The growing interest in personal fitness and healthy aging is fueling a strong demand for immune-boosting products containing vitamins, herbal extracts, probiotics, and more. Following recent outbreaks in infectious diseases and global pandemic, people are more invested in their health and well-being than ever. Between the years 2021 and 2022, 27% of global vitamin and mineral supplement launches had an immune health claim, up from less than 20% five years ago (1). Although immune health remained a focus following COVID-19 pandemic most consumers are now moving towards dietary supplements that deliver multiple benefits like digestive health, sleep, cognition, and others for overall health maintenance (2).
Research has shown that digestive health has been associated with immune health. The gut microbiota that resides in the gastrointestinal tract provides essential health benefits to its host, particularly by regulating immune homeostasis (3,4). Therefore, nutrition can be a key influencer of immune function. Gut bacteria are known to thrive on complex carbohydrates and fibre which can be obtained from plant foods, like apples, broccoli, and carrots to yams.
Nutrileads, one of the innovators in health ingredients, has recently launched the plant-derived prebiotic fibre BeniCaros®. It is a soluble prebiotic carrot fibre that has been clinically proven to deliver multiple immune health benefits. A first-of-its-kind ingredient with a unique dual mode of action, BeniCaros® is driving innovation in functional foods, beverages, and supplements. It is a patented bioactive polysaccharide (fibre) known as cRG-I (rhamnogalacturonan-I) derived from upcycled carrot pomace. BeniCaros® trains the immune system to be fit year-round through a unique dual mode of action. Due to its one-of-a-kind structure (medium to high complexity polysaccharide), it selectively stimulates the growth of beneficial microorganisms and leads to the increased production of metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFA)s (5). SCFAs can leave the gut and move around the body via circulation and can also interact with immune cells, thereby influencing immune responsiveness. The immune cells recognized and ‘trained’ by BeniCaros® in the small intestine can move throughout the body. When they reach the respiratory tract (or other locations), they play an important role in the early immune response against infections. Because trained immune cells can respond faster, people consuming BeniCaros® can experience less severe symptoms for a shorter duration if they are infected by a common cold virus, for example.
BeniCaros®’s immunoprotective effects have been proven scientifically through multiple in vitro, in vivo, and ex vivo studies the results of which have been published in the literature (5,6,7,8). Furthermore, these benefits were recently proven clinically through a randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial where Nutrileads investigated the effect of cRG‐I at 0 g/day, 0.3 g/day and 1.5 g/day. The results of the study demonstrated that intake of cRG‐I was safe, well‐tolerated, and accelerated local cellular and humoral innate immune responses induced by RV16 infection. cRG‐I accelerated innate immune responses to RV16 in a linear dose‐dependent manner. Daily consumption of BeniCaros® before the rhinovirus infection significantly accelerated protective innate immune and antiviral responses, resulting in a 20% reduction in the severity of symptoms, and a 25% reduction in symptom duration (6). Moreover, BeniCaros®’s prebiotic effects are appropriately selective and achieved with significantly less gas production than the other common prebiotics.
Image: BeniCaros® dual mode mechanism of action
Despite the complex polysaccharide structure and effective prebiotic efficacy, BeniCaros® obtains simpler physicochemical properties that are amicable to incorporate this fibre into a wide variety of formulations. Being a naturally derived fibre that is water soluble, without a taste, and highly effective at a low dose of 300 mg per day makes it very compatible in a dietary supplement format. A daily dose fits easily in a gummy, a capsule, or a tablet. The smaller dose also makes BeniCaros® easier to incorporate into food and beverages.
BeniCaros® which is gluten-free, non-GMO, Halal, and Kosher certified is now available for organic labelling.
Currently working at Quadra as Head of Formulation and Innovation. This is an industry liaison role through which Nilesh provide the required scientific, technical expertise and support to Quadra’s customers and suppliers. Before joining Quadra, Nilesh obtained a PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences from University of British Columbia, Canada and have worked in the Pharmaceutical R&D and product development for over twelve years. Nilesh’s expertise includes end-to-end product development, scale-up and technology transfer for a variety of dosage forms. Nilesh possesses extensive knowledge of ingredients and their functionality in the finished products. Nilesh has six research articles published in high impact international journals with over one hundred citations.