COMET recently released its 2026 Trend Predictions report. Using Google analytics, social listening and proprietary consumer research, the Arrabina prebiotic fiber supplier identified three major opportunities the company sees as shaping the year ahead for innovation: fiber and prebiotics gaining prominence as Americans significantly undermet their fiber goals compared to protein intake; prebiotic blends offering diverse fiber types for enhanced gut health benefits; and mood-related claims emerging as brands explore the gut-brain connection, distinct from cognitive health claims.
Hannah Ackermann, RD, vice president of marketing and nutrition affairs at COMET, told NutraIngredients that she predicts these distinct mood claims, will increase in the next year.
“Supplements out there are already making cognitive health claims and alertness claims and ingredients like Cognizin, for example, are in a lot of different products,” she said. “Prebiotic fibers and prebiotics and probiotics have an opportunity to tap into brain health in a different way, in particular with mood substantiation. I see this as we’re learning more about the gut-brain connection being a big area for innovation and products that’s going to be really research-led.”
Ackermann added that according to Mintel’s new product database, which looks at new products coming to the market, brain health claims for products that contain prebiotics have grown 178% over the last five years.
“We hear from our customers and brands tapping into this is [that they are] actually creating prebiotic blends or brain blends, they call them, where they pair prebiotics with nootropics,” she said. “This is just so they have more claims they can put on pack regarding, not just mood, but also brain health and different things, especially in a more emerging area.”
Ackermann also discussed the widespread "proteinification" trend, where protein is being added to numerous products across categories. While protein is essential for muscle maintenance and aesthetics, she emphasized that excessive protein consumption without adequate fiber can negatively impact colon health and the gut microbiome.
She highlighted that 94% of Americans fail to meet fiber recommendations while 85% exceed protein needs and predicted a significant trend of food companies creating high-protein products fortified with prebiotics and fiber.
From ice cream to beverages to bars, Ackermann observed that big CPG food companies are tackling nutrition in a way she has not seen before.
“There’s so many more new products with functional benefits coming to market that they realize they have to compete, right? They need to be adding more functional ingredients and science-backed ingredients,” she said, adding that companies have realized prebiotic fiber or prebiotics is a great way to have a functional claims on pack—something customers respond to well across different demographics.
For prebiotic fibers in particular, she said older consumers enjoy seeing more fiber on pack while younger consumers, who are also interested in fiber, are more plugged into the prebiotics and gut microbiome aspects.
“So it’s a great way to appeal to consumers of many ages,” Ackermann said.
To hear more on prebiotic trends, how GLP-1s play into it and why consumers are tapping into functional foods over supplements, listen to the NutraCast.
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