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Brain protein may be key link between obesity, aging & memory loss

US researchers have received a US$410,000 grant from the National Institute on Aging to investigate whether obesity speeds up brain aging and its impact on memory loss and brain-related diseases, including Alzheimer’s. Nutrition Insight sits down with the study lead researcher, Timothy Jarome, professor at the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences’ School of Animal Sciences at Virginia Tech, to discuss what drove him to research this issue and its importance amid an increasingly obese population.
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Brain health supplements shift from generic support to mechanism-driven cognitive solutions
The nutrition industry is increasingly recognizing the interconnectedness of cognition and other areas, such as gut, eye, and metabolic health, alongside longevity and mental well-being. Meanwhile, consumer expectations have moved beyond generic “brain support” toward solutions that target focus, memory, mood, stress resilience, and healthy aging. Nutrition Insight meets with Balchem, Saanroo, PLT Health Solutions, Kerry, MartinBauer Nutraceuticals, Kemin, and Biovivo Science to explore solutions to optimize cognitive performance in this evolving market. 
hands wearing gloves holding two petri dishes with plant cells
Novella’s bioreactor brings consistency and climate resilience to botanical ingredients
Novella Innovative Technology is seeking to address issues in the nutrition and food sectors by improving supply chain and ingredient consistency with precision botanicals. Nutrition Insight speaks with Itay Dana, co-founder and CMO of the plant cell technology company, who shares how its technology addresses two core issues that have limited the performance and scalability of botanical ingredients used in food, nutrition, and dietary supplements. 
Illustration of a human brain highlighted in orange and blue inside a translucent head, featuring HydroCurc® and Levagen+ logos with the text “Cognitive Health.”
Two Ingredients, One Bottleneck: Rethinking Bioavailability for Cognitive Performance
The market for cognitive health supplements is surging, driven by a growing demand for sharper memory and learning. While powerful ingredients like curcumin and PEA show immense promise in boosting brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels, their poor bioavailability limits their real-world efficacy. This paper explores how advanced delivery platforms overcome this absorptive bottleneck.

This Technical Paper is brought to you by Saanroo.
Roquette webinar banner for “Powering the Gut,” showing hands forming a heart over the stomach with fiber and prebiotics event details
Powering the Gut: Why Fiber and Prebiotics Matter
The growing awareness of digestive wellness is reflected in recent trends, with more consumers actively seeking ways to incorporate fiber into their daily lives. Popular movements like “fiber maxxxing” and fiber mixing are driving creative, intentional approaches to fiber consumption, highlighting a collective shift toward proactive gut health management. Growing scientific research continues to emphasize the positive impact of soluble fibers on gut function and metabolic responses. In this webinar, we will explore the latest market insights and discuss current definitions of gut health and prebiotics as established by ISAPP. Our experts will translate these findings into practical guidance for product development, providing you with actionable recommendations. 
Leena Uabumrungjit, Thai Union Ingredients
Vitafoods Europe 2026: Thai Union Ingredients’ upcycled marine supplement solutions

Leena Uabumrungjit, the senior director at Thai Union Ingredients, spoke with us about the company’s marine ingredient portfolio, which spans omega-3 oils, marine collagen, and tuna-derived calcium. She also spotlighted the company’s full supply chain traceability and upcycled tuna byproducts for clean label formulation.

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Artificial sweeteners may disrupt metabolism, review finds
Artificial sweeteners
A new review and meta-analysis suggests that artificial and other non-nutritive sweeteners — including saccharin, aspartame, and sucralose — are not inert in the human body and may be harming metabolism. In addition to randomized clinical trials, the researchers pooled findings from large observational studies, which generally found that consuming these sweeteners is linked to a higher risk of developing cardiometabolic diseases. Across 21 randomized clinical trials in adults, researchers observed that artificial and other low-calorie sweeteners — compared to non-caloric controls such as water or a placebo — raised fasting insulin and HbA1c, a marker of long-term blood sugar control, and reflected worsening insulin sensitivity.
Beverage companies bite back at Germany’s 2028 sugar drink tax amid rising...
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Over 300 German beverage companies are opposing the government’s introduction of a sugar tax or levy on drinks, the implementation of which is planned for 2028. In an open letter to industry associations, they are appealing to policymakers to stop adding burdens on businesses and consumers. 
Higher vitamin A and D levels linked to better lung health and slower...
Lung health supplements
According to new observational research, higher levels of circulating vitamin A are associated with better lung function in children and adults with asthma, while vitamin D reflects similar benefits in adults, including slower biological aging. The “first study of its kind” highlights that lung function is a key predictor of death, irrespective of whether or not a person has lung disease. The paper builds on previously published research showing that vitamins A and D protect against asthma, while influencing lung development, depending on the dose and context.
Jungbunzlauer backs bioavailable magnesium bisglycinate for gummy and liquid...
Man drinking wellness shot
Amid growing consumer interest in magnesium for various health areas, Jungbunzlauer highlights the benefits of chelated minerals for bioavailability across different product formats, such as increasingly popular gummy supplements or functional food and beverages. The company derives these organic compounds or mineral salts from citric, gluconic, or lactic acid through fermentation.  
NXW Nutrition from Water invests in PhycoFerm, accelerating microalgae R&D
Microalgae under a microscope
NXW Nutrition from Water, a producer of industrial-scale, water-sourced protein and fiber ingredients for global food and nutrition corporations, has taken an equity stake in the Spanish microalgae strain development and biotechnology company PhycoFerm. The investment will spearhead a joint R&D initiative to accelerate NXW’s foundational “Generation I” microalgae strains and its next-generation, high-yield “Generation II” strains through PhycoFerm’s mutagenesis, adaptive laboratory evolution, and high-throughput screening.
Why healthy aging is moving beyond supplements into mainstream F&B
Older consumer shopping for healthy food products.

Food Ingredients First

Healthy aging is no longer a niche conversation confined to capsules, tablets, and specialist nutrition. As consumers live longer, stay active later in life, and look for convenient ways to support mobility, mainstream F&B brands are beginning to borrow more confidently from the nutraceutical playbook. For F&B formulators, this shift is opening new white space around everyday formats that support muscle, strength, recovery, and mobility. Dairy drinks, ready-to-drink beverages, and functional snacks are becoming potential carriers for ingredients once more commonly associated with sports nutrition or supplement aisles.
Highlighted features
Nutrition Insight June in review 2026
Nutrition & Health News
June in review: GLP-1s drive demand, gut-brain axis & EU...
Metabolic health, mental well-being, EU vitamin limits, and protein differentiation were key topics driving product development in the nutrition industry in June. Meanwhile, policies aiming to drive healthier food choices and scientific research advances also shaped industry conversations. In our June review, Nutrition Insight explores some of the month’s biggest stories, such as weight loss needs driving the industry’s shift to support consumers on GLP-1s and when transitioning off them, alongside clinical research linking probiotics to reductions in geriatric depression. 
Women adding protein powder to shake
Nutrition & Health News
Webinar preview: Rousselot backs whey-collagen peptide...
Due to the popularity of high-protein food and nutrition, the price of whey ingredients has gone up substantially in recent years, cautions Rousselot. Driven by these market restraints and an increasing awareness of collagen peptides and their benefits, the company notes that blending these ingredients can create “win-win formulations.” In addition, the company says that “the right blend” could offer joint support, promote holistic well-being, or metabolic wellness through effective post-meal glucose spike management and natural GLP-1 production. 
Healthy elderly woman taking supplements
Research & Development
Erinacine A leads lion’s mane category shift from nootropic...
Real Mushrooms positions erinacine A as a long-term ingredient for healthy brain aging and cognitive resilience, rather than a traditional brain booster. This bioactive compound, sourced exclusively from lion’s mane mycelium, requires standardization in finished products to support its science-backed benefits in nervous system health. Nutrition Insight meets with Skye Chilton, CEO and co-founder of the supplement brand, to explore what current research shows about erinacine A and aging adults’ cognition and biohackers. He also highlights how the compound differs from other mycelium constituents and how this translates in finished supplement applications.

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Biotic & HMO innovation trendsJun2026

Data from Innova Market Insights shows a 10% year-over-year increase in early nutrition product launches featuring HMOs and biotic ingredients. Baby formula and milk were the dominant subcategory, acc...

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GLP-1 support goes mainstream in supplements Jul 2026

As interest in GLP-1–related pathways continues to rise, supplement brands are introducing formulations that focus on supporting appetite regulation, glucose metabolism, gut health, and overall metabolic balance. Across the category, ingredients such as berberine, chromium, probiotics, citrus extracts, capsaicinoids, and bioactive peptides are commonly used to support satiety, energy balance, and healthy metabolic function.

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Cognitive supplement trendsJul 2026

Innova Market Insights data indicates that cognitive supplement launches are on the rise, with 4% increase in growth from April 2021 to March 2026. This relates to consumers’ interest in improving focus, and especially brain health claims, which were gaining momentum in women’s supplement claims.

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Leena Uabumrungjit, Thai Union Ingredients
Video04:48
Vitafoods Europe 2026: Thai Union Ingredients’ upcycled marine supplement solutions

Leena Uabumrungjit, the senior director at Thai Union Ingredients, spoke with us about the company’s marine ingredient portfolio, which spans omega-3 oils, marine collagen, and tuna-derived calcium. She also spotlighted the company’s full supply chain traceability and upcycled tuna byproducts...

Roquette webinar banner for “Powering the Gut,” showing hands forming a heart over the stomach with fiber and prebiotics event details
Webinars38:36
Powering the Gut: Why Fiber and Prebiotics Matter
Bone And Joint Health, Delivery Formats, DolCas Biotech, KG Rao, Marine Collagen, Marine Collagen Tripeptides, Morikol, New Product Development, Nutraceuticals, Skin And Beauty, Sports Nutrition, Supp
Video11:29
DolCas Biotech: CEO highlights Morikol marine collagen science and delivery format R&D
Shaheen Majeed, Sabinsa
Video05:32
Vitafoods Europe 2026: Sabinsa’s ImmunoSpore postbiotic targets gut-immune health
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