Why Choose Food Research Lab's FRL as Your Food Product Development (FPD) Consultant and Partner?

There are several options in almost every product area in today’s market, and the difficulty is in coming up with unique items that stand out and connect with customers. Food Research Lab's Food Research Lab takes a holistic approach to creating food and beverage products. We define, demographically target, and build effective goods through a sequential process for category selection and comprehension. The client can visit the lab to learn the process. We offer unlimited rounds of revisions to ensure customer satisfaction. The final product prototype, along with the documentation process, including the video (through email), will be shipped to the client, and in case the client is not satisfied with the video, a food technology consultant will visit the place for the product demo at the client’s costs.

What are the different forms that you deliver the Food Product Formulations?

The food industry is witnessing a new form of consumption. Keeping that in mind, we can formulate the products in the form of ready-to-eat, ready-to-drink, ready-to-mix, ready-to-serve, and ready-to-cook food products. We use ingredients that offer an added value to the development and improve its indulgence and sustainability in terms of its functional ingredients, plant-based food dyes, and natural preservatives with a clean label.

What are the sectors Food Research Lab cover?

We cover a wide range of sectors such as soups, sauces and dips, chips, tortillas, dry beverage powder, plant-based products, masalas, puddings, instant mixes and many more.

How is sensory testing been carried out?

Our sensory examination leads to the precise formulation and recipe recommendations. We develop data-driven design models based on sensory research and customer insights. The fact-based design methodology used by Food Research Lab reduces risk and gives our clients market confidence while cutting development time in half. With our dedicated sensory lab facility, our team takes satisfaction in creating and optimizing successful products in the marketplace, generating a favourable return on investment, and developing brand advocates.

Applications of Ghrelin in Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods

Home
Applications of Ghrelin in Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods

Applications of Ghrelin in Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods

Ghrelin, as a key regulator of appetite, energy balance, and glucose metabolism, holds significant potential in the development of nutraceuticals and functional foods. These products aim to address health challenges such as obesity, metabolic disorders, and age-related conditions while promoting overall well-being.

Ghrelin levels are elevated in cachexia, [1] likely as a compensatory mechanism aimed at increasing hunger and reducing energy expenditure to counteract the negative energy balance. [2] Following food intake, peptides such as GLP-1, PYY, and CCK are released in response to food entering the intestinal tract. These peptides serve various functions: GLP-1 stimulates insulin release, CCK promotes enzyme secretion, and PYY signals satiety, contributing to the cessation of eating [3]

Exogenous ghrelin supplementation has been investigated in small cohorts of cancer patients, yielding variable outcomes and insufficient evidence to recommend it as a treatment. [4] Megestrol acetate, an appetite stimulant, has been employed to enhance food intake. For instance, a 2018 trial involving 90 participants with gastrointestinal (GI) cancers reported a significant increase in body weight (p = 0.001) and appetite scores (p = 0.003) after one month of megestrol acetate treatment. [5] While appetite stimulants can serve as valuable components of multimodal interventions in clinical practice, their utility is limited by potential side effects and failure to promote skeletal muscle growth. [6]

Ghrelin’s role in stimulating hunger and promoting meal initiation can be leveraged to:

Combat Malnutrition and Cachexia:
- Nutraceuticals enriched with ghrelin analogs or compounds that stimulate ghrelin secretion can help treat conditions like cachexia (wasting syndrome) in cancer or chronic illnesses.
- Functional foods designed to boost appetite may benefit individuals with eating disorders or those recovering from surgery.
- Example: Food Research Lab develops Protein-rich shakes or snacks with ghrelin-enhancing ingredients (e.g. Megestrol acetate, Probiotics, L-glutamine, Zinc and Multivitamins, fenugreek, whey protein, MCT oil, Omega 3 fatty acids, Maltodextrin or dextrose) for elderly individuals at risk of malnutrition.
Weight Management
- For Obesity:
  - Functional foods can incorporate ghrelin antagonists or inhibitors to suppress appetite and reduce caloric intake.
  - Nutraceutical formulations may include plant-based compounds that inhibit ghrelin secretion or block its receptor (GHS-R).
- For Weight Gain:
  - Conversely, for individuals needing weight gain (e.g., in cachexia or underweight conditions), products that promote ghrelin activity can enhance appetite and caloric consumption.
  - Example: Food Research Lab develops Functional snacks targeting appetite suppression with natural compounds like green tea extract (catechins) to modulate ghrelin activity.

Functional foods and nutraceuticals can support ghrelin’s role in maintaining energy balance:

Energy-Boosting Products: Foods designed to align with ghrelin’s natural rhythm can help sustain energy levels during fasting or calorie restriction.
Example: Meal replacements or energy bars optimized to modulate ghrelin activity for steady energy levels.

Blood Sugar Regulation:
- Nutraceuticals targeting ghrelin pathways may help maintain glucose levels by inhibiting excessive insulin secretion.
- Functional foods with balanced macronutrients and bioactive compounds can improve postprandial glucose responses.

Ghrelin’s role in gastric motility and acid secretion can be applied to develop products for digestive wellness:

Gut Health Enhancers: Functional foods with prebiotics, probiotics, or bioactive peptides can enhance ghrelin-mediated gastric motility.
Example: Food & Nutraceutical R&D Lab develops Fermented foods like yogurt or kefir that support gut microbiota and ghrelin activity.

Combating Sarcopenia: Ghrelin-stimulating nutraceuticals can help counter muscle wasting and reduced appetite in the elderly.
Neuroprotective Effects: Ghrelin’s role in cognitive function and neuroprotection offers potential for anti-aging products targeting brain health.
Example: Food & Nutraceutical Research Lab develops Functional beverages with ingredients promoting ghrelin activity to enhance vitality in aging populations.

Stress Modulation: Ghrelin-based nutraceuticals can support stress management by regulating cortisol levels.
Mood Enhancement: Functional foods designed to modulate ghrelin pathways may improve mood and reduce stress-induced overeating.
Example: Food Research Innovation Lab formulates Herbal teas or adaptogen-infused products with ghrelin-modulating properties for stress relief.

Cachexia Treatment: Ghrelin-based nutraceuticals can alleviate symptoms of cancer-related malnutrition by boosting appetite and reducing inflammation.
Biomarker Role: Functional foods designed for cancer patients may include compounds that interact with ghrelin pathways to improve overall quality of life.
Example: Food Research Innovation Lab design and develops Nutritional shakes for cancer patients formulated to enhance ghrelin activity for better appetite and nutrient absorption.

Delivery Mechanisms: Developing stable, bioavailable formulations that effectively modulate ghrelin activity without side effects.
Personalized Nutrition: Leveraging ghrelin’s role in energy and appetite regulation to create tailored nutraceuticals and functional foods based on individual metabolic needs.
Safety and Efficacy: Conducting robust clinical trials to validate the safety and efficacy of ghrelin-modulating products in various populations.

By integrating ghrelin’s functions into nutraceuticals and functional foods, the industry can address critical health issues while supporting overall well-being. Continued research and innovation in this field hold immense potential for transforming dietary interventions and therapeutic strategies.