
Immune support


NutraIngredients Europe Awards 2026 winners announced!
The NutraIngredients Europe Awards crowned 16 worthy winners last night during a VIP party in Barcelona.

Euglena acquires microalgae business to strengthen immune health range
Japanese company Euglena is acquiring the microalgae business of Kobelco Eco-Solutions, which it says will beef up its immune health offerings.

Coffee’s cognitive benefits may act through the microbiota–gut–brain axis
New research from APC Microbiome Ireland suggests coffee-driven changes in the gut microbiome may relate to brain function and behaviour.

Vitafoods show floor preview: Exhibitors 0-Z
With just four days until Vitafoods Europe (May 5–7), we offer a third instalment of exhibitor previews providing a sneak peek at what will take place on the show floor.

NutraWomen Wednesday: Catalina Fernández de Ana Portela, founder of Hifas de Terra
Being raised in a family of mycology researchers in Spain helped shape Dr. Catalina Fernández de Ana Portela’s 25-year career studying medicinal fungi.

Transparency tech: New app reveals supplement ingredient credibility
A nutraceutical consultant hopes to elevate science-backed ingredients after creating an app which can analyze the scientific credibility, regulatory status, dose efficacy and ingredient interactions for any supplement on the market.

Vitafoods show floor preview: Exhibitors A–G
Taking place in Barcelona next week (May 5-7), Vitafoods Europe 2026 will once again bring together experts from across the functional food and supplements industry for an unmissable trade show.

Kerry research: Ashwagandha root and leaf safe at 19 times standard dose
New research conducted by Kerry Group concluded Sensoril ashwagandha root and leaf extract was safe to take at 4,000 mg/kg/day, as regulators across the globe show increasing caution over the ingredient’s safety.

Men’s health moves beyond muscle as data reveals a broader shift in wellness
Men are expanding their focus and looking past performance, with younger consumers driving demand for supplements, functional foods and GLP-1-related solutions.

Yakult Europe goes dairy-free with vitality drink launch
Yakult’s latest product launch Vitals is dairy-free, dropping its patented Lactobacillus strain for the first time since the brand’s entry into Europe.

WINCEE launch: Women’s health research top of the agenda
Women are the foundation of healthy families and prosperous economies as they make 80% of purchasing decisions and invest their salaries in loved ones, yet are still underrepresented in clinical trials. WINCEE aims to bring this to an end.
Evanium raises €2.2 million to deliver dual encapsulation technology
German life-science startup Evanium has raised €2.2 million to address botanical inefficiency with dual encapsulation technology which it claims will power the next generation of bioavailability-enhanced ingredients.

Growth Asia Summit 2026: Updated Advance Programme now live!
Check out the latest updated Advance Programme for our Growth Asia Summit 2026, which takes place from July 8 to 10 in Singapore


CKD Bio on respiratory health: Underdeveloped but holds significant growth potential
South Korean firm CKD Bio sees respiratory health as a relatively underdeveloped segment, but increasing consumer concerns due to environmental and seasonal factors are expected to boost category growth.

Enbiosis reveals 2.0 platform: AI-powered nutraceutical discovery
UK-based biotech firm Enbiosis is set to launch its ‘game changing’ digital twin platform which it claims will enable the fast creation of clinically credible, AI-powered gut health formulations.

Musheez creates formulators’ guide to functional food and drink
Organic mushrooms supplier Musheez has published a guide to medicinal mushrooms in an aim to help formulators avoid common and costly functional food and drink errors.

Singapore’s MIRIQA expands into immunity category, targets modern family wellness
Singapore firm MIRIQA has expanded beyond beauty supplements into the immunity category, and looks to meet the health and wellness needs of modern families.

‘No safe intake’ level for berberine: EFSA opens consultation
Experts have warned the future for berberine containing plants looks bleak after EFSA published a draft opinion questioning their safety, with a stakeholder consultation now open until May. 4.

Probiota Americas Scientific Frontiers: Got groundbreaking microbiome-related research to shout about?
The deadline for abstract submission for this year’s Probiota Americas Scientific Frontiers has been extended to Thursday, April 2.

Microbial intake may be a missing piece in modern diets
Dietary guidelines should factor in not just nutrients and vitamins but also the intake of live microorganisms, according to emerging evidence.

Culture shift: Could omics advances unlock the full potential of fermented foods?
Fermented foods have been part of the human diet for at least 10,000 years, but researchers are only just starting to understand the microbiomes found in these foods and their impact on health.

China health foods stats: US still top exporter, Australia’s exports down 21.5%
The U.S. remained the top health foods exporter to China last year, followed by Germany where exports were up 15.5%, while Australia – once the top exporter between 2018 and 2020 – saw exports fall by 21.5%.

OEA may boost Akkermansia levels and improve gut barrier function: RCT
Daily supplementation with oleoylethanolamide (OEA) may boost levels of the beneficial gut bacteria Akkermansia muciniphila and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, says a new study.

Haleon’s FY25 results: APAC supplements growth offsets US declines
Haleon saw strong sales growth in its health supplement business in Asia-Pacific last year, which it said has partly offset the decline in North America.

Trend tracking: Euromonitor outlines drivers accelerating the biotic boom
Probiotics are outperforming huge markets such as beauty and clothing as consumers increasingly prioritize health and wellness, according to Euromonitor’s Nick Stene.

February NPD launchpad: Gummies and hormone support top the charts
This month’s launches include a significant brand evolution, targeted gummies and a flurry of formulations designed to support women through hormonal disruption.

LAC opens in Hong Kong, India
Singapore-based supplement brand Leader in Antioxidative Control (LAC) has opened its first brick-and-mortar store in Hong Kong and also entered India via an exclusive franchisee.

‘Pink gold’: Vivici launches fermentation-derived lactoferrin
Dutch company Vivici has launched a precision fermentation-derived lactoferrin, a whey protein, and announced it has achieved self-affirmed GRAS status for the ingredient in the United States.

Manuka honey maker Comvita taps lozenge, flavor innovation to capture new growth
Manuka honey maker Comvita is capturing new consumers through product format and flavor innovation, following its earlier experiments on synergistic formulations, with success in lozenges a case in point.


Centre for Nutraceuticals aims to be ‘global voice’ for the industry
The University of Westminster officially launched its expanded Centre for Nutraceuticals this month, now with a first-of-its-kind tailored capsule machine for personalized nutrition research.

“Its moment has arrived”: Marula fruit ripe for global functional food success
The highly abundant South African polyphenol-rich marula fruit is being under-exploited by the functional food and supplements industry, according to the Marula Fruit Products Association.

Expo West 2026 supplement preview: What’s happening on the show floor
Thousands of exhibitors across the natural products spectrum will descend on the Anaheim Convention Center for the 45th annual Expo West trade between March 3 and March 6.

Authorities play catch-up on caffeine energy pouch regulation
Highly caffeinated energy pouches currently exist in a regulatory grey area, with a patchwork of different rules beginning to emerge across European nations.

Zinzino bolsters US presence with $30M It Works! merger
Swedish health tech firm ZinoZino and US-based health and wellness platform It Works! have combined expertise to provide tailored supplements internationally.

Denps taps into ‘wellness window’ in Singapore, eyes further expansion across SEA
Danish supplements brand Denps is looking to leverage Singapore’s premium market environment as a strategic launchpad for the South East Asian region.

January Launch Pad: Probiotics lead the way
From the gut-skin to the gut-bone to the gut-vaginal axes, new launches are proving biotics benefits extend far beyond gut health.

Survey shows 76% of Americans use supplements daily
Results show foundational supplements anchoring routines as targeted health needs drive portfolio expansion.

Jan 2026 Launchpad: Creatine, collagen, iron and probiotic NPD put women center stage
New product launches in January 2026 suggest women’s health is front of mind for formulators across the industry, with NPD focused on beauty, pregnancy and everyday energy.

Orthomol to scale Asia expansion and launch first blue-hat product in China
German health supplement company Orthomol is scaling growth across Asia under the leadership of its new CEO and is expecting a breakthrough in the Chinese market as it prepares to launch its first blue-hat registered product.

Novel Foods: Major updates on botanical assessments
The European Commission (EC) has updated its Novel Food Catalogue, offering crucial clarification on the status of several traditional botanical ingredients.

Award returns for second year to celebrate the industry’s creative minds
The NutraIngredients Awards are back, and with one more week to apply, one returning category is a little different from the rest.


More time, more impact: NutraIngredients Europe Awards extend entry deadline
The submission dealdine for the NutraIngredients Europe Awards has been extended to Feb. 2, 2026, providing innovators in the nutrition and health sectors with additional time to submit their entries.

Kirin deepens immune health R&D with subsidiaries FANCL, Blackmores
Kirin is advancing its immune health R&D with subsidiaries FANCL and Blackmores, piloting a urine-immune test and launching a new immune health supplement.

NI Awards: Encouraging businesses to reach new heights
With entries for the NutraIngredients Awards 2026 closing on Jan. 26, last year’s winners have described the personal and professional benefits of winning an accolade designed to set businesses apart from the competition.

Probiotic strain may ‘fine-tune’ immune responses in children
A specific probiotic strain may reduce the burden of common childhood infectious illnesses by fine-tuning immune responses and enhancing gut resilience rather than through drastic compositional changes, says a new study.
