Unlocking Digestive Health Potential

Digestive health is increasingly viewed as a foundational aspect of overall well-being. The digestive process involves multiple organs —beginning in the mouth and continuing through the stomach and intestines— and its proper function supports nutrient absorption, immunity, and even cognitive performance. Recent research around gut-brain axis has further elevated awareness of the link between gut microbiota and mental well-being, mood, and behavior. (1, 2)

As consumer interest grows, the market for gut health products —including prebiotics, probiotics and postbiotic— has expanded rapidly. Consequently, consumers of all ages are increasingly seeking information about probiotics and prebiotics. Among those who understand the distinction between the two, 72% tend to prefer products that combine both. (3)

This growing demand leads to innovation opportunities for brands and manufacturers to deliver scientifically backed, stable, and sensory-friendly formulations that meet health expectations and align with consumer preferences.

Formulation Focus: Meeting Functional and Format Expectations

In 2025, globally 45% of digestive supplements contain probiotics. Probiotic supplements help the system restore balance by using ‘good’ bacteria. The most popular format for digestive supplements is capsules, with increasing popularity of vegetarian and plant-based versions. (4, 5, 6)

Market growth and consumer interest in healthier and more natural products drive innovation in gut-health products, and manufacturers have the opportunity to further benefit from these trends.

From Efficacy to Experience: What Drives Consumer Loyalty

While clinical efficacy is essential, product success in the digestive and gut health category often depends on solving key formulation challenges that impact consumer experience. Here’s how we help address them:

Challenge 1: Bitter-tasting probiotics and botanicals ingredients
Many pharmaceutical and nutraceutical gut health products, especially those containing probiotics, botanical extracts, or minerals, may have unpleasant bitter notes that reduce consumer acceptance.

Solution: Smoothenol®, Bitter Blocker & Off-Taste Masker
Sensient’s Smoothenol® can reduce the perception of the undesirable notes commonly associated with active ingredients in your digestive health applications. Smoothenol® helps create a neutral, more acceptable taste. Additional flavor solutions can be added for an even more elevanted taste experience.

Challenge 2: Degradation of Sensitive Actives in the Stomach
Probiotic strains and other bioactives are often sensitive to acidic environments, which can reduce their efficiency before they reach the intestine.

Solution: Protect™, Highly Effective Two-Part Enteric Coating
Coatings deliver functional properties such as moisture or light protection, sustained or delayed release, and ease of swallowing. Aesthetically, they enhance visual appearance and help companies to achieve brand differentiation.

Sensient Pharmaceutical offers Protect™ to support your digestive health formulation. Protect™ is a highly effective two-part enteric coating system that demonstrates the ability to maintain its enteric properties consistently over time. You may further enrich your Protect™ solution by adding color and flavor ingredients without compromising on its coating performance. With Protect™ you can be confident that your products will be protected and deliver the desired benefits to consumers across a variety of applications, including tablets, soft gels, and two-piece hard capsules.

Challenge 3: Color Instability in Natural Formulations
Ingredients such as oat fiber or natural extracts may contribute to an undesirable visual appeal including cloudiness, which can affect consumer-perceived product quality.

Solution: Spectrablend™ MBO, Advanced Coating Technology
Spectrablend™ MBO is a unique coating solution that delivers uniform colors across applications. It is a patent-pending coating technology combining a moisture barrier with TiO2 free opacity. This innovation is designed for customers who value high throughput with the use of a single step coating.

The digestive health trend is here to stay. Partnering with Sensient Pharmaceutical will empower you to deliver products that not only provide effective gut health solutions but also captivate consumers through enhanced sensory experiences.