Around the globe, consumer demand for better gut health has been the subject of significant growth in recent years. As consumers have sought out ways to support the gut microbiome and the trillions of microbes that inhabit it, there has been natural expansion in the market for prebiotics.
Prebiotic functional ingredients, have become increasingly popular in various segments of the health and nutrition sector, including nutritional supplements, functional foods, medical nutrition, and more.
However, it isn’t just the wide-ranging health benefits they offer that make them such a strong ingredient to work with. One of the most significant advantages of prebiotic fibre is that it’s easy for formulators to include in new and existing formulations, but why is that?
In the following blog, we explore why prebiotics, like Bimuno GOS, are exceptionally easy to work with, enabling formulators to enhance product nutritional profiles and market appeal while maintaining the simplicity needed for future range expansion.
Why does ease of formulation matter?
For a number of reasons, formulators value simplicity when selecting nutritional ingredients for their products. Easy-to-use functional ingredients, such as prebiotics, provide core advantages through the full development supply chain, from recipe creation and testing through to their appeal on-shelf.
First, simplicity means that a functional ingredient, Bimuno GOS in this case, offers straightforward integration into existing formulations, minimising the need for complex and time-consuming adjustments.
This means that for brands looking to re-formulate current products as a priority over creating new ones, it’s easier than ever to enhance the functionality of the existing range and meet rising consumer demand for better performing products.
Secondly, simplicity in formulation means that ingredient lists can be kept clear, straightforward and easy for consumers to understand.
For instance, incorporating simple-to-use prebiotic ingredients enhances a product’s functionality by promoting gut health while further underlining the message to consumers that better everyday gut health doesn’t need to be complicated.
With rapid expansion of the market, it’s easy to forget that for consumers, prebiotics are a relatively new addition to the health and nutrition lexicon. With knowledge and awareness still growing, terms such as galactooligosaccharides and fructooligosaccharides can appear intimidating to consumers learning about prebiotics for the first time.
However, with this comes strong potential for brands to educate consumers on areas of gut health, and prebiotics provide a clear, easy-to-understand approach to this. Simple comparisons, such as prebiotics acting as ‘fertiliser’ for beneficial bacteria, could prove key to supporting better consumer understanding across international markets.
Lastly, the appeal of a product increases when consumers perceive it as an uncomplicated solution to their health needs, without overwhelming complexity. Consumers are engaging with ‘clean label’ formulations, which focus on products that have streamlined and clear ingredient lists.
Prebiotic stability
While prebiotics and probiotics form the vast majority of gut health product innovation, one of the key reasons why prebiotics are favoured by formulators is their remarkable stability during manufacturing processes.
Prebiotic fibre is a substrate and exhibits resistance to various manufacturing methods, including heat, pressure, and pH fluctuations. Bimuno GOS is a prime example of how this stability widens the potential applications of prebiotics.
Its stability ensures that the functional properties of prebiotics remain intact even after undergoing rigorous processing steps, particularly their effect of selectively nourishing beneficial bacteria, such as bifidobacteria.
Consequently, with Bimuno GOS, formulators can confidently incorporate a prebiotic ingredient into their products, knowing that it can withstand the manufacturing environment without compromising on efficacy. In turn, this also creates a great deal of opportunity to create synbiotic products, which combine prebiotics and probiotics in one product.
The versatility to create change
Tied to this stability, prebiotics offer an exceptional level of versatility. Resistance to many harsh processes commonly found in food and supplement manufacturing makes them suitable for a wide range of product applications.
Whether it’s dedicated prebiotic dietary supplements targeting digestive health or immune health, functional foods, beverages, or dairy products, prebiotic functional ingredients can be seamlessly integrated into various formulations.
In addition to nourishing beneficial gut bacteria, their ability to enhance the nutritional value of products with important dietary fibre makes them an ideal choice for formulators aiming to create innovative health and nutrition products that speak to the needs of today’s market.
This versatility ensures that formulators can meet the diverse demands of the market through numerous product formats and applications, while maintaining core simplicity in their formulations.
Market-leading science
Health and nutrition brands are seeking ingredients that command attention, and prebiotics are full of exciting potential.
The efficacy and safety of prebiotics, including Bimuno GOS, have been extensively studied and proven through market-leading scientific research. These studies, including clinical trials, provide formulators with valuable insights into the benefits and mechanisms of prebiotic action, further supporting their decision to incorporate prebiotics into their formulations.
Bimuno GOS, for example, is supported by more than 110 published scientific papers, which examine its efficacy in areas such as digestive and gastrointestinal health, immune function and cognitive health.
This comprehensive scientific research helps to bring simplicity in formulation by providing clear benefits to the consumer through one individual ingredient. The availability of comprehensive scientific data allows formulators to make informed choices and confidently communicate the benefits of prebiotics to consumers.
Consumers are increasingly seeking simple yet effective solutions to support their gut health on a daily basis, which reflects rising proactivity in health and wellness. With the growing awareness of the importance of gut microbiota in supporting overall wellbeing, products that provide convenient and easily accessible gut health support have a key competitive advantage.
Prebiotic ingredients address this demand by offering a simple and practical solution for formulators. As well as meeting critical consumer demands, prebiotics are extremely easy to formulate with through their stability and versatility.
Backed by market-leading scientific studies and fuelled by growing consumer demand for simpler everyday gut health solutions, now is an ideal time for formulators to explore the potential of prebiotics, and the benefits of partnering with an experienced science-led team such as Clasado.
