Last week’s headlines included FDA’s proposed changes to the GRAS system, Foods with Function Claims in Japan, the surge in hair growth supplements, and Verb’s oat-based postbiotic.
FDA proposes mandatory GRAS notifications
The FDA has proposed making mandatory the notification process for substances companies determine are Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS), replacing the current voluntary system, as part of a broader transparency and food safety initiative.
The rule would require manufacturers to inform the FDA of new GRAS determinations and create a public inventory, though it stops short of premarket approval.
“By proposing mandatory GRAS notifications, we are closing critical information gaps and giving FDA greater visibility into the substances in our food supply,” said Acting FDA Commissioner Kyle Diamantas, adding that the GRAS pathway was intended to provide an exemption from the otherwise required premarket approval process.
Industry groups have raised concerns about the increased regulatory burden, agency resources, and legal authority, while some support measures to increase transparency and maintain the self-affirmed GRAS pathway.
The proposal is open for public comment, with debate expected around its implementation, impact on ingredient innovation, and implications for dietary and probiotic ingredients.
Japan’s FFC sector: Fewer new products launched but market grew 4%
Japan’s Foods with Function Claims (FFC) market grew 4.1% to JPY773.5bn (US$4.9bn) in FY2025 despite a 26% drop in new product notifications to 1,176.
The decline followed stricter regulations introduced after the 2024 red yeast rice crisis, including PRISMA 2020 compliance, mandatory GMP, health hazard reporting, and enhanced safety oversight. For the first time, withdrawals (1,923) exceeded new notifications as companies reassessed compliance. Growth was driven by strong demand for functional foods, rising interest in multi-benefit products, and FFCs’ affordability versus FOSHU products.
GABA remained the leading ingredient, while fat reduction, fatigue relief, and gut health were the top claims.
GLP-1s drive demand for hair growth supplements
The surge in popularity of GLP-1 drugs for weight loss has coincided with a sharp rise in demand for hair growth supplements, as concerns over hair loss – potentially linked to rapid weight loss and nutritional deficiencies rather than the drugs themselves – have grown.
“The growth trajectory for hair growth products is distinctly steep,” said Veronika Sianko, head of wellness and stimulation at Ambileap. “This explosive growth took root around Q3 of 2025 (which recorded 802,432 searches) and has continued to surge aggressively since then, climbing to 1.4 million searches in Q4 2025, 1.9 million in Q1 2026, and peaking at 2.5 million in Q2 2026.”
While clinical evidence suggests that GLP-1 users face a slightly elevated risk of temporary, non-scarring hair loss primarily due to metabolic changes, the absolute risk remains low. Mainstream and specialized retailers are responding differently, with some expanding hair growth product offerings and others not yet signposting these concerns for GLP-1 users.
Despite the trend, most GLP-1-focused products rarely make hair health claims, and more research is needed to clarify the underlying mechanisms and at-risk populations.
Verb’s oat-based postbiotic may boost keystone microbiota and improve mood
A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial found that daily supplementation with Verb Biotics’ oat-based postbiotic, Keystone, enriched beneficial gut microbiota, reduced pro-inflammatory biomarkers, and improved emotional wellness in healthy adults over four weeks.
Mechanistic studies showed the postbiotic works by enhancing gut barrier function, modulating immunity, and supporting keystone gut bacteria, without introducing new organisms.
“Together, the mechanism of action paper and clinical paper tell a much more complete story than either paper could on its own,” said Todd Beckman, CEO of Verb Biotics. “The MOA paper shows how Keystone works: supporting gut barrier function, driving a bifidogenic effect, and supporting wound repair at the cellular level. The clinical paper then translates that mechanism into measurable shifts in the human gut microbiome and host biomarkers. It is rare to have the mechanism and clinical outcome published so closely together.”
Beckman added that the core benefit delivered by Keystone is targeted microbiome support, and the ingredient is not designed to introduce new organisms into the gut. Rather, it is designed to help strengthen the keystone species already there.
“In our 4-week trial, 33 beneficial species, including Akkermansia and Bifidobacterium, were significantly enriched, while 38 taxa linked to GI distress were reduced,” he said. “What really jumps out is the speed of the response. To see that level of targeted microbiome shift in just four weeks is pretty remarkable, especially from a 300 mg postbiotic dose. That is a fundamentally different approach than many probiotics on the market today, and one supplement brands can point to as a precise, differentiated way to support gut health.”
