Solnul® Named Finalist for Ingredient of the Year: Microbiome Modulation at the NutraIngredients USA Awards 2026
Innovation in microbiome health continues to transform the nutrition industry, and this year Solnul® has earned recognition among the sector’s most promising ingredients and brands. Solnul® Prebiotic Resistant Potato Starch has been selected as a finalist in the NutraIngredients USA Awards 2026 for Ingredient of the Year: Microbiome Modulation, a category that recognizes ingredients advancing the science of gut health and demonstrating meaningful benefits through microbiome innovation.
The NutraIngredients USA Awards celebrate excellence across the nutrition and dietary supplement industry, highlighting ingredients and products supported by strong scientific evidence, market relevance, and consumer impact. Being selected as a finalist places Solnul® among a distinguished group of ingredients and products helping shape the future of microbiome health.
A New Era of Gut Health Innovation
As consumer awareness of the microbiome continues to grow, so does the demand for ingredients that do more than support digestive function. Today’s health-conscious consumers are interested in solutions that influence broader areas of wellness, including metabolic health, immune function, gut barrier integrity, and healthy aging.
Microbiome modulation focuses on positively influencing the composition and activity of beneficial gut bacteria to create measurable health outcomes. The category recognizes ingredients capable of delivering these benefits through innovative mechanisms backed by scientific validation.
What Makes Solnul® Different?
Solnul® is an upcycled resistant potato starch that acts as a prebiotic fiber, selectively nourishing beneficial gut microbes. Unlike many traditional fibers, Solnul® has been shown to be well tolerated while delivering clinically demonstrated microbiome benefits at a low daily serving.
Clinical research has demonstrated that Solnul® significantly increases the abundance of key beneficial bacteria, including Bifidobacterium and Akkermansia, two microbial populations recognized for their role in supporting gut and metabolic health. In a human clinical study (1), daily supplementation with Solnul® resulted in a 215% increase in Bifidobacterium and a 238% increase in Akkermansia relative abundance. These findings highlight the ingredient’s ability to create meaningful ecological shifts within the gut microbiome.
Science at the Core of the Solnul® Story
Recognition from NutraIngredients comes at a time when Solnul® continues to expand its body of published microbiome research.
The company’s scientific program explores how resistant starch influences the microbiome, gut barrier function, nutrient absorption, and broader systemic health. Through human clinical trials, metabolomic analyses, and microbiome sequencing, researchers have uncovered insights into how Solnul® supports the gut and beyond.
Research highlighted within Solnul®‘s scientific publication library demonstrates that resistant potato starch can help improve microbial balance while supporting key markers associated with digestive and metabolic wellness. This growing portfolio of evidence helps position Solnul® at the forefront of next-generation prebiotic innovation.
According to Solnul®, its scientific journey is driven by a commitment to understanding the microbiome at a deeper level, leveraging extensive microbiome datasets and advanced analytical techniques to uncover how dietary fibers can influence human health.
Beyond Traditional Prebiotic Benefits
One of the most compelling aspects of Solnul® is its ability to support health beyond just regularity.
Emerging research suggests the microbiome plays a central role in numerous aspects of wellness, including metabolic health and intestinal barrier function. Solnul® research has shown positive influences on fatty-acid metabolism and markers associated with gut barrier integrity, helping establish the ingredient as more than a conventional fiber source.
This broader understanding of microbiome health reflects a significant shift in the nutrition industry, from treating digestive symptoms alone to supporting whole-body wellness through targeted microbial modulation.
Advancing the Future of Resistant Starch
The finalist recognition also highlights the growing importance of resistant starch as a valuable tool in addressing fiber gaps and supporting microbiome diversity. While many consumers fall short of recommended fiber intake, resistant starch offers unique benefits by acting as a preferred food source for beneficial microbes in the colon. As an insoluble but fermentable fiber, resistant starch is emerging as a 3rd category of dietary fiber defined by fermentability, selectivity and function.
As an upcycled ingredient derived from potato processing streams, Solnul® also aligns with consumer demand for sustainable nutrition solutions. The combination of clinical validation, consumer-friendly formulation benefits, and environmental stewardship gives brands a compelling platform for innovation.
Recognition for a Growing Body of Microbiome Research
Being named a finalist for Ingredient of the Year: Microbiome Modulation is more than an industry honor, it is recognition of the scientific work driving Solnul®‘s continued exploration of the microbiome.
As research continues to uncover connections between gut health and overall wellness, ingredients with strong clinical foundations and demonstrated microbiome benefits will play an important role in product development.
For Solnul®, this finalist position reinforces its mission to advance microbiome science, inspire innovation in resistant starch applications, and help consumers achieve better health through evidence-based nutrition.
Congratulations to the Solnul® team on this outstanding achievement and for helping drive the future of microbiome health innovation.
Explore the science behind Solnul® and its growing body of microbiome research.
