Highlights

  • The fiber, inulin propionate ester, suppresses appetite and has been approved as safe for human consumption in the European Union.
  • The fiber could eventually be added to everyday foods to counter obesity, which predisposes people to age-related conditions like metabolic and cardiovascular diseases.

A plant-based food additive that scientists synthesized approximately 15 years ago, which may stop people from gaining weight, has been approved as safe for human consumption in the European Union. The additive, inulin propionate ester (IPE), is a fiber that was developed and tested at Imperial College London and the University of Glasgow, both schools in the UK.

Inulin Propionate Ester Suppresses Hunger

According to research, IPE helps suppress hunger sensations. Hence, the aim of adding it to foods would be to reduce surplus calorie intake that can drive long-term weight gain over the course of years.

IPE comes in white powder form, and in the future, it could be added to everyday foods, such as smoothies, cereals, and breads. Its supplement powder form can also be mixed into drinks. Unlike drugs intended to help people lose weight, like semaglutide, IPE offers a different approach to tackling obesity—helping avoid weight gain before it becomes problematic. In fact, a human study by the UK-based team has shown that taking around 10 grams of IPE a day can regulate appetite and help prevent weight gain.

(Inulin propionate ester comes in white powder form | MedicalXpress)

“A small calorie surplus each day will lead to significant weight gain over time,” said Professor Gary Frost, chair in nutrition and dietetics at Imperial College London’s Department of Metabolism, Digestion, and Reproduction, in a press release. “Even 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) a year in young adults is enough to create serious weight problems by middle age. We already know that a higher fiber intake can counter this, but we also know that most people find it difficult to take in enough fiber and are falling far short of the recommended intake levels.”

Inulin Propionate Ester Boosts GLP-1

The composition of IPE is a mixture of inulin (a natural fiber found in onions) and propionate (a naturally occurring organic acid primarily produced when beneficial gut bacteria ferment dietary fiber). Along these lines, IPE works by delivering propionate directly to receptors in the gut that trigger appetite-regulating hormones. One such hormone is GLP-1, a hormone produced in the gut that plays a central role in regulating blood sugar and appetite.

“We have brought together two natural ingredients to stimulate appetite-regulating hormones at exactly the right site in the gut,” said Professor Douglas Morrison of the University of Glasgow. “Although GLP-1 receptor agonists [like semaglutide] have shown great results in helping people lose weight, IPE could help stop the kind of slow, steady weight gain that makes those drugs necessary.”

Inulin Propionate Ester’s Path of Development

Interestingly, Morrison and his lab first developed IPE and then collaborated with Frost for over the next decade and a half to explore the molecule’s potential as a food ingredient. Their collaboration led them to conduct a series of human trials with IPE, all published in peer-reviewed journals. Some of the longer-term studies of IPE suggest additional benefits, including the preservation of lean body mass, improved liver fat levels, and potential effects on immunity and metabolism.

The persistence of Morrison and Frost’s team, spanning over 15 years of research, was rewarded last year when the European Food Safety Authority issued a positive opinion on IPE. That opinion came after the review of toxicological, nutritional, and microbiological data regarding IPE. Then, final authorization for IPE was granted by the European Commission, so that IPE has now been formally added to the European Union List of Authorized Novel Foods.

According to the UK researchers, winning this approval for IPE shows that a “bench-to-consumer” pathway is possible for academic innovations. In that regard, this development came in spite of having no help from major industry pipelines. However, patience was necessary, as the European Food and Safety Authority evaluation alone took six years to complete.

Large-Scale Production of Inulin Propionate May Come in the Future

Although it has had some regulatory success, IPE is still in its early stages of commercial development. As such, the research team can only produce a few hundred kilograms of it at a time—not enough to sell widely at standard retail supplement stores. However, in an effort to reach a wider market of consumers, the team has launched a company called Satisfed and is seeking partners in the industry capable of scaling production to thousands of tons. The team ultimately hopes to bring this dietary intervention into everyday foods, potentially offering a new tool to fight against the ongoing obesity crisis in Western countries (where about 25% to 35% of adults are obese).

“We know that there is a lot of commercial interest currently in how to engineer optimum nutrient delivery to the gut, to lead to the best possible outcomes for consumers, and we hope to capitalize on that interest,” said Morrison.

“IPE’s inclusion in the Novel Foods List gives people who are beginning to struggle with their weight a new way of preventing further weight gain,” added Frost. “We look forward to seeing how it will be incorporated into different foods and eating plans.”