Contract Research Organizations (CROs) have emerged as valuable partners offering a range of services to support research and development efforts of nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals, food and beverage applications, cosmetics, and other industries. CROs are staffed with multidisciplinary teams of scientists, researchers, and registered dietitians who collaborate to offer a diverse portfolio of services tailored to their client’s needs. CRO’s scientific consulting and literature assessment services provide insights, guidance, and support to researchers, businesses, manufacturers, and institutions across various fields.

Scientific consulting services provide expert advice in the fields of research and development. The employees providing these services have extensive experience and expertise in a particular scientific discipline. Their expertise allows them to offer valuable insights and solutions on various research topics. These consulting services offer a wide range of areas including experimental design, data analysis, interpretation or results, and literature reviews.

Literature assessment services are focused on evaluating the existing literature relevant to a particular topic. This involves systematic reviews and analyses of published research articles, reports, and other sources to identify key findings and trends for further investigation. Literature assessments allow researchers and manufacturers to stay informed about the latest developments in their field, identify new opportunities, and identify new product innovation opportunities.

Narrative Reviews

Narrative reviews are a type of literature review that provides an overview and analysis of recent or existing research topics. These reviews do not employ a standardized methodology and offer more flexibility in terms of scope, comprehensiveness, and analysis.

A recent review focused on the connection between fiber types and appetite regulation and energy intake through systematic searches of randomized controlled trials in healthy adults.  The review encompassed 136 studies, comprising both acute and chronic interventions. The review concluded that most fibers did not significantly affect appetite ratings and energy intakes. The review highlighted the complexity of research in fiber and appetite and the need for further investigation of evidence on the potential benefits of extracted and isolated fibers in appetite regulation and body weight management.

Evidence Mapping

Evidence mapping is a systematic approach to organizing, mapping, and characterizing the existing literature on a topic to identify gaps. This type of approach is the initial step in the systematic review or meta-analysis process setting the foundation for advanced exploration of research. The term evidence mapping is also used interchangeably with other review methodologies, such as scoping reviews or systematic mapping, each of which has distinct characteristics.

In a evidence mapping study aimed to assess the relationship between intake of industrial trans fatty acids (iTFA) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels, the researchers identified 32 independent clinical trials that included at least one intervention or control group with iTFA at 3% or less.”. The researchers searched relevant databases and identified 32 independent clinical trials that included at least one intervention or control group with iTFA at 3% or less. The findings showed a wide range of interventions were used limiting the ability to determine an isolated effect of iTFA intake. The study highlighted the need for further research to clarify the associations between iTFA intake and coronary heart disease.

Review of Reviews

A review of reviews, also known as an umbrella review, compiles evidence from multiple systematic reviews to identify gaps in the literature, consistency of evidence, and recommendations for future research. By aggregating and synthesizing data from multiple sources, a review of reviews offers a broader perspective, identifies patterns and inconsistencies in the literature, and informs evidence-based decision making. In addition, this type of review includes quality assessment and risk of bias.

In a recent umbrella review on egg consumption and cardiometabolic health, multiple databases were screened in which seven systematic reviews and fifteen meta-analyses were identified. The meta-analyses included were of moderate to high quality, while the systematic reviews were of overall low quality. The findings of the meta-analyses suggested that there was no association between increased egg intake and the risk of heart disease or stroke in the general population. The review suggests that further research is needed to clarify associations between egg consumption and heart failure, T2DM risk, and CVD risk in diabetics before firm conclusion can be drawn.

Systematic Review

A systematic review is a comprehensive search of existing research evidence on a specific research topic in question using explicit methodology. Unlike other types of reviews, a systematic review follows a defined protocol and provides qualitative analytical findings. Systematic reviews provide a transparent and unbiased summary of the available evidence in research, including quality assessment/risk of bias of included articles.

A recent systematic review aimed to evaluate the scope and breadth of publicly available literature on the relationship between 100% fruit juice consumption and tooth erosion in humans. A systematic search was conducted across three databases, resulting in 17 relevant publications representing 14 studies. Both prospective cohort studies and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included in the search. Evidence from prospective cohort studies found no association between fruit juice intake and tooth erosion, while evidence from RCTs in adults suggests that 100% fruit juice consumption may contribute to tooth erosion and dental caries.  Authors of the review indicate the existing evidence on 100% fruit juice intake and dental caries and tooth erosion are inconclusive due to limitations in sample sizes and short-term study durations.

Meta-Analysis

Meta-analysis is a systematic statistical technique used to synthesize data from multiple studies on a specific topic. By pooling data from various sources, meta-analysis uses statistical methods to calculate an overall effect size of a particular intervention offering insights into patterns and trends across different research settings. Meta-analyses incorporate exhaustive, systematic searching across multiple databases and provide quantitative analysis of measures of effect assuming the absence of heterogeneity.

In a meta-analysis study, the efficacy of cranberry in preventing urinary tract infections (UTI) recurrence among generally healthy women was investigated. The data was analyzed from seven randomized-controlled trials involving 1,498 participants and indicated that cranberry reduced the risk of UTI recurrence by 26%. Additionally, the analysis indicated that some studies showed high risk of bias, particularly in terms of loss to follow-up or selective outcome reporting. While the meta-analysis shows the potential of cranberry as a preventative measure of UTI in women, larger and higher-quality studies are necessary to confirm the results.

Summary

Biofortis provides comprehensive scientific consulting and literature assessment that leverages the expertise of multidisciplinary teams to deliver solutions for researchers, businesses, and manufacturers across a multitude of industries.

For more information on our services, email us at biofortisresearch@mxns.com.

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18-55 Cognitive Health Users

The younger cognitive health users look for benefits that will allow them to perform their best at task. This consumer group includes college students, professionals, and athletes looking to enhance their cognitive abilities to perform better academically, professionally, or athletically. The benefits this group seeks include energy boost for studying for a college exam, enhanced focus at an important meeting, or increased reaction time for competitive sports. This group of users is more conscious about science-backed ingredients and their benefits, as well as natural or plant-based supplements. They look for products that meet their specific cognitive health needs, have positive reviews from similar users, and have research-backed benefits.

55+ Cognitive Health Users

The aging cognitive health consumer is defined as those that are 55+ and are looking for supplements to improve their cognitive function, memory, focus, and overall brain health. This group of consumers includes seniors, active nutrition retirees, and individuals experiencing age-related cognitive decline. This population tends to buy products focusing on age-related benefits or preventative measures to protect their cognitive abilities as they age. They are also attracted to products with benefits that can help slow down cognitive decline. This group looks for products specifically formulated for their age that are scientifically-backed and include products with crossover benefits that meet their nutritional needs.

Crossover Categories

More recently, as the cognitive health category continues to explode, crossover benefits which include mood, stress, and sleep, are being incorporated into brain health products. Supplement manufacturers are incorporating mood-enhancing and stress-reducing ingredients into cognitive health formulations to represent a more dual mechanistic approach to this category. Another category that includes cognitive health ingredients in their formulation is sports nutrition. As the sports nutrition category continues to innovate its pre-and post-workout products, cognitive ingredients for enhanced focus, energy, and reaction time are included in formulations. These consumers look for these cognitive health benefits for more productive workouts and to get a competitive edge on the field.

Biofortis Clinical Studies

Biofortis offers recruitment and screening of participants with various demographics, including pediatric to elderly and healthy to multiple levels of cognitive impairment. Biofortis’ expertise with testing domain pre-and post-dose product consumption includes a wide range of cognitive health areas. These testing domains have short-term recognition memory, attention, thinking speed, mood, reasoning, reaction time, concentration, and planning.

Biofortis is dedicated to protecting consumers’ health and wellness by delivering a wide range of clinical services for the food, supplement, and nutrition industries.  With over 400 completed studies and 15 years of experience, Biofortis has a leading clinical research team focusing on developing innovative new ingredients, foods, dietary supplements, and nutrition programs.

At the forefront of its offerings, Biofortis’ clinical research provides its clients with dependable science with exceptional on-time budget track records.  The company’s team of experienced scientific and dedicated project managers guide clients through the entire research process.  The robust subject database has more than 20,000 research-integrated subjects for rapid recruitment and an advanced research facility where execution of clinical trials is the company’s top priority.

^[1] Grandview Research Brain Health Supplements Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Product (Natural Molecules, Vitamins & Minerals), By Application (Memory Enhancement, Attention & Focus), By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2023 – 2030

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• Advances in Sequencing Technology
• Whole Genome Sequencing
• How We Use Sequencing

Sequencing is a hot topic in the food industry, and many questions surround it. Is next-generation sequencing (NGS) the same as whole genome sequencing (WGS)? Why sequence a sample? What information can it provide compared to other analytical methods? This is the first of a blog trilogy that will cover the most recent sequencing technologies and applications in the food industry.

Sequencing Technologies

Frederick Sanger published the first commercialized DNA sequencing method in 1975. It became the most widely used tool to determine the sequence of nucleotides (genetic information) for decades and is still routinely used today. Sanger sequencing is a common application for bacterial and fungal identification in the food industry.

Since the late 1990s, newer technologies have been developed, enabling sequencing in a massively parallel fashion and generating large amounts of sequencing data; you may hear these referred to as high-throughput sequencing (HTS) or next-generation sequencing (NGS). One HTS approach, referred to as short-read sequencing, can simultaneously sequence thousands of small DNA pieces to get millions of data concurrently in an automated process. Sequencers made by Illumina (HiSeq, Miseq, and iSeq) and  Life Technologies (SOLiD4 and Ion Proton) are typical short-read sequencing platforms.

Long-read sequencing is differentiated from short-read sequencing by its ability to sequence longer lengths of DNA (> 100,000 base pairs is possible) at a single-molecule level with or without amplification and synthesis. Platforms using this type of HTS technology, Oxford Nanopore and PacBio, are receiving increasing attention. With appropriate analysis tools, these cutting-edge HTS technologies enable deeper insight into the relatedness and functions of microbes.

Whole Genome Sequencing

The first HTS application you may know is whole genome sequencing (WGS). WGS determines the order of all the nucleotides in an organism’s DNA. WGS can be done by Sanger sequencing, but HTS technology can drastically reduce the time and lower the price. The Human Genome Project spent over ten years and around  $300 million to sequence the entire human genome by Sanger sequencing. With today’s NGS technology, sequencing a human genome would require only a couple of days and could cost less than $1,000.

Because WGS captures all DNA information contained in a microorganism, any genetic variations of the organisms can be determined by comparing them to a reference genome or an established scheme. Federal agencies like the FDA and CDC utilize WGS to investigate foodborne illness outbreaks. Combined with metadata, the WGS results of clinical, environmental, and product isolates may help to identify the outbreak earlier, to infer the possible source of contamination faster, and to resolve the outbreak with better tracking ability. Today, WGS is recognized as the gold standard for bacteria fingerprinting. Because of that, some food companies have started applying WGS for internal contamination investigations.

WGS can be used for other applications beyond strain-to-strain comparison. For example, a dairy company may want to perform WGS of its proprietary starter cultures and understand which genes specifically contribute to fermentation quality or product flavor. WGS can also be used in a food company’s environmental monitoring program as another “tool” in their “toolbox” and complement other typing technologies to understand persistent strains in their facility better.

There are other NGS applications for food safety and quality. If you are interested to know more about them, such as using metabarcoding to solve spoilage issues, contact us – and subscribe to our blog.

Mérieux NutriSciences has NGS laboratories in North America, Europe, and Asia to provide WGS services worldwide. If you require WGS testing or NGS consulting, contact us for more information on how we can help.

Contact us

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Best before and use by date labels are essential to consumers’ health, as they provide vital information on how long food can be kept before it deteriorates or becomes unsafe. A shelf life test helps ensure quality throughout the lifecycle of your product. Our customized shelf-life studies enable you to determine your products’ best-before date and use-by date. This service is needed for new product formulations, to verify a new production or storage method, a new packaging, or a change in distribution conditions.

Our Shelf Life Testing Services

During the shelf life study design phase, our team will assist in evaluating why the food product is most likely to fail during storage. In most cases, it is due to the growth of spoilage organisms.

Sensory changes such as odor, texture, and color are also important aspects to be considered. Our shelf-life studies are customized according to your product formulation. Our experts use microbiological parameters such as spoilage and indicator microorganism levels.

Mérieux NutriSciences’ Food Science Center offers a complete shelf life testing portfolio that helps manufacturers validate and display correctly best before and use-by date in North America. Our procedures include microbiological testing of food and packaging materials.

When is food shelf life testing needed?

Food shelf life testing is needed in a wide range of situations, including:

• New product launch
• Change of packaging
• Change in product formulation
• Change of supplier
• QA/QC program

Mérieux NutriSciences’ reliable food testing laboratory network provides manufacturers with advanced scientific capabilities. Contact our experts to discuss the shelf-life of your food product and how we can help you.

Learn More

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Sugar reduction in foods has been a major public health priority for governments and consumers alike. Consumption of foods high in sugar has been linked to numerous diseases and other physical health complications. Reducing sugar through the reformulation of products may be the answer.

Many believe that food manufacturers are dragging their feet on reformulating their products to reduce the amount of sugar, but some are leading the way. Let’s take a look at some of the ways manufacturers are achieving reducing sugar through reformulations.

Highlights:

• Sugar is one of the biggest concerns for consumers in terms of food and beverage choices.
• Sugar reformulation in confectionaries and alcoholic beverages is particularly popular.
• Consumers prefer natural sweeteners to artificial sweeteners in their sugar reformulations.
• New novel sugars are slowly making their way to the market and may provide manufacturers with additional options.

Why is sugar reformulation so important?

According to the IFIC’s 17th annual 2022 Food and Health Survey, which explored Americans’ perspectives and behavior related to food, “low in sugar” was the second most popular answer when participants were asked what the main attributes of healthy food were (32%). The most popular answer was “fresh” (37%).  This illustrates the gravity of consumers’ perceptions of sugar and health. Additionally, this survey found that nearly three out of four, or 73% of respondents answered that they are trying to limit or avoid sugars.

In Europe, a recent study from the EFSA found that 2 out of 3 respondents had, at some point in their life, tried to reduce their sugar intake.

This data highlights the importance of reducing sugar for consumers and also what food and beverage producers see as a potentially profitable and burgeoning market.

What types of products are being reformulated?

Soft drinks have long been used as the poster child for the obesity crisis and beverage manufacturers have already taken numerous steps to reduce the sugar content in many of these drinks.

According to UNESDA Soft Drinks Europe, the European soft drink industry reduced average added sugars by 3.6% between 2019 and 2021.   While sugar reformulation in the soft drinks sector has been making major strides, industry experts believe that alcoholic beverages, such as beer and cider, will be the next major group to look to reformulate.

Another major area of sugar reduction through reformulation has been in confectionary and sweets. There have been significant product launches this year in these categories with low sugar/reduced sugar or even zero sugar claims.

How can sugar reformulation be achieved?

If consumers want less sugar and producers are to meet these expectations, what options do they have to replace sugar in their formulations?

One thing has become clear in all areas of reformulation, while consumers demand certain ingredients be cut, they still expect the products to taste good. Therefore, one of the ways producers are keeping flavor while reducing sugars is to add additional ingredients that have high flavor profiles such as fruits, seeds, cocoa, and nuts. These added ingredients not only allow the product to remain tasty with a reduction of sugar, but also allow companies to market them as having added protein, vitamins, or fibers.

Many brands are choosing sugar-free options, which often means relying on high-intensity sweeteners like Stevia. In these cases, the product can become overly sweet, therefore, formulators often add cocoa powder for instance to soften the taste through added bitterness.

Natural vs Artificial Sugars

Clean labels and simple ingredient lists are becoming more and more favored by consumers across the globe. The choice of sweetener will become even more important to consumers as their interest in reduced-sugar options expands beyond sugar content alone. Consumers are starting to look more closely at product labels for the types of sweeteners used in their food and beverage purchases as clean label demands have become commonplace. People want to buy items that are beneficial for them and the environment, and they are increasingly making purchases based on their principles. Because of this, they are drawn to product labels that are brief and emphasize natural components.

This has led consumers to favor natural over artificial sweeteners when it comes to sugar reformulations. Consumers expect reformulations to be plant-based, sustainable, and natural. Therefore, sweeteners like honey and stevia, which are plant-based are increasingly favored. It also allows food and beverage manufacturers to make the claim of “naturally sweetened,” which is much more in line with consumers’ values.

Another major trend in sugar reformulations is the use of natural syrups or extracts. These natural sweetening syrups such as rice, oat, and other cereals are easy for consumers to identify with and understand making them ideal choices for natural sweetening. Additionally, food and beverage manufacturers can make natural claims with these syrups, and they are often easy to incorporate in reformulations.

New sugar alternatives

Three of the most interesting advances in the near future for sugar reformulation are Reb M stevia production, bioconversion, and precision fermentation. These advancements once improved have the potential to not only reduce sugar or eliminate it completely but also make low-sugar products more affordable and sustainable in the long term.

Another new area that might play a critical role in sugar reformulation is the development of flavor and taste modification techniques. These substances, which are often marketed as natural flavors, can help reduce sugar in products like baked goods where sweeteners like stevia are not allowed.

Other novel food sugars like allulose are still under regulatory review but could have future potential for reformulations.

The future for sugar reformulation is bright

Overall, it is clear that consumer demand is driving sugar reformulation efforts. Furthermore, food and beverage producers seem keener than ever to meet these expectations, and how they can achieve these goals has never been more plentiful!

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• 1. Biofortis Research, Addison, IL 60101, USA
• 2. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111, USA
• 3. Consultant, Ridgefield, WA 98642, USA
• * Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Academic Editor: Bahram H. Arjmandi

Abstract

Dietary supplements for weight management include myriad ingredients with thermogenic, lipotropic, satiety, and other metabolic effects. Recently, the safety of this product category has been questioned. In this review, we summarize the safety evidence as well as relevant clinical findings on weight management and metabolic effects of six representative dietary supplement ingredients: caffeine, green tea extract (GTE), green coffee bean extract (GCBE), choline, glucomannan, and capsaicinoids and capsinoids. Of these, caffeine, GTE (specifically epigallocatechin gallate [EGCG]), and choline have recommended intake limits, which appear not to be exceeded when used according to manufacturers’ instructions. Serious adverse events from supplements with these ingredients are rare and typically involve unusually high intakes. As with any dietary component, the potential for gastrointestinal intolerance, as well as possible interactions with concomitant medications/supplements exist, and the health status of the consumer should be considered when consuming these components. Most of the ingredients reviewed also improved markers of metabolic health, such as glucose, lipids, and blood pressure, although the data are limited for some. In summary, weight management supplements containing caffeine, GTE, GCBE, choline, glucomannan, and capsaicinoids and capsinoids are generally safe when taken as directed and demonstrate metabolic health benefits for overweight and obese people.

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Our entire Biofortis team welcomes back Chad Cook, PhD, as our new Research Director! Dr. Cook was with us from 2012 to 2017, working his way from Senior Scientist position to lead Principal Scientist role. He ended his first stint as the Merieux NutriSciences Scientist of the Year. In 2018, he left for an opportunity to get a taste of the world by owning and successfully operating a business called DexaFit: however, Chad never lost his passion for research and missed being a scientist. We highly value his expertise in nutrition research and enjoy his contagious enthusiasm for “the science”. Welcome back, Chad!

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The immune system is influenced by many modifiable and unmodifiable factors, such as genes, age, sex, stress, hormone, exercise, drinking, smoking, health condition, and nutrition status. The significance of nutrition in the robust, optimal immune system is manifested especially during malnutrition, including undernutrition and overnutrition because an optimal supply of nutrients is required for the biosynthesis of immune factors and immune cell proliferation.

Nutrient inadequacies/deficiencies can increase the risk of infectious diseases and aggravate consequent symptom severity and complications if infected. Therefore, an adequate and balanced diet containing an abundant diversity of foods, nutrients, and non-nutrient chemicals is paramount for an optimal immune defense against infectious diseases, including cold/flu and non-communicable diseases. Micronutrients, including vitamins A, C, D, B6, B9, and B12, copper, iron, selenium, and zinc, as well as dietary fibers and non-nutrient phytochemicals, such as polyphenolics, collectively function to support the development and maintenance of the immune system and are being considered an immunostimulant. Additionally, the abundance of protein in the diet is essential for immunity as it is required for the proliferation of immune cells.

Optimizing Oat Nutrients

Recently, we published a review discussing the contribution of oat nutrients including dietary fiber (β-glucans), copper, iron, selenium, and zinc, polyphenolics (ferulic acid and avenanthramides), and proteins (glutamine) to optimizing the immune system’s response to infections. Oats are a renowned source of dietary fibers and β-glucans. While these molecules may directly modulate the immune system, they can also improve/maintain immunity through indirect mechanisms, such as modifying the gut microbiota composition and functions and increasing the production of SCFAs. Polyphenolics, including ferulic acid and avenanthramides in oats, can help optimize the immune system by regulating inflammatory response, boosting the antioxidant defense system, and modulating the gut microbiota.

Glutamine, an amino acid known for reducing infectious complications, also supports the consumption of oats for maintaining the pool of glutamine for immunity support. The information discussed in the review is significant particularly during the global SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic as people are more likely to consume energy dense food high in fats, refined carbohydrates, and sodium, which collectively impair the immune system and host defense against infection.

Further Reading

https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/4/1048

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Where did I leave my keys?

I’m sorry, what’s your name again?

I can’t remember if I should turn left or right.

What did I come in here for?

Sound familiar? We’ve all misplaced keys, forgot someone’s name, have difficulties recalling directions, or entered the kitchen and blanked on why you went there in the first place. Memory lapses are frustrating, but they happen and are not usually concerning. As we age, memory lapses happen more often and it is part of healthy aging. However, when memory loss becomes persistent and affects your ability to function, it becomes worrisome. According to a recent market analysis, the global brain health supplements market size is expected to reach USD 13.38 billion by 2028. Of the different types of brain-boosting supplements, those for memory enhancement dominated the market in 2020, with more than 25.0% revenue share, likely driven by the growing aging population.

Recently, we conducted and published an investigation into the effects of citicoline (Cognizin®), a naturally occurring mononucleotide, on memory in 100 healthy elderly adults with age-associated memory impairment. After daily consumption of 500 mg of a commercially available citicoline supplement for 12 weeks, we observed that citicoline supplementation improved composite memory, specifically episodic memory, when compared to the group taking placebo. Episodic memory describes the ability to remember and recall specific events, paired with the content in which they occurred, such as identifying when and where an object was encountered. A decline in episodic memory often manifests as the inability to recall past events or retrieve lessons from past experiences which can lead to repeat error and has been shown to decline with aging. Our results are consistent with other clinical trials that have shown improvements in memory following citicoline supplementation in older men and women, without eliciting any serious adverse events. Our findings suggest that regular consumption of Cognizin® may be safe and potentially beneficial against memory loss due to aging.

Check out our paper to learn more about the study here.

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