The EU has approved a pioneering form of fibre that boosts the release of the hunger-reducing hormone GLP-1, meaning the ingredient could be added to foods within a year.
Inulin-propionate ester (IPE) is a dietary fibre developed by scientists at Imperial College London and at the University of Glasgow.
It maximises the known benefits of a high-fibre diet, helping people to feel fuller for longer, reduce daily calorie intake and drive long-term weight gain.
Randomised controlled trials by the team have shown that around 10g of IPE per day can regulate appetite and help prevent weight gain.
Now it is approved in the EU, the scientists behind the ingredient expect the UK regulator to quickly follow suit.
Unlike medicines or weight loss drugs, IPE is a different approach to tackling obesity, keeping weight off before it develops into a problem.
“We have brought together two natural ingredients to stimulate appetite‑regulating hormones at exactly the right site in the gut,” said Douglas Morrison of the University of Glasgow.
“Although GLP‑1 receptor agonists have shown great results in helping people lose weight, IPE could help stop the kind of slow, steady weight gain that makes those drugs necessary.”
IPE can either be eaten as a standalone supplement or added into foods such as smoothies, cereals, and bread. IPE was first developed in the lab by Morrison, who collaborated over the 15 years with Gary Frost from Imperial College to explore its potential as a food ingredient. It has taken the team 12 years to get European food safety Authority approval.
IPE is still early in its commercial journey with the team only capable of producing a few hundred kilograms at a time. They have launched a company, Satisfed, and are looking industrial partners to help them scale production.
“We know that there is a lot of commercial interest currently in how to engineer optimum nutrient delivery to the gut, to lead to the best possible outcomes for consumers, and we hope to capitalise on that interest,” Morrison said.
Frost said: “IPE’s inclusion in the novel foods list gives people who are beginning to struggle with their weight a new way of preventing further weight gain. We look forward to seeing how it will be incorporated into different foods and eating plans.”
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