Benicaros® is well-positioned to address the growing demand for immune and gut health solutions in pets. With the global pet food market projected to reach $175 billion in annual sales by 2027, a key growth driver is the increasing demand for healthier, science-backed, human-grade, vegetarian, and sustainable ingredients. Benicaros aligns with all of these trends and complements dsm-firmenich’s science-driven microbiome offerings for the pet food industry.
Chief Executive Officer
NutriLeads
NutriLeads, a Netherlands-based company specializing in the development of precision prebiotics, recently announced a collaboration with dsm-firmenich. In this collaboration, they will investigate the use of NutriLeads’ innovative precision prebiotic Benicaros®, which has been used in humans to date and supports gut health, in companion animals.
We interviewed Dr. Joana Carneiro-Wakefield, CEO of NutriLeads, to learn more about this innovative prebiotic, the details of the collaboration with dsm-firmenich and explore the potential of Benicaros for pets. Pointing out that the digestive and immune systems are similar between humans, dogs and cats, Carneiro-Wakefield expresses that these similarities are a source of inspiration for pet research.
Joana Carneiro-Wakefield explains the details for our readers.
Could you start by giving us an overview of NutriLeads? Who is your target audience, and what areas do you specialize in?
NutriLeads is a science-based company specializing in the development of plant-derived, clinically proven precision prebiotics that improve human health. NutriLeads is based in Wageningen in the Netherlands, which is well known as the ‘Food Valley’ of the world. We work with dietary supplement and functional food and -beverage manufacturers to help them create innovative product offerings that enable better health, naturally.
Our flagship ingredient, Benicaros®, is a pectin polysaccharide known scientifically as rhamnogalacturonan-I (cRG-I), extracted from upcycled carrot pomace. This innovative precision prebiotic enhances gut health while training faster, smarter, and stronger immune responses.
We use the term “precision prebiotic” because Benicaros has the right molecular complexity to selectively modulate beneficial gut bacteria consistently in varying gut microbiota ecosystems. This targeted approach increases the relative abundance of good bacteria and stimulates the production of short-chain fatty acids, fostering a resilient and balanced gut ecosystem.
The role of fiber structure in prebiotic efficacy is strongly supported by science. Every individual has a unique gut microbiome with a mix of trillions of microorganisms which is essential for maintaining overall health. However, a prebiotic that delivers benefits for one person may offer limited or variable effects for another due to differences in microbiome composition. Prebiotics with simpler structures can be fermented by a broad range of microorganisms, leading to competitive fermentation. The outcomes of this competition depend heavily on the existing microbial composition and can result in inconsistent health benefits across individuals.
Benicaros overcomes this limitation with its uniquely complex structure, which requires cooperative fermentation (cross-feeding) among a specialized consortium of gut bacteria, including strains associated with diverse health benefits. Benicaros selectively supports beneficial microorganisms commonly present in most people, delivering consistent, robust, and positive effects across different gut microbiome ecosystems.
The physiological similarities between humans, dogs, and cats—particularly in their digestive and immune systems—suggest that Benicaros could offer comparable benefits across these species. This inspired our decision to conduct further research to explore potential applications of Benicaros in pet food and nutrition.
You recently announced that you are collaborating with dsm-firmenich to explore Benicaros for the global pet food market. Could you please give us some information about Benicaros and your new collaboration with dsm-firmenich?
It was a natural choice to collaborate with dsm-firmenich – a global leader in animal health and nutrition. Last summer we announced an exclusive global partnership to develop and market products formulated with Benicaros. The first step has been conducting fermentation studies using feral samples from healthy pets (dogs) to evaluate the efficacy of Benicaros.
We know that your precision prebiotic Benicaros was first introduced in 2021 to support human immunity. During your trials for the product, which findings made you consider going into the pet health industry?
Preclinical and clinical studies show that Benicaros delivers consistent gut and immune health benefits across diverse microbiota profiles. We conducted a 10-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study with 146 healthy adults. Participants consumed either a placebo (0 mg/day), low-dose (300 mg/day), or high-dose (1500 mg/day) of Benicaros for 8 weeks, after which they were exposed to a mild rhinovirus challenge. Immune responses were monitored over the 2 weeks following infection, and a validated questionnaire was used to score symptom severity and duration as well as quality-of-life.
The results demonstrated that Benicaros supplementation:
• Increased the relative abundance of beneficial bacterial species, including Bifidobacterium spp. (B. longum and B. adolescentis), as well as anti-inflammatory species (F. prausnitzii, A. hallii, R. hominis), independent of varying baseline gut microbiota compositions.
• Reduced cold symptom severity (20-33%) and duration (28-43%) compared with the control group. Symptoms included runny nose, sore throat, cough and feeling tired.
• Accelerated the cascade of protective immune responses in the presence of an airway infection, including critical antiviral (interferon) gene expression, release of immune signaling molecules, mobilization of innate immune cells, and enhanced responsiveness of natural killer cells. Notably, systemic immune responses remained unaffected by Benicaros supplementation in the absence of an immune challenge.
• Reduced the negative impact of a common cold on quality of life by 10-30%. Key measurements included the ability to think clearly, walk, climb stairs, exercise, accomplish daily activities, work inside and outside the home and live their personal lives.
The science supports the inclusion of Benicaros in pet food and nutrition, enabling us to deliver gut and immune health benefits to companion animals.
You have been working with DSM since 2022 for Benicaros. Have you conducted any studies on pets since then, and if so, could you share their results with us?
We have completed a preclinical study evaluating gut microbiota modulation and metabolite production in dogs. While we are not able to share detailed results at this time, we are encouraged by the findings, which suggest that Benicaros shows similar precision prebiotic properties in dogs as it does in humans. We expect the study to be published in a peer-reviewed journal next year.
What stage is your collaboration with dsm-firmenich at currently? How long does the pet industry have to wait until the launch of Benicaros?
Our initial study results are promising, and we are currently discussing next steps with dsm-firmenich. While it is too early to provide a specific timeline for product development, both NutriLeads and dsm-firmenich are committed to advancing this innovation and bringing it to market as quickly as possible based on positive research outcomes.
How do you expect Benicaros to impact the pet food industry, and what are its expected results on pet health and well-being?
Benicaros is well-positioned to address the growing demand for immune and gut health solutions in pets. With the global pet food market projected to reach $175 billion in annual sales by 2027, a key growth driver is the increasing demand for healthier, science-backed, human-grade, vegetarian, and sustainable ingredients. Benicaros aligns with all of these trends and complements dsm-firmenich’s science-driven microbiome offerings for the pet food industry. Together, we aim to bring innovative, research-backed solutions to enhance pet health and well-being.
How sustainable is Benicaros when compared to other prebiotics, and what is its supply cost?
Benicaros is unlocked from the cell walls of upcycled carrot pomace, a side stream of carrot juicing. This makes Benicaros a food-waste friendly choice among prebiotics. Its appeal comes not only from being sourced from one of the world’s most trusted vegetables, but also from addressing the growing consumer demand for sustainably sourced products. With nearly one-third of all food produced globally being lost or wasted, reducing food waste has universal (95%) consumer appeal. In fact, more than half of consumers are interested in upcycled food products, which further aligns Benicaros with environmental and market trends.1
Is there anything else you would like to add?
In addition to its strong science, Benicaros has a recommended daily serving size of as low as 300 mg for humans, with a proportionately smaller serving for pets. This opens the door to a wide range of food and nutrition applications. Benicaros also delivers health benefits with significantly less gas production – a typical byproduct of fiber fermentation in the gut. Our preclinical studies show that Benicaros produces 40% less gas than inulin on a per-gram basis. And lastly, Benicaros has little to no impact on taste, texture or smell. It is water-soluble, stable under heat, and pH-stable, making it easy to formulate into a variety of product formats.
Reference
1Upcycled Food Association. https://www.upcycledfood.org/
