Nuritas highlights muscle health potential of plant-derived peptides at Expo West

Bioactive peptides company Nuritas is highlighting the application of bioactive peptides in everyday nutrition formats by showcasing its flagship ingredient, PeptiStrong, at Natural Products Expo West 2026. The fava bean–derived peptide complex will be featured in a drinkable yogurt as an example of functional food prototypes. The company aims to demonstrate the benefits of clinically supported plant-derived ingredients delivered through familiar consumer products, a February 12, 2026, press release explains.¹

In addition to product sampling, Nuritas’ Expo West booth #4392 will feature grip-strength testing designed to highlight the link between measurable muscle function, especially everyday wellness and healthy aging, with nutrition-based interventions.

Mainstream formats for ease of adoption

To showcase real-world applicability, Nuritas formulated the ingredient into a drinkable yogurt prototype, positioning the format as a convenient and consumer-trusted delivery system capable of combining nutrition with targeted functional benefits and more.

According to company leadership, yogurt represents a significant platform in food and beverage, making it a strategic vehicle for muscle health innovation. “Yogurt, especially drinkable yogurt, is one of the most powerful and fastest growing nutrition platforms in food and beverage because it's familiar, trusted, and able to deliver protein, live cultures, and satiety in a convenient way,” explains Rex Foor, vice president of commercial partnerships food & beverage at Nuritas. “This is why PeptiStrong is a natural fit in the category, seamlessly formulated into yogurts to help brands meet rising demand for protein wellness and give consumers a simple and enjoyable way to support muscle strength and performance as a part of their daily diet.”

PeptiStrong research studies

PeptiStrong has been evaluated in multiple clinical studies demonstrating improvements in muscle strength, energy, and recovery, aligning with consumer interest in active aging and performance support.

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial published in Nutrients in February 2023 demonstrated that PeptiStrong resulted in improved strength recovery and a reduction in muscle fatigue in a population of healthy men.²

Additionally, a study published in The Journal of Nutrition in January 2023, demonstrated that PeptiStrong supplementation in healthy young men significantly improved the rate of muscle protein synthesis during recovery, and outperformed milk protein in some tests.³

A study on muscle health published in Nutrients in 2020 found that in an in vitro model, PeptiStrong downregulated genes related to muscle atrophy and supported the reduction of muscle loss, and, as shown in an in vivo murine model, after 18 days of supplementation resulted in an upregulation of genes related to protein synthesis.⁴

AI-supported peptide discovery platform

Central to Nuritas’ approach is its AI-powered Magnifier discovery platform. By combining computational biology with nutritional science, the company aims to accelerate ingredient discovery while maintaining a foundation in whole-food–derived bioactivity.

“Using our AI platform, we can identify bioactive peptides from plants and natural food sources — unlocking the power of nature to discover and develop active ingredients that help transform people’s health,” stated Nora Khaldi, PhD, CEO and founder of Nuritas.

Nuritas ingredients applications

Commercial traction for Nuritas’ ingredients has expanded over the past year, the press release adds, with distribution through major specialty retailers, including GNC, The Vitamin Shoppe, The Feed, Make Wellness, and inclusion in more than 100 formulations globally. This growth highlights the increase of scientifically-based, natural-based ingredients, Nuritas explains.

In addition to PeptiStrong, the company is highlighting PeptiSleep and other prototype concepts at Expo West, reinforcing its strategy of translating AI-discovered peptides into scalable applications across supplements, foods, and beverages.

This article was created with assistance from AI. The content has been reviewed and edited by Erin McEvoy, Associate Editor. For more information on the extent and nature of AI usage, please contact us.

References

1. Nuritas. Nuritas Brings Functional Food Innovation to Everyday Formats with PeptiStrong Yogurt and Other Next-Gen Wellness Prototypes at Expo West. February 12, 2026.
2. Kerr, A.; Hart, L.; Davis, H.; et al. Improved Strength Recovery and Reduced Fatigue with Suppressed Plasma Myostatin Following Supplementation of a Vicia faba Hydrolysate, in a Healthy Male Population.” Nutrients. 2023, 15 (4), 986. DOI: 10.3390/nu15040986
3. Weijzen, M.E.G.; Holwerda, A.M.; Jetten, G.H.J.; et al. Vicia faba Peptide Network Supplementation Does Not Differ from Milk Protein in Modulating Changes in Muscle Size During Short-Term Immobilization and Subsequent Remobilization, but Increases Muscle Protein Synthesis Rates During Remobilization in Healthy Young Men. J Nutr. Published online January 11, 2023. DOI: 10.1016/j.tjnut.2023.01.014
4. Cal, R.; Davis, H.; Kerr, A.; Wall, A.; Molloy, B.; Chauhan, S.; Trajkovic, S.; Holyer, I.; Adelfio, A.; Khaldi, N. Preclinical Evaluation of a Food-Derived Functional Ingredient to Address Skeletal Muscle Atrophy. Nutrients 2020, 12, 2274. DOI: 10.3390/nu12082274