Sometimes, all it takes is 30 minutes to learn the ins and outs of new technologies and trends that are transforming the food and beverage industry. In this series, we’ll dig into a food innovation topic and link you to content and resources so you can become a subject matter expert in 30 minutes (or less!).
This week, we’re looking at food as medicine. Beyond its essential role in providing macronutrients, food can be a powerful tool in the prevention and treatment of human diseases and common health ailments. The concept of food as medicine is growing in popularity with consumers, leading innovators to develop software, ingredients, and products that aim to improve health and wellness.
CFIN’s latest Innovation Booster Program focuses on Personalized Nutrition and Improving Human Health Through Food. The funding call opened on May 29, 2023, with all applications due by June 26, 2023. Winners will be announced in September 2023.
The Overview
Cleveland Clinic - How Nutrigenomics May Impact the Way You Eat
The basics on what nutrigenomics is and how it works.
Dal News – Ask an Expert: What is Functional Food and Why Should Canadians Care?
Food is considered functional if it has benefits for human health beyond nutrition, for example it improves health or reduces the risk of disease.
Forbes - This Diet Is Changing The Way We Think About Nutrition
Artificial Intelligence and machine learning could offer consumers better control over their nutritional health.
Level’s biowearable metabolic sensor constantly monitors glucose levels to create customized health and nutrition programs.
Nestlé - Nestlé Health Science Expands into Personalized Nutrition
In 2019 Nestle’s Health Science division acquired Persona, a company offering customized vitamins and supplements, and launched personalized vitamin packs through its Puritan’s Pride brand in June 2022.
The Canadian Connection
Nutrigenomix – Nutrigenomix Inc. is based in Toronto, ON but is available in more than 40 countries. It provides DNA-based, customized nutrition recommendations for health and wellness, athletic performance and fertility, and includes plant-based nutrition.
Medcan – Toronto’s Medcan is an integrated health and wellness company that uses up to 15 diagnostic tests covering cardiovascular health, cognition, hearing, vision, nutrition and fitness, to create a customized action plan to improve a customer’s lifestyle through food, exercise and supplements.
Social Media
@SPINSllc – (Twitter) SPINS, a wellness-focused data technology company based in Chicago, acquired Pinto, a product intelligence platform, in 2022. Pinto has a database of food, grocery and consumer products and creates personalized inventories for specific dietary needs.
GUTXY – (LinkedIn) Denmark-based GUTXY tests customers’ gut microbiome to create a personal wellness plan.
Atlas Biomed – (Facebook) Atlas Biomed Group is a London, UK-based company that uses both DNA and gut microbiome to establish a nutrition plan, and establish carrier status for hereditary conditions and risks for injuries due to sports.
LSee – (YouTube) France’s LSee uses a metabolic tracker to create nutrition recommendations based on blood biomarkers.
Overtime
If you’ve got more than 30 minutes, these are for you:
Spotify - The Doctor’s Kitchen Podcast
The Doctor's Kitchen is a podcast about food, medicine, lifestyle and improving your health.
YouTube – Viome’s Full Body Intelligence Test
