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Supplier Insights

Nourishing the Gut with Validated Microbiome Benefits

FutureCeuticals’ NatureKnit® Organic blends real-food fibers and polyphenols to deliver sustained prebiotic benefits while reducing food waste.

Released By FutureCeuticals, Inc.

March 9, 2026

Nutraceuticals World (NW): Gut health and the microbiome continue to be hot topics. What’s your assessment of science and innovation in this area?

Brendan Kesler, R&D Innovation Director, Van Drunen Farms and FutureCeuticals: In the scientific community, there’s continued excitement surrounding gut health and the microbiome. It remains an area of significant interest because each year brings new insights into how deeply the gut influences all areas of human health. Emerging research increasingly shows that the microbiome functions as a key regulator of immune activity, metabolic pathways, and overall physiological health — not merely digestion.

As research expands and public awareness increases, more consumers are recognizing the connection between gut health and overall well‑being. This growing interest is driving demand for foods and ingredients that help support a balanced gut microbiota and promote digestive comfort. In response, many brands are incorporating more plant‑based, fiber‑rich, and minimally processed ingredients — approaches that are consistent with current scientific understanding of how to foster a diverse and resilient microbiome.

Overall, the momentum behind gut‑health innovation remains strong. The science continues to advance, consumer understanding is deepening, and product development is increasingly aligned with whole‑food, plant‑forward, and fiber‑rich dietary patterns known to support long‑term gut health.

NW: FutureCeuticals has developed NatureKnit® Organic. Can you explain what this is and how it’s unique?

Kesler: NatureKnit Organic is an all‑natural, patent‑pending ingredient created from a diverse blend of organic fruit and vegetable fibers that retain their naturally occurring fiber‑bound polyphenols. This combination reflects how these components exist in whole foods, which we believe allows it to interact with the microbiome in a more comprehensive and physiologically relevant way.

What sets NatureKnit Organic apart is its fermentation profile. In published research using the validated M‑SHIME® gastrointestinal model, the ingredient demonstrated a slow and gentle fermentation pattern, which supports a sustained prebiotic effect. This contrasts strongly with purified fibers, which tend to ferment rapidly and provide shorter‑lived benefits. The research showed that NatureKnit Organic produces significantly greater prebiotic activity over 48 hours across several measures, including total abundance of healthy gut bacteria, species richness, and total short‑chain fatty acids.

This combination of real‑food fibers, diversity across fiber and bound polyphenols, strong sustainability through an organic and upcycled supply chain, and scientifically validated performance positions NatureKnit Organic as a next‑generation prebiotic solution.

NW: A recent study published in Frontiers in Nutrition demonstrated the significant prebiotic activity of NatureKnit® Organic. What were the key takeaways from this study?

Kesler: The Frontiers in Nutrition study evaluating NatureKnit Organic revealed several important findings that reinforce its potential as a gentle and comprehensive prebiotic ingredient. Using a validated model simulating the human digestive tract and microbial ecosystem, just 2.5 grams of NatureKnit Organic demonstrated:

Increased healthy gut bacterial abundance
Enhanced gut bacterial richness (a key measure of microbial diversity)
A sustained, gentle fermentation profile
Increased total abundance of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA)
A greater overall prebiotic effect than organic purified fibers

NW: NatureKnit® is Upcycled Certified. What does that mean and why is it important?

Kesler: Upcycled Certified™ status confirms that NatureKnit is produced from fruit and vegetable materials that would otherwise be discarded during food processing. Nature produces amazing and diverse food sources of fiber, naturally rich in polyphenols, that in our opinion are the ideal fibers for human health. However, over 50% of all fruits and vegetables become loss or waste and 16% of all global food waste stems from fruit and vegetable processing. The NatureKnit story begins by rescuing these food fibers which leads to wins for both human and environmental health.

NW: What sort of product applications do you envision for NatureKnit®?

Kesler: NatureKnit Organic’s gentle sensory profile, organic status, and validated prebiotic performance make it adaptable for a wide range of product categories. Its powdered format allows easy incorporation into: