By embedding health benefits seamlessly into fortified foods, companies like Nuseed, Bay State Milling and Arborea are aligning with the stealth health movement – delivering functional nutrition without requiring consumers to compromise on taste or lifestyle.
“We are seeing a lot of innovation in that space, and that would be a ripe area for innovation and formulation innovation and processing innovation to drive more nutritional density” especially for consumers with limited access or means to make optimal dietary choices, Ed Fish, senior vice president and general manager of varietal solutions at Bay State Milling, explained during a panel discussion at Future Food-Tech San Francisco.
For example, Bay State Milling offers flours and grains, including specialty ingredients like wheat, rye and ancient grains. The company’s HealthSense High-Fiber Wheat Flour claims to have more fiber than traditional wheat flour while maintaining the taste and functionality of standard flour.
The growing stealth health trend requires a nuanced view of processed foods, added Julian Melchiorri, founder, Arborea, a biotechnology company that produces food ingredients through photosynthetic microalgae cultivation.
Processed foods are on a spectrum – from artificial additives to well-designed foods with minimal, natural ingredients, Melchiorri said. Arborea’s proprietary BioSolar Leaf technology harnesses sunlight to grow microalgae and produce protein, omega3s and other nutrients while simultaneously capturing carbon dioxide from the environment.
Innovation in ingredient processing should focus on gently refining natural ingredients to maximize functionality, reducing the need for multiple precision ingredients, he argued. Additionally, education – through retailer partnerships, food brands and digital tools – can help shift public perception and policy awareness from the blanket notion that all processed foods are unhealthy, Melchiorri added.
Nuseed’s enhanced canola oil targets human nutrition
Aligning with the stealth health trend, Nuseed’s canola oil Nutriterra is enhanced with omega-3 sourced from microalgae, Katrina Benedicto, director of marketing and communications, Nuseed Nutritional, explained during Future Food-Tech San Francisco. Nutriterra also is a generally recognized as safe (GRAS) ingredient.
Using biotechnology methods, the company replicates microalgae’s enzymatic processes to insert long-chain omega-3s like DHA, EPA and DPA, which are traditionally sourced from fish, Benedicto said. Together, DHA, EPA and DPA contribute to overall human health, including brain function, heart health and inflammation management.
The final product, an enhanced canola oil, was first commercialized in aquaculture to reduce reliance on wild-caught fish, Benedicto said. Nuseed’s technology is also scalable, with just 5% of global canola farmland capable of doubling the world’s DHA supply, she added.
Now, Nuseed is targeting human nutrition, positioning the oil as a healthier alternative to conventional vegetable oils, with a balanced omega-6 to omega-3 ratio (1:4 vs. 2:1 in standard canola oil), she explained.
The oil is free from allergens, heavy metals and microplastics, making it an appealing option for consumers seeking sustainable and high-quality omega-3 sources, Benedicto added.
“We believe that this is going to be the year for us,” she said, emphasizing Nuseed’s goal to partner with food manufacturers to integrate its oil into everyday foods, offering an easy way to improve nutritional profiles of food without changing consumer habits.
Join FoodNavigator in Chicago in June
Julian Melchiorri, CEO and Founder at Arborea, will be joining a panel on Bridging the Supply Gap: Designing Sustainable Ingredients and Proteins at Future Food-Tech in Chicago on June 3, 2025. Join him and 400 industry leaders – global founders, investors, CPGs and food brands – on June 2-3 to identify breakthrough opportunities to bridge supply chain gaps, commercialize alternative ingredients and advance protein diversification.
