High purity prebiotic designed for “challenging” convenient supplements market

Biotis GOS-OP High Purity contains 90% active ingredient (galacto-oligosaccharide) and has proven efficacity at doses as low as two grams. This makes it suitable for use in small formats, such as gummies, powder sticks, tablets, and capsules, which has always been a challenge for manufacturers, according to Global Marketing Director, performance, active and medical nutrition, Vicky Davies.

“Until now, the most desirable formats have been notoriously difficult to formulate with prebiotics. This is because the required dose of the active ingredient is challenging to formulate in a small format. We set out to change that so brands can create effective and convenient supplement formats, with ease.”​

Efficient and personalised​

Consumers are taking pro-active steps to improve gut health through lifestyle changes, such as increasing physical activity, making changes to their diet, and through supplementation.

Two in three consumers recognise good gut health as the key to achieving overall well-being. Market data confirms that 53% are keen to improve digestive health and 38% want to improve mental well-being. As such, there has been a sharp rise in demand for prebiotic supplements.

This presents significant opportunities for the industry to offer consumers practical solutions to “improve overall well-being in an efficient and personalised way”.​

“Gut health has been high on the consumer agenda for some time and while some are turning to prebiotic-enriched foods, many are seeking convenient and novel supplement formats,” ​explains Global Marketing Lead for Biotis, Sophie Zillinger Molenaar.

“Supplements are an ideal solution given that increasingly busy lifestyles can make it challenging to maintain a diet that supports specific digestive health needs.”​

Delivering functionality​

Prebiotics are a dietary fibre that stimulate good bacteria in the gut. Clinical studies validate the benefit of balancing gut microbiota to support and improve physical health and mental well-being.

FrieslandCampina uses a patent-pending process to deliver a higher concentration of available GOS-OP to ensure a typical 94% content of active ingredient, which is “significantly higher than the typical range for other prebiotics currently available”.​

Research suggests Biotis GOS-OP High Purity is more bifidogenic than existing prebiotics currently popular in supplement formulations and delivers a lactose content of less than 5%; it therefore supports “lower lactose formulations which are increasingly popular with health-conscious consumers”.​

In addition, the ingredient has a long shelf-life and is heat and acid stable with optimal bulk density and particle size and offers a “clean sensory profile”​.

Davies adds: “We have a wide range of application concepts developed to help inspire innovation and help reimagine prebiotic supplements for today’s health-conscious consumers.”​

Drive innovation​

Biotis GOS-OP High Purity is the latest addition to FrieslandCampina’s portfolio of Biotis GOS high-quality prebiotic ingredients, designed to drive innovation in the burgeoning gut, brain and immune health supplement market.

Ingredients are designed for functional food and drink applications. The range includes SleepWell with prebiotics and protein, to aid sleep and support brain health, and Biotis Immune-Plus that contains lactoferrin to improve and sustain immune health.