According to research by FMCG Gurus, almost twice as many consumers purchased a prebiotic product in 2024 compared with the previous 2 years, reflecting both growing awareness and greater trust in the category.
Furthermore, global search data from Google Trends shows that public interest in prebiotics has climbed quickly during the past 5 years.
As consumers become more educated about how the gut microbiome impacts overall well-being, they are seeking credible and convenient ways to support it during their daily routines.
Perfect for modern health routines
Among the various microbiome-supporting ingredients, prebiotics are earning particular attention. Yet, formulators in the gut health space have faced a familiar barrier: dosage.
Traditional prebiotics often require doses of several grams per day to achieve a measurable effect, making them less suitable for compact formats such as capsules, tablets and gummies.
This limitation has historically restricted flexibility when formulating with prebiotics. But recent scientific developments are redefining it.
A new peer-reviewed study has confirmed that Bimuno GOS, a multi-award-winning prebiotic galacto-oligosaccharide (GOS), delivers a statistically significant prebiotic effect — specifically in species including bifidobacteria and lactobacilli, at a dose of just 380 mg of active GOS per day.
The research, published in Metabolites, demonstrates that at this ultra-low dose, Bimuno GOS supports the growth of beneficial bacteria alongside rises in short-chain fatty acids and a reduction in gut pH — all of which are markers of a balanced gut environment.
This growth occurred at 6 hours and accelerated further at 24 hours.
The science behind structure
Although the prebiotic market is growing and expanding, not all prebiotic ingredients can deliver efficacy at such low doses.
The prebiotic activity seen at 380 mg is attributed to the unique structure and selectivity of Bimuno GOS, which allows it to be utilised by the “good” bacteria in the gut.
Just because a prebiotic demonstrates selectivity does not mean the same capabilities are universal across all prebiotic ingredients, reinforcing the importance of ingredient choice and substantiated science.
In practical terms, this research opens up exciting new formulation opportunities. The low-dose efficacy fits in a size 00 capsule, leaving room for complementary actives.
It also expands possibilities in synbiotics, enabling a substantially lower dose of prebiotics to be used alongside a probiotic.
Exploring the road ahead for gut health innovation
As we look to the future of the health and nutrition market, we can expect to see prebiotics continue to expand beyond traditional supplements.
Functional ready-to-drink beverages, for instance, represent a major opportunity for brands looking to differentiate their products in an increasingly competitive wellness market.
Low-dose stable prebiotic ingredients such as Bimuno GOS are ideally suited to these applications, offering both versatility and strong scientific backing. However, with rapid category growth comes the need for careful formulation.
Using the right ingredient at the right dose remains vital. Underdosing or choosing poorly substantiated ingredients risks undermining credibility and, potentially, the entire category’s reputation.
It’s also essential to consider stability, particularly in functional beverages wherein some prebiotic ingredients can degrade with time and lose effectiveness.
Bimuno GOS, by contrast, maintains its stability throughout a broad range of processing conditions, making it well-suited to beverage applications in which long-term integrity matters.
To connect with the demands of today’s proactive, engaged and educated health audience, science must always remain the foundation.
At Clasado, our mission is to advance the role of prebiotics to support better health outcomes with credible innovation, making it easy for formulators to develop next-gen gut health products.
With more than 125 scientific publications and 20-plus clinical trials, Bimuno GOS continues to set the benchmark for what a prebiotic can achieve and is now proven to be effective at ultra-low doses.
Gut health continues to capture global attention and it’s clear that prebiotics are moving into mainstream awareness.
The challenge for formulators is no longer whether to include them ... but how to do so effectively. Thanks to scientific advances in low-dose efficacy, the answer is becoming simpler every day.