Stratum Resource post, Top Trends Match Our Portfolio

There are many trends in our industry, but three stand out to us: consumer interest in non-capsule delivery formats, female-focused formulations, and the demand for plant-based options.  At Stratum Nutrition®, we have three ingredients in our portfolio that match up particularly well with these trends.

LBiome™ (Lactobacillus LB) is ideal for the brand seeking effective digestive support without being beholden to a capsule delivery format. LBiome are inactivated by heat, and the product can withstand many harsh manufacturing processes live organisms are unable to undergo while maintaining viability. LBiome has already been formulated into emulsions, liquid food supplements (pouches), chews, and dispersible powders. With postbiotics, such as LBiome, there are infinite possibilities for incorporating strong digestive health support into delivery formats consumers will enjoy more than capsules.

LBiome is referred to as “the pioneer in postbiotics” because it is a postbiotic that has been used for decades. Since the discovery of LBiome in the early 1900s, and its subsequent use as a digestive support aid, there have been over 40 studies published on the various actions of LBiome, including 12 published human clinical trials demonstrating digestive support in pediatric and adult subjects. LBiome is the most clinically researched digestive health postbiotic (for adult and for pediatric use).

LBiome is a postbiotic that is standardized to cell count. These inanimate cells are quite “active” in the body in that they have extremely good adhesion to the gut lining (compared to other popular live Lactobacillus strains). There is no waiting for colonization. The adhering cells of LBiome work twofold: On one front, LBiome keeps undesirable organisms at bay, while at the point of contact, LBiome helps support the health of the intestinal brush border and tight junctions. In gut model research, LBiome has been shown to have a bifidogenic effect, adding to the better gut health experience many subjects have reported.

For the brand that is creating or building their female-focused line, NEM® is the only eggshell membrane ingredient with women-specific exercise recovery claims approved by Health Canada. Sixteen (16)published research studies, including two health population clinical trials, have led to NEM earning Health Canada-approved claims such as “NEM helps minimize discomfort due to moderate intensity aerobic exercise in post-menopausal women” (the average age of female subjects was 56 in the first healthy population clinical). Like LBiome, NEM is an ingredient the end consumer will experience. A more recent Health Canada-approved claim NEM earned is “helps provide relief from joint pain due to moderate intensity aerobic exercise (as quickly as the first day).” At 500 mg once daily, dose size is not an issue for formulators. Brands also find appeal in NEM being an ingredient made from upcycled USDA-approved eggshells, which kept 5.7 MILLION pounds of waste out of landfills in just the last 12 months.

Brands that want to increase their sustainability message may also be seeking plant-based alternatives that they can offer consumers. In the same way you see Beyond Meat® burgers next to ground beef at your local grocer, consumers are seeing more plant-based or “catch-free” omega oils offered in product lines that have before now offered solely fish-sourced omegas. Ahiflower® is a great plant-based omega alternative to offer to customers who are curious to try plant-based sources of omega fatty acids. Formulation-wise, the clean taste of Ahiflower oil is hard to match in the omega realm. With this clean taste comes four omega fatty acids that naturally occur in the single Ahiflower source: SDA (a more rare omega fatty acid), GLA, ALA, and LA. The ability of SDA to convert easily to EPA is the prime driver of research showing Ahiflower was able to raise EPA levels four times higher than flax in a human clinical study. Ahiflower oil is also available as a powder to help brands include omegas in more delivery forms.  Ahiflower is regeneratively grown exclusively in the U.K., with refining on Prince Edward Island, ensuring supply is never an issue.

We have heard from our customers about the stress of delays in materials for packaging, ingredient sourcing, and manufacturing time. The Stratum Nutrition team and our international team of ingredient partners do all that we can to ensure quality ingredient supply is not a concern for our customers. We value our relationships with our ingredient partners and the results of our close communication show in how we maintain a smooth supply of products to our customers. In addition, our team is always willing to contact those in our network to help wherever we can, even if it is not a direct ingredient sale.

The Stratum Nutrition portfolio consists of ingredients that are unique within their market space because we excel at educating brands on the science behind the story of our ingredients. Our Research, Regulatory and Marketing teams are always here to help brands translate the science of our ingredients into impactful messages that will resonate with the end consumer. However, repeat purchasing comes down to benefits experienced, which is why we at Stratum Nutrition do our best to discover, build, and offer ingredients that have proven themselves in human clinical trials.