Mind & mood

Quince extract may support brain health through the gut–brain axis

Hydroethanolic extract of quince (HECO) may improve depression-like symptoms by reducing neuroinflammation and regulating the gut–brain axis, according to a new animal study.

UK’s Novel Foods Experts Network expands across Europe

The UK’s Novel Foods Experts Network (NFX UK) has secured $650,000 to strengthen its innovation ecosystem and expand its support across Europe.

Nourished’s Creatine+ range targets muscle and mind

Personalized supplement brand Nourished has entered the creatine category with a range of three stacked gummies for strength, energy and cognitive function.

Nexira goes straight to the source with acquisition of carob specialist Keragum

French botanical ingredient supplier Nexira has acquired Moroccan carob specialist Keragum in a move to strengthen supply chain control and improve traceability amid increasing demand for natural, clean-label ingredients.

AI entrepreneurs turn industry waste into tomorrow’s breakthrough ingredients

An Israeli health-tech startup is uniting the industry to uncover functional ingredients from waste streams, with two bioactives revealed as potential disruptors in the booming GLP-1 arena.

Growing nutrition trends prompt I.T.S to launch health and wellness division

Independent flavor house I.T.S has launched a dedicated Health and Wellness division in response to growing demand for nutrition-focused products.

Sensory receptor study: Green tea elevates glucose tolerance and GLP-1 through taste receptors

A new study showed that green tea’s primary flavanol, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), acts as a ‘metabolic trigger’ via sensory receptors—indicating that systemic absorption isn’t required to unlock its health benefits.

Natural Foundation Supplements tackles trust gap through batch-by-batch verification

With concerns around supplement quality and label accuracy continuing to challenge the sector, UK-based NF Supplements is betting on batch-by-batch third-party testing and radical transparency as a way to stand out in an increasingly crowded market.

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Timeline: Will authorities de-throne the King of Herbs?

On July 14, ashwagandha experts will meet with policymakers at the European Parliament to discuss the need for a science-led, proportionate and evidence-based approach to the botanical’s regulation.

Sustained-release melatonin may boost sleep outcomes and wellbeing for poor sleepers: RCT

A low dose of a sustained release melatonin may improve measures of sleep, including the total sleep time, falling asleep faster, and fewer night-time awakenings, says a new study.

Countdown to send microbiome to Mars: Biotics may hold key to long-term spaceflight

Research into the role of the microbiome during spaceflight could uncover essential innovations to support astronauts in their mission to Mars, as well as multiple under-served populations on earth.

Growing demand for evidence-backed fiber drives Myota’s $4.5m funding round

Patented prebiotic fiber blend Myota has raised $4.5 million in a Series A round led by venture capital firm PeakBridge to expand its clinically validated prebiotic fibre business. 

Cost analysis suggests probiotic use could have €10 billion impact

A 1% increase in probiotic use could have a €10 billion economic impact across Europe, according to a newly released socio-economic assessment (SEA) commissioned by IPA Europe.

June Launchpad: Innovations in hormone support, the mind, gut health and beauty

June’s NPD activity in Europe points to sustained demand for biotics, adaptogens, fiber and collagen, with brands targeting sleep and hormonal support, gut health and beauty benefits.

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Supplements 101: What are nootropics?

Interest in nootropics is growing alongside demand for cognitive health solutions, though questions remain about how nootropics are defined and which health claims are supported by evidence.

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Nootropic supplement launches go lifestyle-first as brain health broadens

Focus, memory, mental clarity and cognitive performance are now central claims across the supplement aisle, but product launches once focused on brain power continue to blur category lines towards more lifestyle-oriented and more multi-benefit...

Exploring saffron’s potential for mood and sleep disorders: Study

Supplementing saffron extract for 12 weeks was associated with improvements in depressive symptoms, self-esteem, and sleep-related impairment, according to a study.

Lyma launches ‘four-dimensional’ greens powder to ‘restore biological foundations’

Premium wellness and biohacking brand Lyma enters the green drinks category with ID², its first ingestible launch in five years.

International Probiotics Conference set to deliver unmissable insights from birth to spaceflight

A key forum for microbiome-focused scientists, researchers, and industry, arrives in Kraków, Poland, next week (June 22–24), to spotlight cutting‑edge discoveries, from next‑generation strains and longevity research to smart tech and spaceflight.

Blackcurrant may boost strength and focus, but not sprint power

A short course of New Zealand blackcurrant (NZBC) supplements showed small improvements in certain strength measures and modest gains in some cognitive performance tests in resistance-trained adults, according to a study published in Nutrients.

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New regulations on MOAH and MOSH: What it means for food supplements

The European Union has adopted potentially ‘challenging’ maximum limits for Mineral Oil Aromatic Hydrocarbons (MOAH) in food and supplements, along with monitoring recommendations for Mineral Oil Saturated Hydrocarbons (MOSH).

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Regulators clamp down on vitamin B6 as toxicity debate grows

Vitamin B6 is essential to human health, but excessive doses may cause serious side effects. As a growing number of countries tighten oversight of vitamin B6 supplements, debate is intensifying over whether the restrictions are proportionate to the risk.

PCOS becomes PMOS: A ‘genuine opportunity’ for industry

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) has officially been renamed Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS) in a ‘long overdue’ move described as a genuine opportunity for the health and nutrition industry.

Holland & Barrett flags brain health nutrient gaps

Most people are falling short on key nutrients needed for brain health across the life course, according to internal data presented by Holland & Barrett.

Experts call for shift in sleep supplements and cognitive health research

Industry experts at Vitafoods called for a fundamental rethink of how sleep is understood and treated, urging the nutrition sector to move beyond simplistic sleep tracking and symptom-based approaches toward a more integrated, systems-based model of...

May NPD Launchpad: Innovations highlight creatine+, fiber and botanical blends

New product launches across Europe in May 2026 reveal trends for innovating with creatine format and formulation, fiber for sugar and bloat reduction, and a focus on all-natural botanical blends.

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Mycogenius talks tackling the mushroom supplement transparency challenge

The functional mushroom supplement industry has a transparency problem, according to Mycogenius startup founder Seth Colchester, who says that misleading “third-party tested” claims and meaningless quality markers have become common place in the category.

Qina launches Food Health Ecosystem to improve access to real-world data

Strategic innovation consultancy Qina has launched a Food Health Ecosystem to improve data insights for those operating in personalized nutrition, with the aim to improve access to real-world, long-term data and drive evidence-based innovation.

Europe’s functional mushroom trend expands beyond Chaga and Cordyceps

Functional mushrooms stepped beyond the supplement aisle and onto the wider functional food and beverage stage at the recent Vitafoods tradeshow in Barcelona. 

Guest column

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Creatine for women: What the data says about the industry’s most misread buyer

One of the most established ingredients in the industry is quietly becoming one of the largest untapped opportunities in women’s wellness.

Magtein wins NI Award for brain health research innovation

Threotech’s Magtein Brain Magnesium Research Program won NutraIngredients’ Nutrition Research Project Award for combining mechanistic neuroscience with human trials.

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European expansion through replication: The costly regulatory pitfall

The European Union is perceived as a single market, but in the food supplements sector, this assumption is one of the most common sources of regulatory risk across Europe.

Jenerise launches precision-grade creatine monohydrate

Creatine innovation and education company Jenerise has launched a ‘precision-grade’ creatine monohydrate that seeks to raise creatine quality-standards across the dietary supplement market.

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Inside the success of Nourished’s 3D-printed personalized gummy supplements

Since coming to market seven years ago, Nourished has sold more than 60 million custom vitamin stacks worldwide and launched into more than 35,000 retail settings, including health stores, supermarkets and pharmacies.

Probiotic strain linked to improved sleep quality

A new study suggested probiotic strain Bacillus coagulans IDCC 1201 improved sleep fragmentation and maintenance in sleep-disturbed participants who took it for four weeks.

Nexira launches PMS ingredient for menstrual pain and mood

French ingredient supplier Nexira has launched a “holistic and clinically substantiated” ingredient for premenstrual syndrome (PMS).

Meta-analysis supports cognitive performance benefits of endogenous ketones

Endogenous ketone supplementation may produce “modest” improvements in cognitive performance according to a new meta-analysis that pooled data from over 1,100 people.

PharmaLinea rides surge in functional hydration demand

The future of hydration is becoming increasingly personalized and multifunctional as it moves beyond sports into everyday wellness, Pharmalinea revealed during Vitafoods Europe.

Formats to chew over: From fizzy bits to chocolate sticks, snowmelts to smoothies

Format fatigue was on the tip of everyone’s tongue at Vitafoods Europe last week (May. 5-7), and exhibitors did not fail to deliver genuinely innovative solutions to keep consumers’ tastebuds tingling, sometimes literally.

Seppic targets gut–brain axis with strawberry leaf ingredient

Seppic has launched strawberry leaf extract Sepibright to support cognitive health during aging, following five years of research and development. 

NutraIngredients Europe Awards 2026 winners announced!

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

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. 

April NPD Launchpad: Health shots and flavor fatigue solutions

April’s NPD launches reveal sports nutrition brands working to overcome flavor and format fatigue, a range of RTD health shots, and category leaders shifting away from their hero ingredients.

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.

ADM research highlights microbial benefits for psychological symptoms

A new ADM study indicated that individuals with sub-clinical anxiety showed improvements in microbial balance, vitality, and stress scores after taking probiotics and postbiotics.

Givaudan research: Zensera lemon balm supports the mind during stress

New research indicates the Givaudan’s Zensera lemon balm extract provides acute mind and mood support in situations of heightened cognitive stress.

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From loading to long-term: What the science says about creatine safety

Despite creatine being one of the most researched supplements in the world, concerns about its safety persist, particularly when it comes to high-dose, long-term supplementation.

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.