AI is raising the stakes in functional ingredient formulation

Food Dive reported the development on 2026-03-26. The technology is fundamentally reshaping food science while also allowing consumers to test brands’ health claims in real time, said Nora Khaldi, founder and CEO of Nuritas.

The report places the news in a wider commercial context. From boosting their mood to powering performance, consumers want more from their foods. But for ingredient suppliers, meeting those demands isn't as simple as it seems. It can take decades to find ingredients that are not only clinically proven to provide health benefits, but also will remain stable when added to food or beverages.

For the food sector, the practical implications extend beyond the immediate announcement. Biotech firm Nuritas is among the pioneers in AI ingredient discovery, using the technology to identify natural peptides that could have functional benefits, including in food. Since its founding in 2014, the company has developed ingredients to build muscle, improve sleep and support youthful-looking skin. Nuritas has even caught the attention of big food companies,.

Attention now turns to how companies, customers and regulators respond. This conversation has been edited for clarity and brevity. KHALDI: What used to take decades to develop is now taking months. So we can do it from start to end, from starting with a concept to having something in a human, you're talking a few months, not counting the clinical trial.