Regulation & policy

NI+Supplements 101: What are peptides?

The surge in GLP-1 drug use has brought peptides from a niche research area into the mainstream, sparking growing interest across nutrition and health, but confusion remains about what they are and how they are regulated.

B12 campaign calls on industry to tackle UK awareness gap

The UK’s B-12 Alliance will take to parliament on September 10 as part of its campaign to raise awareness of widespread vitamin B12 deficiency and improve diagnosis and treatment in the UK.

EU Novel Food Catalog update on Echinacea exposes lack of clarity

The EU has confirmed that traditional Echinacea roots, herbs and teas are non-novel, but uncertainty remains around flowers, whole-plant preparations and the species Echinacea pallida.

ASA ruling on blurred reviews reveals strict criteria on claims

A new ruling from the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) over The Turmeric Co.’s use of blurred customer testimonials reinforces the agency’s strict stance on disease claims, reminding the industry that even implied treatment claims are off-limits.

NI+EU packaging and recycling rules now in force: Timeline for obligations

The EU regulation on packaging and packaging waste (PPWR) came into force on Aug. 12, introducing immediate and upcoming obligations that redefine how packaging must be designed, used, recycled and reduced across all EU countries.

NI+Can ‘Made in EU’ labels give European supplement brands an edge in China?

The ‘Made in EU’ label is gaining value in China’s nutraceutical market, but success will depend on combining European provenance with scientific credibility and an understanding of local consumers, say industry experts. 

NI+Amazon Spain blocks listings and suspends accounts in packaging compliance crackdown

Amazon Spain has triggered immediate blocks on listings and suspended accounts as it cracks down on producer responsibility compliance.

Sports nutrition experts discuss ‘more is better’ mindset following life-threatening overdose report

The sports nutrition industry has a responsibility to tackle the ‘more is better’ mindset through appropriate limits and warnings, experts warn, following a life-threatening case of supplement stacking and over-consumption.

NI+Safety in question: What is the future of berberine?

Earlier this year, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) concluded that no safe intake level of berberine could be established, triggering a consultation to determine its regulatory status. Now, there is concern that this could lead to tighter...

Scientists and nutrition experts call for increased vitamin D threshold to “wake up officials”

The threshold for vitamin D deficiency in the UK should be doubled in order to rouse officials to take a preventative approach to health, according to a newly published paper by the health and nutrition expert working group ‘Act Now Vitamin D’.

ASA cracks down on Exhale Coffee’s longevity claims

The UK advertising agency, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), has ruled against Exhale Coffee after finding that the brand made unauthorized longevity and anti-aging claims.

Nutra Healthspan Summit: First speakers announced!

The Nutra Healthspan Summit will land in London once again this November, bringing together leading academics, innovators, analysts and practitioners in the longevity space.

Guest article

NI+Europe to ban Bifidobacterium? Probably not

On July 3, the European Food Safety Authority released an external scientific report flagging six food ingredients as possible emerging risks. To the surprise (and panic) of many, one of these ingredients was the (entire) bacterial genus Bifidobacterium.

The Akkermansia Company secures new US patent for metabolic disorders

The United States Patent and Trademark Office has issued The Akkermansia Company (TAC) with a new patent, granting the company the exclusive right to market Akkermansia for metabolic disorders.

NI+Federal court bans 19 fake online urolithin A sellers, awards Timeline $5.3M

The U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts has granted default judgments against 19 online sellers found to have marketed and sold nutritional supplements falsely advertised as containing urolithin A.

Eggnovo’s eggshell membrane ingredient receives Novel Food approval

The European Commission has approved Eggnovo’s enzymatically produced eggshell membrane (ESM) hydrolysate as a novel food for use in food supplements across the EU.

Across the Nutraverse: Ashwagandha in the EU, UK Novel Foods, NI USA Awards

Catch up with our weekly round-up of key news from across the Nutraverse.

NI+Mid-year 2026: Regulatory updates from Europe’s supplement industry

A series of major regulatory developments has reshaped Europe’s supplement sector in 2026, from landmark safety consultations and new packaging legislation to key decisions affecting health claims and novel foods.

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.

NI+Ashwagandha armed with critical safety data as industry anticipates Europe-wide assessment

The ashwagandha sector has built a substantial body of clinical evidence that could prove pivotal if European regulators launch a safety review of the herb, experts agreed in a meeting held at the European Parliament this week.

NI+Five-year waits and rising costs: Is Europe’s Novel Food system holding innovation back?

Lengthy timelines, rising evidence requirements and regulatory uncertainty could be undermining Europe’s competitiveness in food innovation.

NI+Supplement industry pushes for flexibility ahead of new EU regulations

The European supplement industry is entering a period of regulatory change, with new requirements set to influence the sector’s future direction.

NI+Dietary fiber designed to slow weight gain receives novel food approval

A new dietary fiber has received novel food approval after six years of regulatory uncertainty, marking the start of its journey to commercialization.

NI+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.

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.

NI+Supplement sector calls for delay to new EU packaging laws

The European Federation of Associations of Health Products Manufacturers (EHPM) is calling for a temporary derogation of new packaging laws for food supplements amid concerns around implementation timelines.

Regulation replaces discovery as biggest challenge for microbial innovation, say experts

The future of microbial innovation will be defined less by the discovery of effective organisms and more by the ability to navigate increasingly complex regulatory frameworks.

Time for self-regulation: EHPM launches influencer marketing guidelines

The European Federation of Associations of Health Product Manufacturers (EHPM) has unveiled new guidance for influencers and food business operators working in the supplement sector.

EU greenlights The Protein Brewery’s Fermotein in first mycelium approval

Following a unanimous EU vote, the Dutch company is leveraging its five-year data exclusivity and low-cost fermentation to scale production of its mycoprotein globally.

Industry calls for digital-age update as Ireland health claims consultation nears deadline

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) is inviting feedback from Food Business Operators (FBOs) on draft guidance about the use of general, non-specific health claims on food products ahead of tomorrow’s deadline (June. 19).

Benicaros gains EFSA Novel Food approval and ‘competitive advantage’

The European Commission has authorized Ingredion’s recently acquired patented prebiotic carrot-fiber, Benicaros SF Pure (300 mg), as a Novel Food, allowing manufacturers to use it in food supplements across the EU.

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.

NI+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).

Across the Nutraverse: H&B in APAC, Garcinia in France, FTC vs Amare

Catch up with our weekly round-up of key news from across the Nutraverse.

NI+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.

Spinach extract one step closer to satiety health claim

Science-backed spinach extract Appethyl has taken a significant step towards health claim approval and is now available for acquisition by firms eager to compete in the GLP-1 market.

‘Unmatched’: Nutra Healthspan Summit returns for November 2026

Described by one attendee as “an event with wall-to-wall speakers who delivered insightful, topical, useable information”, the Nutra Healthspan Summit is returning to London for its 2nd edition with more high-level content and networking opportunities.

NI+Timeline: How a fermented food created a global drug regulation crisis

Monacolin K from red yeast rice has exposed how a single naturally-occurring compound can blur the line between food, supplements and prescription drugs across global regulation.

NI+France renews Garcinia cambogia ban, EU extends safety consultation

France has renewed the prohibition of food supplements containing Garcinia cambogia for an additional year as the European Council extends its consultation over the ingredient’s safety.

NI+EU edges closer to setting harmonized vitamin and mineral limits

The European Commission has confirmed that it will open a call for evidence and a public consultation on setting Maximum Permitted Levels (MPLs) for vitamins and minerals in supplements and fortified foods this year.

NI+France bans CBD edibles, European agency agrees on ‘reproductive toxicant’ classification

France has banned CBD edibles and convinced the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) that CBD should be treated as a reproductive toxicant, adding pressure on an “already fragile and highly uncertain” market.

NI+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.

News in brief

Indian high court grants interim stay on ashwagandha leaf ban

The Karnataka High Court in Bangalore has temporarily stayed the Indian government’s restriction on the use of ashwagandha leaves issued last month after industry stakeholders challenged the rationale behind the blanket ban.

EC clarifies Novel Food status of concentrated olive extracts

The European Commission has updated its Novel Food Catalogue to clarify the regulatory status of olive-derived ingredients. 

EFSA issues positive safety opinion on EffePharm’s NMN

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has issued a positive safety opinion on EffePharm’s  β-NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide), moving the novel food within reach of EU approval.

Across the Nutraverse: India’s ashwagandha leaf ban, prebiotics in Canada, sports nutrition opportunity

Catch up with our weekly round-up of key news from across the Nutraverse.

NI+India bans ashwagandha leaf use in any form, industry reacts

On April 16, the Indian government issued an advisory restricting the use of ashwagandha leaves in crude or extract or any other form in food products, catching many industry stakeholders by surprise.

Across the Nutraverse: Clinical trials for active women, Andrographis in Australia, MPL in the House

Catch up with our weekly round-up of key news from across the Nutraverse.

NI+Timeline: Is CBD heading towards a frozen market in the UK?

Recently published minutes from a closed Food Standards Agency board meeting indicate that CBD approvals will be delayed further and are unlikely to occur before the end of summer 2026, raising questions as to whether this could effectively freeze the...