Move over fiber: Fruit polyphenols emerge as potent prebiotic for gut health

06 Jun 2023 --- Polyphenols from cranberries, grapes and other color-rich fruits can nourish the microbiome. Now officially recognized as a prebiotic, ingredient companies are finding wider applications for existing polyphenol-rich fruit extracts. They are also conducting more research into exactly how these ingredients restore balance to the microbiome and magnify the effects of other biotics.

NutritionInsight speaks to suppliers innovating in the polyphenol space – Nexira, Symrise and DSM – about their new microbiome solutions and the latest science in the category. 

Cranberry extract 
Symrise recently unveiled Prebiocran, a polyphenol-rich cranberry extract to support a healthy gut. The ingredient is Symrise’s first foray into the microbiome space, building off its line of cranberry-based solutions from its Diana portfolio. 

“This is the first day of a new arena for Symrise. We have boosted our business in health, where we are growing by double digits,” says Fabrice Bohin, naturals president of Symrise food and beverage, taste, nutrition and health. 

Prebiocran is the outcome of five years of research at the Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods at Université Laval in Canada.

“We have been able to show the gut health function through a clinical trial and new type of in vitro model,” says Aurélie Pellé, global product line director of fruit at the naturals division of Symrise food and beverage, taste, nutrition and health. 

Prebiocran is a polyphenol-rich extract that is the outcome of five years of research.Research showed that Prebiocran can specifically modulate the gut microbiota composition and function. It has also demonstrated its support to the gut barrier function, which is associated with metabolic health, she adds. 

Grape extract tested in mice
Building off its expertise in prebiotic acacia, Nexira recently explored the microbiome impact of VinOgrape Plus, a natural grape extract that was already in the company’s existing portfolio. 

“Being a member of the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP), we are well aware of the world around the microbiome,” says Julie Imperato, marketing manager at Nexira. 

“ISAPP expanded their definition of ‘prebiotic’ to include polyphenols, so we put VinOgrape Plus to the test in a study.” 

In the in vivo study, mice were split into two groups: one taking VinOgrape Plus and one control group. After four weeks, inflammation was induced, causing dysbiosis. 

“The mice who took VinOgrape Plus had a different microbiota profile from the control arm. VinOgrape Plus also significantly modulated the profile – suggesting that it can restore the microbiome.”

When Nexira looked more deeply at the types of strains present, it found an abundance of Akkermansia muciniphila in the mice who took VinOgrape Plus, suggesting the extract could complement supplements for metabolic health and weight control.

“Akkermansia muciniphila is described in the literature as a beneficial bacteria. It’s linked to reducing fat mass and inflammation,” says Imperato, noting that some companies are also working with this bacteria from the probiotic side. 

Building synergies 
At the same time, DSM’s FruitFlow, a polyphenol-rich ingredient, has also revealed new benefits for metabolic health. 

A recent study showed that it was able to reduce a biomarker associated with negative heart outcomes via the gut microbiome.

Sonja Kleinke, business acceleration lead of gut health at DSM notes that in the future, the company will continue to explore more synergies between individual ingredients, including more types of prebiotics to improve the efficacy of other ingredients. 

“DSM was known as an ingredient player in the past, but now we’re end to end, focusing on market-ready solutions.”

She emphasizes that the company is exploring various nutrients that can improve microbiome health, from vitamins to botanicals and more for holistic solutions.

By Missy Green