Olivia Haslam

Leading consumer dairy brands like Lactalis, Nestlé and Danone are targeting sports nutrition because whey protein and high-protein products deliver higher margins, stronger growth and lower volatility than traditional commodity dairy markets. The shift is driven by rising global demand for protein in sports nutrition, weight management and healthy ageing, plus the ability to monetize whey (once a by-product) into premium functional nutrition products and brands.

LYMA has launched ID², a synbiotic drinkable powder designed to support gut health, microbiome diversity, and nutrient absorption using a multi-fibre prebiotic blend, spore-forming probiotics, omega-3 DHA, and a full spectrum of vitamins and minerals. The product is positioned as a science-led gut health system aimed at supporting digestive function, cellular health, and the gut–brain axis, with a focus on energy levels, brain fog, and overall wellbeing.

Experts say social media misinformation is fueling persistent creatine myths, despite decades of research supporting the supplement's safety, effectiveness and performance benefits, highlighting the need for evidence-based education for young athletes, parents and coaches. Speakers at the webinar The Young Athlete and Creatine: Safety, Science and Smarter Choices urged healthcare professionals to replace online misinformation with science-backed guidance, stressing that creatine use should be based on an athlete's readiness rather than age alone.

Myota has raised $4.5 million in a Series A funding round to scale its clinically validated prebiotic fibre business as demand grows for evidence-backed gut health ingredients. The company will expand its B2B operations, direct-to-consumer business and clinical research, while investors point to rising consumer interest in fibre, advances in microbiome science and growing demand for clinically validated functional ingredients.

UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) analysis shows UK adults shifting toward higher protein (+~20%) and lower carbohydrate intake over 10 years, with reduced total/free sugars but still above recommendations. Despite small fiber increase (~17.4→18.4 g/day), intake remains far below guidelines (~30 g), highlighting persistent fiber deficiency alongside rising processed-food-driven macronutrient imbalance.

I.T.S has launched a dedicated Health and Wellness division to meet growing demand for functional nutrition, natural flavours, and clean-label ingredients, supported by a £10 million manufacturing expansion. Paschalina Papadogkona as senior innovation specialist highlights key health and wellness trends, including personalised nutrition, gut health, high-protein products, probiotics, prebiotics, adaptogens, nootropics, and the formulation challenges of balancing taste with functionality.

Europe's Novel Food approval system is facing criticism as lengthy EFSA assessments, rising evidence requirements and regulatory uncertainty increase costs and delay market access for innovative food ingredients. New analysis co-authored by head of scientific affairs at Foodchain ID Jerome Le Bloch warns that prolonged Novel Food authorisation timelines and higher compliance costs risk undermining Europe's competitiveness in emerging sectors such as precision fermentation.

A study of 900 men with varicocele found that higher dietary intake of antioxidant nutrients, including zinc, vitamin C and vitamin E, was associated with better sperm quality, improved semen parameters and fertility outcomes. The findings suggest that dietary antioxidants may help reduce oxidative stress and sperm DNA damage linked to varicocele-associated male infertility.

StudySetGo has launched a matchmaking platform connecting health and nutrition companies with investors to fund clinical trials, aiming to accelerate the generation of credible clinical evidence and strengthen marketing claims and company valuations. Using its decentralised randomised controlled trial (RCT) model, the startup enables faster, remote clinical research, reducing trial timelines from years to months while supporting growth in areas such as women's health, GLP-1, and gut health.

Zoe research led by Dr. Sarah Berry of King’s College London and Zoe, with contributions from Dr. Tim Spector, shows that plant diversity, whole-food nutrition, and prebiotic fiber can improve gut microbiome health more effectively than single-strain “silver bullet” probiotics. The six-week randomized trial found that Zoe’s 30+ plant blend increased beneficial gut bacteria diversity, microbiome composition, digestive health, and wellbeing markers, highlighting the importance of fiber, polyphenols, and varied plant foods over isolated probiotic supplements.