Nutrition research is the driving force behind dietary guidelines and public health policies. Every year, government agencies and worldwide organizations pursue new scientific studies in nutrition science to determine risk assessment and how dietary guidelines affect overall health. The goal of nutrition research is to create a safer, more traceable food system, develop stronger food safety cultures, address new business models, and improve predictive analytics. Take a look at what’s new in the food and drug industry in 2022 and how findings are fueling advocacy in the food industry.
Gut Microbiome and Health
The digestive system contains microorganisms that maintain good gut health. Prebiotics are high-fiber foods that fuel microflora and improve the balance of good bacteria in your gut. Probiotics are naturally found in fermented foods like yogurt and sauerkraut. Prebiotics are found in whole-grain foods, bananas, garlic, onions, and soybeans.
Nutrition research is looking at the health benefits of probiotics and prebiotics and the relationship between gut microflora and disease. Research in 2022 includes a focus on the impact of the digestive system and brain health, predicting individual responses to dietary supplements, preferred approaches for quantifying the impact of modifying nutrient intakes, and understanding the health benefits of short-chain fatty acids in human health.
Food contains vitamins and minerals essential to your overall health. A great way to ensure your body is fueled with the right nutrients is to leverage the nutritional benefits of dietary supplements. NHC offers a wide range of supplements that boost your overall health, including Lypo-Spheric Vitamin C from LivOn Laboratories. This powerful source of vitamin C features rapid absorption into the bloodstream and quickly delivers nutritional benefits throughout the human body.
Taking vitamin C with capsule materials containing liposomes promotes better absorption of vitamin C than high doses of regular oral vitamin C supplements. Each serving of Lypo-Spheric Vitamin C provides 1,000 mg of vitamin C thanks to sodium ascorbate, a form of vitamin C that has lower acidity levels than other types of ascorbic acid and can be easily digested while preventing stomach upset.
The antioxidants found in vitamin C help protect the body from free radicals and oxidative stress while maintaining a healthy immune system and supporting healthy aging. Studies have also shown that vitamin C supplements are linked to lower risk factors for heart disease, faster wound healing time, and higher production of white blood cells.
Smarter Food Safety
The latest tools and technologies are being leveraged to create new approaches for a safer, more digital, traceable food system. Smarter food safety will help curve foodborne illness and reduce the number of illnesses resulting from food. Nutrition research in 2022 aims to enhance traceability, improve analytics, respond faster to outbreaks, address new business models, reduce food contamination, and develop stronger food safety cultures.
Each year, the International Life Sciences Institute releases an Activity Document that outlines new and current research activities. The ILSI research foundation is a worldwide organization that brings together scientists from industry, academia, and the public sector to deliver quality research in food safety, nutrition, consumer behavior, and sustainability. Scientific integrity is the backbone of all scientific sessions, workshops, webinars, and symposia. ILSI Europe has published 428 articles in peer-reviewed journals to date. The research foundation takes a collaborative approach to research that’s mutually beneficial to scientists from industry, academia, and the public sectors.
Portion Size and Health
The World Health Organization (WHO) has stated that obesity has reached global epidemic proportions. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that over 40 percent of the U.S. population has obesity, increasing their risk factors for heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer. Portion sizes have been steadily increasing over the years. The reduction of portion sizes is a public health strategy that aims to reduce obesity; however, it’s unclear how reduced portion sizes affect daily energy intake and body weight. Nutrition research in 2022 is focusing on review and meta-analysis studies that explore the effect of smaller servings versus larger servings on total daily energy intake.
Gut microbiome and health, food safety, and portion size and health are just some research projects being conducted in the food and drug industry in 2022.
