GlycoActiveTM HMOs bring one of nature's most bioactive health ingredient classes to food and beverage innovation, unlocking new possibilities for gut health and wellness positioning across a wide range of everyday formats.
Gut health and microbiome support have become defining trends in the global food and beverage market. Consumers are increasingly looking beyond basic nutrition, seeking everyday products that actively support their digestive health and overall wellbeing. This shift is reshaping product development priorities across dairy, beverages, snacks, and beyond, with bioactive ingredients at the centre of the most compelling innovations. For example, the sports and lifestyle nutrition segment is emerging as a particularly dynamic frontier within this space, driven by consumers seeking everyday performance, recovery, and gut health support beyond the gym. Consumers and health professionals alike are scrutinising ingredient credentials more closely than ever, demanding bioactives with a credible scientific foundation.
THE MICROBIOME ADVANTAGE
Science-backed gut health for everyday nutrition
The gut microbiome has emerged as one of the most important frontiers in nutrition science, with a growing body of publicly available research linking microbiome composition to overall health and wellbeing. HMOs can act as precision prebiotics, selectively supporting beneficial gut microbes, contributing to gut barrier function, and helping to create an intestinal environment less favourable to harmful bacteria 1,2,3. This targeted prebiotic activity positions HMOs as a scientifically differentiated alternative to conventional fibre-based functional ingredients, with a mode of action that resonates strongly with the growing consumer understanding of gut health.
A well-established gut-immune axis means HMO-supported gut health may also have positive downstream effects on immunity, while potential links to metabolic health remain an active area of ongoing research, broadening the long-term health narrative available to formulators developing products for health-conscious consumers 4.
GlycoActiveTM HMOs for functional food & beverages
Odourless, taste-neutral, and mildly sweet, GlycoActiveTM HMOs integrate seamlessly into a wide range of food and beverage formats, from sports and lifestyle nutrition products to everyday functional foods, without affecting the sensory experience of the final product. Their high solubility makes them well-suited for liquid applications including fortified dairy products, plant-based beverages, functional waters, and sports drinks, while their heat stability and processing resilience support integration into baked goods, snack bars, and cereals. Compatible with standard food manufacturing processes, GlycoActiveTM HMOs offer formulators the flexibility to innovate across the full spectrum of functional food and beverage formats, without compromise on taste, texture, or product quality.
References
1 Salli et al. (2021). Selective utilisation of the human milk oligosaccharides 2'-fucosyllactose, 3-fucosyllactose and difucosyllactose by various probiotic and gut/pathogenic bacteria. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 69(1), 170–182.
2 Kong et al. (2019). Modulation of intestinal epithelial glycocalyx development by human milk oligosaccharides and non-digestible carbohydrates. Molecular Nutrition & Food Research, 63(17), e1900303.
3 Bondue et al. (2016). Cell-free spent media obtained from Bifidobacterium bifidum and Bifidobacterium crudilactis grown in media supplemented with 3'-sialyllactose modulate virulence gene expression in Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella Typhimurium. Frontiers in Microbiology, 7, 1460.
4 Zuurveld et al. (2020). Immunomodulation by human milk oligosaccharides: the potential role in prevention of allergic diseases. Frontiers in Immunology, 11, 801.
APPLICATIONS
Discover all applications
Regulatory-approved ingredients serving the widest range of nutritional applications for every stage of life in both humans and animals.
Early life nutrition
The most established market for HMOs, covering infant formula,
follow-on milk and complementary foods. Six regulatory-approved
ingredients, supported by an extensive body of publicly available
scientific and clinical literature.
Dietary supplements
GlycoActiveTM HMOs offer formulators fully compliant ingredients, versatile across capsules, powders and functional formats, with a well-established scientific foundation across multiple health areas. A fast-
growing market where science and consumer trust go hand in hand.
Functional food and beverages
Consumer demand for functional food and beverages is accelerating. GlycoActiveTM HMOs are odourless, taste-neutral, highly soluble, and heat-resistant, making them easy to incorporate across a wide range of product formats.
Medical nutrition
Patients with specific medical and nutritional needs require ingredients with the highest quality and regulatory standards. GlycoActiveTM HMOs meet those standards and can aid to support their recovery, health
and well-being.
Pet nutrition
The nutritional market for companion animals is growing, with increasing demand for science-backed ingredients. GlycoActiveTM milk oligosaccharides offer a unique positioning in gut health and joint mobility.
Animal feed
Mammals have their own arsenal of milk carbohydrates to support the healthy development of young animals. GlycoActiveTM milk oligosaccharides bring those same nature-identical glycans to animal feed, with evidence in supporting gut health, immunity, and infection prevention.
Frequently asked questions
Learn more about Inbiose and our HMO ingredients, applications, health benefits and technology platform.
What food and beverage formats are suitable for HMO inclusion?
Thanks to their high solubility and health stability, GlycoActiveTM HMOs are suitable for use across a wide range of formats including fortified dairy products, plant-based beverages, functional waters, sports drinks, snack bars, cereals, and baked goods.
Can GlycoActiveTM HMOs be used in sports and lifestyle nutrition products?
Yes. The gut health and immune-modulating properties of HMOs are relevant for the sports and lifestyle nutrition segment, where gut resilience, recovery, and immune support are growing areas of consumer interest. GlycoActiveTM HMOs can be incorporated into a wide range of sports and lifestyle nutrition formats.
Do GlycoActiveTM HMOs affect the taste or texture of food and beverage products?
No. GlycoActiveTM HMOs are odourless and taste-neutral with a mildly sweet profile, and integrate seamlessly into food and beverage formats without affecting the sensory experience of the final product.
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Regulatory-approved ingredients serving the widest range of nutritional applications for every stage of life in both humans and animals.
