The company, mandu-care, says its product combines scientific evidence with tasty, natural functional ingredients.
The gut health trend has continued to grow in recent years, with increasingly well-informed consumers looking for products that will benefit digestive wellbeing.
Abdominal pain, for example, is a common symptom of constipation. Possible causal factors can range from lifestyle factors and diet to stress and severe underlying medical conditions. Globally, 16% of adults regularly suffer from constipation, with much higher numbers at an advanced age.
Mandu-care’s product, moltea, was developed specifically to address this consumer need.
Enzymatic-derived lactulose: Achieving a prebiotic and preventive effect
Before the startup was spun out, the concept of developing an enzymatic-derived lactulose product began at the University of Hohenheim.
“The product is based on several years of research at the University of Hohenheim in Germany,” explained co-founder Malte Bey. “Transferring the technology from university to industry, of course, came with a lot [of] different challenges, in terms of scaling and commercialisation.
“A product with strong health benefits also comes with additional challenges with regards to marketing and the claims that can be made.”
The final product is moltea – a whey drink that contains an effective amount of enzymatic-derived lactulose. Through a patented production process, lactulose is derived by upcycling whey.
“Lactulose from synthetic origin has been used extensively as a laxative for decades,” said Bey. “Our low-dose approach aims at achieving a more preventive and prebiotic effect.”
Lactulose is a disaccharide that, when consumed in low doses through food, acts as a prebiotic and has an osmotic effect. It is not absorbed in the small intestine, and thus reaches the colon intact.
“In the colon, lactulose is fermented by the gut microbiota, where it promotes the growth of beneficial bacteria, such as bifidobacteria and lactobacilli,” Bey added. “This fermentation process produces short-chain fatty acids, which lower the pH in the colon, enhancing gut health and function.”
Through this osmotic effect, lactulose draws water into the colon, which helps soften stools and promotes regular bowel movements.
“With a low-dose consumption – such as a daily shot of moltea – a preventive effect has been shown,” added Bey.
Bringing gut health solutions to consumers
The company’s target customers include people that occasionally struggle with constipation or other gut-related health issues.
“We recognised a high demand for practical and tasty solutions against constipation,” said Bey. “Consumers have, to date, not been satisfied with available solutions and have been on the lookout for new approaches. We believe that they are willing to try out new things.”
For its innovative approach, mandu-care was recognised as a finalist at this year’s Vitafoods Europe Startup Innovation Challenge, in the category of Most Innovative Finished Nutraceutical Product.
“The Challenge really gave us the opportunity to gain visibility at Vitafoods, which is very important for a startup at our stage,” said Bey. “We received a lot of valuable feedback on our product and our approach. It was also super exciting to see the areas in which other innovations are emerging, and what others are working on.”
The company is now looking to work with industrial partners to bring this solution to as many consumers as possible.