as well as a lower prevalence of eczema. Mothers benefited by having a reduced prevalence of gestational diabetes, as well as supporting a healthy vaginal microbiome.

Of course, before women can become mothers, they must first get pregnant. Fertility is something many women might struggle with, which creates opportunity for products touting fertility benefits, but it’s also controversial for this reason as dietary supplement cannot and should not make irresponsible treatment claims. That said, innovations in herbal formulas may help women in specific situations. For example, Caronositol from Kerry, which is a combination of Myo-inositol from the phytin of corn, and D-chiroinositol from carob fruit that may support hormonal balance in women of reproductive age. Hormonal problems such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) may affect women’s ability to conceive. One 

 found that women with PCOS undergoing Intracytoplasmic sperm injection saw a significantly higher rate of pregnancy and live birth after being given a higher ratio of myo-inositol and d-chiroinositol.

Credibility is crucial in this area because fertility is a such a sensitive and personal problem for so many women. Good quality clinical data provides this credibility while honest marketing instills trust. “It's important to explain the mechanisms [of action] to handle [consumer] expectations,” said Olivares. “If your problems are not related, in the case Caronositol, with the hormonal disbalance, this [ingredient] is not going to help.”

When it comes to urinary tract health, cranberry has always been the star ingredient. However, these ingredients are becoming increasingly more sophisticated as the body of research about proanthocyanidins (PACs) grows. For example, Symrise (Holzminden, Germany) offers a standardized cranberry extract called Urophenol that has been found in

 to reduce the incidence of symptomatic urinary tract infections by 43% in women who experienced fewer than five urinary tract infection in the year prior to enrollment. According to Nathalie Richer, global health business leader, naturals food and beverage, taste, nutrition, and health at Symrise, the company investigated the ingredient’s mode of action and discovered something surprising.

“We realized that everything was happening in the gut and not in the urinary tract,” said Richer. “So, it was very closely linked to the microbiota. The prevention of the development of the bacteria was realized in the gut by inhibiting the colonization of the bacteria and also supported the production of some metabolites.”

After observing these effects, Symrise launched a 

 in 2018 in partnership with the Laval University (Québec) and co-funded by the National Science and Engineering Research Council (NSERC). The result is the launch of Prebiocran, a cranberry extract standardized to 30% total polyphenols. A number of interesting studies informed the development of this product. For example, an unpublished human clinical trial of 39 health subjects found that daily consumption of 480 mg of Prebiocran influenced the basal human gut microbiota beta-diversity after four days, particularly inducing a blood of 

As knowledge of the prebiotic effects of cranberry grows, probiotics can be a great complement to cranberry products. For example, AB-Biotics (Barcelona, Spain) offers AB-Cyscare, which is the combination of 

 KABP 063 strains that can be used alone or in combination with cranberry to support urinary tract health. 

 shows evidence that the strains can significantly decrease the growth of pathogens associated with urinary tract infections.

Menopause is experiencing a big push because there has been such a taboo about this stage of women’s lives that there are often misconceptions and poor understanding about menopause. Women are becoming more vocal about their experiences with menopause in order to improve their quality of life, and this presents an opportunity for dietary supplement manufacturers.

According to Gen M, an organization based in the UK whose mission to help make menopause a positive experience, an estimated 1 billion globally will experience menopause by 2025, and because this natural transition in life can have 48 different symptoms and last up to 12 years for 10% of women, the experience can be confusing and difficult to navigate. A 

 published by Gen M found that 94% of perimenopausal and menopausal women believed they “would benefit from brands being more inclusive and catering better to menopausal women.”

Read more about opportunities in menopause support 

A great deal of dietary supplement marketed toward women are simply that, marketed toward women. For example, beauty products for the support of hair, skin, or nails are often marketed toward women but can be used just the same by men. What women want are products that help them deal with specific aspects of feminine health. The pool of products that fit this description is growing, but continue to keep an eye on clinically validated ingredients that help women across various life stages and the many need states that can manifest for women when their bodies change with age.

The future of women's health is tailored solutions that assist women throughout multiple life stages. 

Meet the demand for more tailored solutions in women’s health: Vitafoods Europe 2023 report

Photo © iStockphoto.com/Jacob Wackerhausen

Women’s health is a growing product category as more consideration is placed on women’s health needs across multiple life stages. Menopause support in particular is getting a lot of attention and new product development as women become more outspoken about their experiences with menopause. Menopause also provides a number of avenues through which manufacturers can offer this population assistance given the range of symptoms such as mood swings, hot flashes, hair loss, and bone health.

, an organization based in the UK whose mission to help make menopause a positive experience, an estimated 1 billion globally will experience menopause by 2025, and because this natural transition in life can have 48 different symptoms and last up to 12 years for 10% of women, the experience can be confusing and difficult to navigate. A 

IFF Health (Londerzeel, Belgium) recently 

 with Gen M, commiting to develop product concepts that target perimenopausal and menopausal women with its portfolio of botanicals and probiotics. At this year’s Vitafoods Europe, IFF deliver six concepts targeting a range of menopause symptoms that were developed with the help of internal focus groups.

“It's amazing how women really want to talk about [menopause], and the moment that you give them an opportunity, they are willing to, they really want to share their experience,” said Maider Gutierrez, health category leader for IFF Health. These concepts included products that help alleviate physical symptoms such as feminine intimate health, beauty, and mobility, as well as mood and cognitive health.

Gutierrez explains that because everyone experiences menopause differently and symptoms change over time, a one-size-fits-all solution is not ideal for this category. For example, while physical symptoms like hot flashes are very well known, psychological symptoms like mood swings, brain fog, and insomnia are very commonly experience symptoms as well. The fluctuation of these symptoms can also be rather dramatic. The whitepaper from Gen M, for example, found that 30% of perimenopausal women say they are currently experiencing brain fog or memory loss, but only 8% of menopausal women say they are currently experiencing those symptoms.

Kerry Group (Tralee, Ireland) also has a diverse portfolio of ingredients that can help manufacturers meet that demand for menopause products. With Kerry’s 

 (Madrid, Spain) in July of 2021, its portfolio contains Luprenol, a Hops extract standardized in 8-Prenylnaringenin, a potent phytoestrogen that offers relief from symptoms of menopause. Kerry also has adaptogenic ingredients such as Sensoril Ashwagandha from its 

 (New Brunswick, NJ) in April of 2022 which can provide support for stress and mood. The company’s probiotic portfolio can also be leveraged to offer microbiome support since there is more and more acceptance of the gut-brain axis concept, and the influence our gut health can have on mood and other aspects of brain heatlh.

Recent research from AB-Biotics (Barcelona, Spain) that has not yet been peer-reviewed also found evidence that probiotics may have an impact on estrogen levels. Through 

 screenings, the company found a probiotic strain (

 KABP 052) that had the strongest impact on gut microbial beta-glucuronidase (GUS) enzymes, which are enzymes essential for the reactivation of estrogen. During menopause, estrogen levels deplete, which are what causes menopause symptoms. AB-Biotics found that compared to placebo, menopausal women taking the probiotic experienced significantly higher levels of estrogen. The results did not show a correlation between menopause symptoms and estrogen levels, but results show promise and warrant further investigation.

As women become more vocal about their experiences with menopause, industry will only get more sophisticated in its product offerings, providing women the assistance necessary to navigate this confusing stage of life.

Menopause provides a number of avenues through which manufacturers can offer this population assistance given the range of symptoms.

Opportunities in menopause support: Vitafoods Europe 2023 Report

It is no secret that gummy supplements are a huge trend that brands throughout the industry would like to capitalize on. According to 

, non-pill dietary supplement format surpasses pill formats in 2019, and in 2021, gummies saw 74.9% sales growth and had the largest market share among non-pill formats of 21.3%. The appeal of gummies is that consumers are often more inclined to take a gummy supplement on a daily basis than a tablet or capsule, which they may avoid, put off, or simply forget to do. “Pill fatigue” is often cited as a reason for consumers moving away from traditional dosage formats. Gummies, in short, are enticing and have the potential to increase compliance. Of course, gummies are not without their challenges.

“[Gummies are] deceptively simple as a dosage form, but actually it's very complex to make one that is effective, that has all the actives at the end of shelf life and is pleasurable, because sensory is a key component,” said Sara Lesina, general manager, Europe, for Sirio Europe (Pritzwalk, Germany). “When you take a pill, a tablet, the sensory element is less important and it is mostly about the size of the tablet/capsule. On the gummy, you want something that tastes great. [Consumers want ] good flavor, good mouth feel, good texture, and no bad after taste and all the functionality of the active ingredients, so that increases the level of complexity to actually be able to make a gummy that is fit for market.”

In fact, those critical of gummy supplements will point out that gummies do not contain enough of the active ingredient to be effective, and they are sugar-laden to make palatable products. Some ingredients cannot even be used in gummies at all. While this has been largely true in the past, gummy technology has seen great strides to become a rather viable solution in the nutraceutical space. At this year’s Vitafoods Europe, gummy innovation was front and center as exhibitors showcased novel solutions to classic gummy problems.

Gelita (Eberbach, Germany) and Rousselot (Son, The Netherlands) were among the brands offering starch-free gummy manufacturing solutions. Gelita’s Confixx, for example, is a new fast-setting gelatin that offers a faster and more flexible manufacturing process. As Oliver Wolf, head of B2B marketing, global marketing and communications for Gelita explained to 

, gummy production is traditionally done by stamping a mold into a tray filled with starch and the gummy mass is poured into that mold. The gummies in the mold are then dried for up to two days. The challenges this creates is that starch used in the production is recycled and reused which can cause cross-contamination. This is not ideal when it comes to fortification. The dust created by the starch also makes it more difficult to comply with cGMP standards.

With Confixx, manufacturers can replace starch with silicone or polycarbonate molds, and with the fast-setting gelatin, the gummies are ready in two hours, as opposed to two days. This makes production faster and less expensive. Additionally, Confixx makes it easier to work with more temperature sensitive ingredients, which Wolf says can be incorporated into the cooking mass later in the process, exposing ingredients to less heat.

Rousselot’s starch-free process, SiMoGel, has been around since 2020, but received a 

 in December of 2022. This solution can create a liquid filled gummy that can be deposited directly into a blister pack. This creates what could be referred to as a gummy capsule, allowing for accurate dosages and versatility across a range of active ingredients.

Difficult-to-work with active ingredients are among the biggest limitations of the gummy dosage format, but they also create a great deal of opportunity if the right solutions are found. TopGum Industries (Sderot, Israel), for example, launched a caffeine gummy at Vitafoods Europe, showcasing its microencapsulation technology.

“We were trying to find unmet needs in the market and we found out that there was no good caffeine gummies in the market and the reason is because caffeine is very bitter. Even if you are adding very small amounts of caffeine into a gummy, it creates all this bitterness,” explained Doron Delouya, vice president of product foundations at TopGum. “So, we looked for an off-the-shelf solution from suppliers and we couldn't find anything that was also masking the flavor and working in the gummy manufacturing process. We then realized that we need to maybe develop our own technology. So, we opened a microencapsulation internal startup and we worked very hard to create microcapsules that we work also in the gummy manufacturing process and we are calling it TopCaps technology.”

While microencapsulation exists in other dosage formats, TopGum’s microencapsulation technology is tailored to also work in a gummy matrix. In the case of caffeine, says Delouya, the microencapsulation technology serves as a flavor masker while the company can leverage microencapsulation for other functions such as sustained release in the future. For Top Gum, the caffeine gummy is more of a lifestyle solution than a nutraceutical, offering consumers something convenient and easy to take when in need of some energy. With 40 mg of caffeine in one gummy, just shy of the 64 mg one can find in a shot of espresso, the gummies can have a lot of utility for consumers, and a lot of potential for brands owners.

Lubrizol Life Science Health (LLS Health; Bethlehem, PA) is also found a way to incorporate microencapsulation technology into gummies, specifically its microencapsulated iron ingredient Lipofer. “We did pretty sophisticated AI based research to learn about this consumer and in that study, we learned that consumers really care about scientifically substantiated ingredients. Brands are important, but it's really the scientifically substantiated ingredients [that consumers want]. They also care about the sensory experience of product formats,” explained Zakaria Benmerzouga, MS, MBA, commercial manager for nutraceutical ingredients at LLS Health. “Coupling the story between scientifically substantiated ingredients as well as what the consumers are seeking from a sensory experience, we decided to develop one of the most popular formats today and for the next coming years, which is the gummy.”

With Lipofer, the company is able to create a pectin gummy with 10 mg of iron, which they say is twice that of the typical iron gummy supplement. Despite this high inclusion, Lubrizol is able to avoid the metallic taste associated with the mineral, as well as the side effects of consuming high amounts of iron such as constipation or nausea. The daily value of iron for adults and children over the age of four is 18 mg, therefore two gummies per day of is ideal meet daily requirements.

The iron gummy can be marketed toward a number of demographics, including children, pregnant women, and vegans, said Benmerzouga. Iron deficiencies are not uncommon among children. In fact, in industrialized countries, 20.1% of children between the ages of 0 and 4, and 5.9% of children between the ages of 5 and 14 

. These numbers are 39% and 48.1%, respectively, in developing countries. During pregnancy, women need 27 mg of iron per day, according to the 

. Finally, with vegans and vegetarians, insufficient iron consumption can be a problem because meat is a major source of iron. One 

 of literature on the iron status of vegetarian adults found that a higher proportion of vegetarians, compared to nonvegetarians, had iron deficiency anemia, particularly among premenopausal vegetarian women. The pectin base of the gummy makes it easy to market to vegans and vegetarians.

Cranberry powder is another difficult ingredient to incorporate into gummies. This is why Fruit D’or (Villeroy, QC, Canada) launched an 80-mesh particle size of its organic 100% cranberry powder (Cran Naturelle) containing 7.2% of soluble and insoluble proanthocyanidins (PACs) at Vitafoods Europe. This allows for better dispersibility of the powder, creating a higher mg count per gummy. In this case, manufacturers can manufacture gummies with up to 250 mg of cranberry powder in a single gummy. The smaller particle size also prevent leakage, allowing for more uniform gummies with complex shapes.

The use of cranberries, a notoriously tart ingredient, may call to mind the need for sugar to offset the tartness. Kaare Axelsen, business consultant for BerryCeuticals (Lelystad, The Netherlands) acknowledges this fact, but points out that many suppliers utilize pectin from apples to make gummies, which has a natural sweetness that can offset the tartness of cranberry, but he also says that leaning into some of the tartness may be beneficial if you find the balance between sweet and sour. “Our experience is that people really like the combination [of sweet and sour],” he explained. Fruit powders could also be used to offer some sweetness as well as a complementary flavor to a gummy.

Sirio Pharma recently partnered with Lonza (Basel, Switzerland) to incorporate 40 mg of Lonza’s patented undenatured collagen type II ingredient, UC-II, into a gummy, alongside 12 mg of vitamin C. Sirio showcased this new gummy positioned for joint health support at Vitafoods Europe as well as a gummy positioned for beauty, containing 500 mg of collagen peptides in addition to 10 mg of UC-II, which the company says is the highest inclusion rate for collagen peptide on the market in a gummy. Lesina boasts that Sirio’s 15 years of experience in gummy nutraceutical manufacturing and access to over 200 research and development experts, gives the company an edge in developing complex gummy solutions. For example, undenatured type II collagen like UC-II comes with some baggage.

“UC-II collagen is heat sensitive because when you heat a protein it will hydrolyze, it will degenerate,” explained Morgan Laloux, head of sales, Southern Europe, for Sirio Europe. "Since manufacturing of gummies typically implies high temperature, this was a very challenging application. Thanks to our expert Sirio R&D team we were able to find the process to create a gummy that ensures the correct amount of UC-II after manufacturing. Analysis shows that UC-II collagen levels remain high after production.”

Every year, gummies have fewer boundaries, and therefore fewer compromises. Beyond making palatable gummies with the right texture, these innovations are also about creating products that are effective and that consumers can rely on. Companies like ADM (Chicago, IL), for example, have positioned themselves to be a well-rounded and experienced partner to manufacturers, supplying a wide range of actives, including botanicals, probiotics and post-biotics, fiber, and plant-based proteins while also being able to provide flavor modulation to challenging ingredients across a range of applications. And while taste and texture, are king, these products are only as good as the benefits they might provide.

“One of the things that shouldn't be lost is that while it's all about sensory [profile] in terms of the taste, behind that there’s huge amount of science and clinicals,” said John Rea, president, global dietary supplements for ADM. “We’ve got a very extensive portfolio and very well adapted medical affairs team that works directly with your own CRO companies designing the clinical trials.”

Companies like ADM and Kerry Group (Tralee, Ireland), which are historically well-versed in food-based solutions, have been actively expanding their portfolio of nutraceutical ingredients, and using their expertise in food to create novel solutions for alternative dosage formats. For example, ADM recently 

 in Spain to increase the production of probiotics and postbiotics five-fold. Kerry, for its part recently acquired

sold its sweet ingredients portfolio to IRCA

. Gummies are just one option in the push for more alternative dosage formats but represent an important way to bridge the gap between dietary supplements and functional food.

And although there are fewer limitations for gummy supplements, and consumers are really interested in the format, capsules and tablets are not going anywhere. There is a lot of talk about “pill fatigue,” and while there may be some truth in that, not everyone in the industry is convinced.

“I don't think pill fatigue really exists,” said Berryceutical’s Axelson. “I think the market has just expanded and there are additional products on the market. I don't think [gummies are] taking away anything from the tablets [or capsules]; not in our experience.”

He went on to explain that it’s difficult to change consumer habits. So, consumers who have a favorite capsule product may not necessarily be convinced to switch to a gummy. But gummies do offer a gateway into the dietary supplement market, which opens up to a whole world of nutraceuticals.

At this year’s Vitafoods Europe, gummy innovation was front and center as exhibitors showcased novel solutions to classic gummy problems.

Innovations in gummy manufacturing at Vitafoods Europe 2023

Jennifer Grebow is the editor-in-chief of 

, an award-winning media-content provider in the dietary supplement and natural products market. 

, an MJH Life Sciences brand, provides insights and industry updates critical to manufacturers of dietary supplements, healthy foods, and nutritious beverages. 

 keeps industry abreast of current market trends, research updates, news, and regulatory developments. 

goes beyond the 24-hour news cycle and provides in-depth analysis to help industry players navigate the challenges and changes in the near- and long-term. 

, the largest privately held, independent, full-service medical media company in North America, dedicated to delivering trusted health care news across multiple channels.

Foodtech startup Sweet Victory Ltd. (Tel Aviv) was one of the recipients of this year’s Vitafoods Europe Startup awards. The Vitafoods Europe trade show was held last week in Geneva, Switzerland. Sweet Victory was awarded for a botanical chewing gum designed to curb sugar cravings and support weight loss.

The Sweet Victory Zip Up Your Sugar Craving gum contains gymnema 

According to the company’s press release, “The plant extract in the chewy composition functions by blocking the taste receptors for sweetness. It also slows intestinal absorption of sugars. After just two minutes of chewing, sweet flavors become blunted, and the immediate desire for a confectionery diminishes.”

Sweet Victory also conducted a consumer study on the product, in which more than 80% of participants reporting having cut down on their sweets intake after chewing the gum, which ultimately resulted in “measurable weight loss in 9 out of every 10 patients.”

This two-week trial was conducted by New Sense Research, which specializes in sensory analysis of products and services. During the at-home experiment, 80 participants aged 25-45 were instructed to chew the gum at least three times per day, either after or between meals or “whenever a sugar craving emerged.” The consumers weighed themselves daily and also completed a daily questionnaire.

“Among the 80 participants, a remarkable 87% reported experiencing weight loss, at an average 1.3 kilos per 2 weeks,” the company’s press release states. Moreover, “80% of the participants significantly reduced their consumption of sweets by the trial’s end and reported having had ‘better control’ of their food choices.

The botanical chewing gum comes from foodtech startup Sweet Victory Ltd.

Gum that curbs sugar cravings wins Vitafoods Europe Startup award

Women in Nutraceuticals (WIN), a global nonprofit spearheaded by nutraceutical leaders dedicated to empowering women in the nutraceuticals industry, released the results of its first “Gender Representation in Nutraceutical Industry Leadership Survey.” WIN President Heather Granato presented the survey results at this week’s Vitafoods Europe show in Geneva, Switzerland. The survey’s resulting benchmark data show that the percentage of female senior leadership in the nutraceuticals industry is on par with that of similar industries and, as in other industries, needs improvement.

According to WIN, the survey found that the percentage of females serving in senior leadership roles in the nutraceuticals industry tend to be higher at smaller companies. For companies with less than US$ 10 million in annual sales, the percentage of female senior leaders was 48%. At mid-size companies, this percentage fell to 36%, and at larger companies with annual sales over US$ 100 million, the percentage of female senior leaders was 34%.

Figure courtesy of Women in Nutraceuticals.

In terms of the percentage of females serving on company boards in the industry, there was less variation among companies of different sizes, with small companies with under $10 million annual sales reporting 25% female board members and companies with over $100 million in annual sales reporting 22% female board members.

In the nutraceutical industry’s C-suite, there is also a lack of diversity, with representation divided as 71% white, 16% Asian/Pacific Islander, 5% Black, and 4% Latin.

WIN compared the nutraceutical industry’s results with that of the pharmaceutical and medical products industry, which it called “the closet industry for comparison.” In the pharmaceutical and medical products industry, women make up 39% of vice president roles, 34% of senior vice president roles, and 28% of the C-suite. This data comes from McKinsey & Company’s “Women in the Workplace 2022” report. WIN notes that the pharmaceutical and medical product industry’s female representation figures “are slightly higher than corporate figures overall; McKinsey puts representation of women at the VP level at 32%, SVP at 28%, and C-suite at 26%.”

WIN said there is room to increase female representation in the nutraceutical industry’s leadership field. “With the nutraceutical industry showing an average of 37% of senior leadership roles held by women, that’s a head start toward greater gender parity in our industry,” the organization’s press release states.

Moreover, it points out, “And there is a significant business benefit to doing so, with multiple business reports showing that gender-diverse companies are significantly more successful. McKinsey & Co. found a 48% performance differential between most- and least-gender-diverse companies in executive leadership. 

 found 21% increased likelihood that gender-diverse executive teams report above-average profitability. And 

reported that diverse companies are better positioned to capture new markets, increasing both performance and profits.”

WIN’s conclusion is that “Embracing gender parity in senior management is a particularly good opportunity for the nutraceutical industry given that the consumer base remains majority female. Having diversity of thought and experience in every part of the business—from product development into marketing and communication—can yield greater innovation and business growth.”

WIN’s “Gender Representation in Nutraceutical Industry Leadership Survey” was conducted by NEXT with financial support from Informa. The survey was conducted in the U.S., Europe, and Asia between December 2022 and January 2023.

WIN President Heather Granato presented the new survey results at this week’s Vitafoods Europe show.

Nutraceutical industry’s lack of female leaders is on par with similar industries, reveals first benchmark survey from Women in Nutraceuticals nonprofit group

Indena (Milan) is introducing a brand new ingredient for gut health called Cubo at this week’s Vitafoods Europe trade show in Geneva, Switzerland. The ingredient combines Indena’s curcumin and boswellia Phytosome ingredients.

As the company states, in Cubo, “curcumin and boswellia join forces to control oxidation, bacterial balance, and muscle cramps for optimal gut health and a better quality of life.” Both the curcumin and boswellia are formulated with Phytosome, Indena’s proprietary delivery system technology that optimizes the bioabsorption and pharmacokinetic properties of natural active ingredients.

According to Indena’s press release, “Recently, clinical evidence has demonstrated the efficacious support given to gut health by the two-Phytosome coalition, which has been proven to provide multiple health benefits for easy gut transit, controlling bloating, abdominal discomfort, and balancing intestinal microbiota.”

The company shared this new research at Vitafoods Europe, as well as new clinical research on its Relissa 

 ingredient, from the mint family, which supports sleep health by modulating GABA-transaminase enzyme and thereby boosting levels of GABA.

The new ingredient, Cubo, features Indena’s Curcumin Phytosome and Boswellia Phytosome ingredients.

New curcumin and boswellia combo for gut health debuts from Indena at Vitafoods Europe 2023

Roquette (La Madeleine, France) debuted a brand new excipient at this week’s Vitafoods Europe trade show in Geneva, Switzerland. Called Pearlitol ProTec, the excipient is designed to protect moisture-sensitive active ingredients like probiotics. This can also expand opportunities for formulating with these sensitive ingredients in new consumer-friendly dosage formats.

Pearlitol ProTec is described as a “plant-based, co-processed blend of mannitol and maize starch.” According to a Roquette press release, “With a measured water activity (Aw) value of <0.2, moisture content below 1%, and good compactability performance, it helps preserve the integrity of moisture-sensitive actives throughout the manufacturing process—and beyond.” This can also increase the shelf life of these products.

Carin Siow, PhD, senior pharmaceutical application scientist at Roquette, stated in a press release, “When we look at dosage formats [for probiotics], hard-shell capsules still dominate, but this picture is beginning to shift. Consumers are searching for convenient new supplement formats that fit easily into their daily routines. Chewable tablets, stick packs, and powder sachets are examples of these lifestyle-friendly formats, and we expect such dosage forms to gain market share in years to come.”

Siow continued, “Probiotics, like other moisture-sensitive active ingredients, present stability issues which limit their viability for certain dosage formats. In directly compressed tablets, for instance, flowability and compactability are key considerations—which means manufacturers need a flowable excipient that can ensure homogeneity and impart the desired tablet strength. Most of the currently available tableting solutions, however, require an additional drying process to reach the <0.2 low water activity (Aw) needed to stabilize moisture-sensitive actives.”

The company unveiled the new excipient, Pearlitol ProTec, at the Vitafoods Europe 2023 trade show this week in Geneva, Switzerland.

Roquette launches new excipient to boost stability of moisture-sensitive ingredients like probiotics

Aptar CSP Technologies (Auburn, AL), part of AptarGroup Inc., will preview two delivery system technologies designed to enhance the stability of powder- and oil-based probiotic products at this week’s Vitafoods Europe trade show in Geneva, Switzerland (Booth J60). One solution is for the probiotic mixology market, while the other is designed for oil-based probiotics.

The first technology, for the probiotic mixology market, is called Avanti. It features Aptar CSP’s proprietary Activ-Polymer technology which comprises an internal molded part inside of a bottle cap that can house dry-powder probiotics. This cap keeps the probiotic powder separated from the water in the bottle until the user activates the cap, which then drops the powder into the liquid where it disperses. “The active material molded into the cap protects the probiotic powder against moisture and other environmental conditions that can impact potency and shelf life,” the company’s press release states.

The second technology, for oil-based probiotics, is called Neo. According to the company, Neo is “a first-of-its-kind material science solution that is fully submerged in oil to create a customized microclimate to absorb latent moisture.” It features Aptar CSP’s Activ-Film technology. “Delivered as a small sphere molded from a unique Activ-Polymer formulation, Neo offers increased moisture-absorption capacity relative to the Activ-Film solution and can help mix the ingredients upon shaking,” the firm explains. “This solution ensures optimal probiotic stability without impacting user experience.”

“We developed Avanti and Neo to give manufacturers more tools to deliver innovative strains in different formats so they can grow their business,” said Badre Hammond, the company’s vice president of global commercial operations GM, APAC, in the press release.

Aptar’s solutions are designed to protect products, extend shelf life, and improve user experience. In addition, at Vitafoods Europe, Aptar CSP will give a presentation advising how to use active material science solutions to optimize probiotic formulations for overall cost savings. This presentation, “Optimizing Probiotic Formulations: Use of Active Packaging to Minimize Overages, Reduce Costs, and Improve Margins,” will take place at Vitafoods Europe on May 10 at 2:30 PM CEST. It will also be available on the event’s on-demand platform

One solution is for the probiotic mixology market, while the other is designed for oil-based probiotics.

Aptar CSP to preview innovative stability technologies for powder- and oil-based probiotic products at Vitafoods Europe 2023

Novozymes OneHealth (Copenhagen, Denmark) will showcase its probiotic, vitamin K2, and other ingredients at this week’s Vitafoods Europe trade show in Geneva, Switzerland. The company will have a broad presence at the show.

Novozymes OneHealth will be featured in two booth presentations: 1) Wednesday, May 10, at 10:30-10:50 CET, Booth D94, “The Power of the Active Ingredients: Evidence-Backed Probiotic Spores and Vitamin K2-7,” and 2) a 15-minute speaker session on Wednesday, May 10, 15:00-16:00 CET, Booth A104, titled, “What’s on People’s Minds When It Comes to Mental Health.” In addition, on Wednesday, May 10, 11:30-11:55 CET, at the event’s Probiotics Theatre, the company will present, “Psychobiotics: The Emergence of Game-Changing Evidence for the Future of Mental Wellness.”

During the show, Novozymes OneHealth will also highlight its diverse range of ingredients for brain, oral, and immune health. These include the Pylopass 

 DSM 17648 postbiotic ingredient designed to reduce the amount of 

 in the stomach, and ProbioBrain, a probiotic for mental wellness featuring 

1714. For oral health, the company will feature BioFresh 4+ enzymatic solution that eliminates oral malodor, as well as BioFresh Clean, an enzyme combination that removes and reduces oral biofilm. Finally, the company will showcase its MenaquinGold vitamin K2 ingredient for bone and heart health.

At Vitafoods Europe, the company will be featured at education presentations and networking events.