Green Bioactives and Nutra Bridge partner to bring plant-based memory ingredient into North America
The ingredient is a combination of prebiotic fructooligosaccharides (FOS) extracted from Morinda officinalis and the amino acid L-theanine from tea (Camellia sinensis).
GBL-Memory1 was recently investigated in a double-blind study involving 120 participants, in which half took the active supplement, and the other half received a placebo. Data published in Food Science and Nutrition showed a 10.1% improvement in memory in the supplement group after 30 days.
"As the demand for cognitive health products continues to grow, we are proud to collaborate with Green Bioactives to bring GBL-Memory1 to brands across North America," said Scott Steil, president of Nutra Bridge. "With its unique combination of L-theanine and FOS, alongside a published peer reviewed study, GBL-Memory1 offers a solution that aligns with consumer preferences for effective, plant-based products."
Beneficial plant compounds
Founded in 2019 by the late Gary Loake, Edinburgh-based Green Bioactives focuses on developing natural plant-based wellness ingredients through biotechnology. The process involves collecting plant samples, cleaning and cultivating stem cells, and scaling production in bioreactors to extract beneficial compounds.
While the company is known for plant cell cultivation, Chris Meaney, chief business officer at Green Bioactives, told us that the components in GBL-Memory1 are not from plant cell culture.
“They are food supplement extracts blended into a patented formulation,” he said.
Expansion
Following its launch in Europe, GBL-Memory1 is now available to cognitive health brands across Canada, Mexico and the United States.
The collaboration with Nutra Bridge will focus on bringing the ingredient to a broad range of product applications, from dietary supplements to functional foods and beverages, said the Green Bioactives in a press release.
"Building on our success in Europe, we are excited to partner with Nutra Bridge to introduce GBL-Memory¹ to the North American market," said Meaney. "Nutra Bridge’s deep understanding of the local nutraceutical landscape, combined with their proven track record in market development, makes them the ideal partner to help us expand the reach of this innovative ingredient."
The brain health supplement market size in 2023 was $2.82 billion (Fortune Business Insights), said Meaney.
