Program

Over the three days, the IPA World Congress + Probiota Americas 2024 will cover:

Women’s Health

While much scientific research has previously focused on men, female-specific health requirements are now becoming a huge talking point as well as a big commercial opportunity. Whether it be related to hormone control, menopause symptoms, menstrual issues, conception or pregnancy, vaginal health, or more, there are some clear gaps in scientific knowledge and therefore for potential product development. This session will explore the opportunities for microbiome modulation for women’s health.

Phages

The biodiversity of the human gut is significant, including bacteria and fungi, but the gut also contains hundreds of thousands of viruses called bacteriophages, which can modulate the gut microbiota by targeting undesirable bacteria. Recent studies have also revealed correlations between specific phages and health endpoints like cognitive function and memory in humans. Phage-based ingredients are still in their infancy, but could become a powerful weapon in the arsenal for microbiome modulation for health and wellness.

Healthcare Practitioners

Healthcare practitioners remain a key gatekeeper for consumers seeking advice about nutrition and dietary supplements, including probiotics, but research often shows that many practitioners are themselves poorly informed about these products. So how can industry better engage and educate healthcare practitioners? Are there successful case studies the community can learn from? And are there doctors who can be leading voices for the benefits of microbiome modulation to support and improve health? This session will seek answers to these questions and more.

Gut-Brain Axis

The microbiota-gut-brain axis, that bi-directional interaction between the gastrointestinal tract and the nervous system, has created numerous opportunities to impact mental health, mood, sleep, stress management, cognitive performance and much more. This session will search for answers to a number of questions, including what the science actually says. We’ll hear from leading researchers and brands in this space, and we’ll also explore how probiotics, prebiotics, and postbiotics may be therapeutics for neurodegeneration.

Fermented Foods & Recommendations for Dietary Microbe Intakes

While the consumption of fermented food products has declined over the past half century, , especially in the Western diet, a resurgence in interest in fermented foods – from kimchi to kombucha and kefir – is opening up new opportunities in the market. Several initiatives are now underway that seek to work towards recommendations for intakes of dietary microbes, driven in large part by fermented foods. What does the market say about fermented foods? Which forms are gaining traction and growth? And from there, can we define dietary microbes? And where do recommendation initiatives currently stand?

Marketing & Market Insights

The US market for dietary supplements experienced a significant slowdown in sales and growth levels in 2023 as consumers readjusted to a post-pandemic world and the impact of inflationary pressure on their household budgets. While growth has slowed, unit and dollar sales in many key categories are still well above pre-pandemic levels, and microbiome modulators – probiotics, prebiotics, and postbiotics – are still riding on high consumer interest and increased understanding of how our guts are central to so many aspects of overall health. This session will dig into the market data, look at which categories and positioning are working, explore how it all breaks down between brick-and-mortar retail and e-commerce, discover how social media channels like TikTok are impacting the landscape, and provide key insights from high-growth brands.

Retailer Insights

Ecommerce – where DTC or through platforms like Amazon and Walmart – is an increasingly vital part of the OmniChannel strategy for brands, but what’s the best strategy for brands to maximize their success? What are retailers looking for in the microbiome space? And what is happening with the various quality initiatives introduce by retailers such as Amazon and Wegmans? This session will provide insights from key retailers and commercial experts to help brands and marketers succeed in an increasingly-crowded space.

Register for IPA World Congress + Probiota Americas 2024

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