EU Authorizes Novel Food Ingredient Designed to Curb Gradual Weight Gain

A food ingredient developed by researchers at Imperial College London and the University of Glasgow has been added to the European Union's List of Authorized Novel Foods, clearing it for use in consumer products. The ingredient, inulin propionate ester (IPE), combines a natural dietary fiber with a short-chain fatty acid to stimulate appetite-regulating signals in the gut, aiming to prevent the slow calorie surplus that drives long-term weight gain rather than treating obesity after it develops. The European Food Safety Authority completed a six-year review of toxicological, nutritional, and microbiological data before issuing a positive opinion late last year. The European Commission granted final authorization, placing IPE on the EU Novel Food List. The white powder could be incorporated into products such as smoothies, cereals, nutritional shots, and bread, or taken as a supplement. IPE delivers propionate directly to receptors in the colon, where it triggers the release of hormones that signal fullness to the brain. In randomized controlled trials, roughly 10 grams per day helped regulate appetite and prevent weight gain. Professor Gary Frost of Imperial College London said most people fall far short of recommended fiber intake, and IPE was designed to make the satiety signal more targeted. Professor Douglas Morrison of the University of Glasgow noted that while GLP-1 receptor agonists help people lose weight, IPE could address the gradual weight gain that makes such drugs necessary. The ingredient originated in Morrison's lab and underwent 15 years of development and clinical studies published in peer-reviewed journals. Longer-term studies suggested possible additional benefits for lean body mass, liver fat, and metabolic health, though these require further research. The researchers have launched a spinout company, Satisfed, and are seeking industrial partners to scale production from pilot-scale hundreds of kilograms to thousands of tons. The work was supported by the NIHR Imperial Biomedical Research Centre.