New nutrient-rich protein powders designed for active older adults are being developed at Aberystwyth University using a laboratory system that recreates key stages of human digestion. The goal is to offer a natural, food-like alternative to conventional artificial protein drinks, while helping address malnutrition risk and promoting healthier ageing.
Roughly one in ten people over 65 in the UK are either malnourished or at risk of malnutrition, affecting more than one million older adults. To tackle this, researchers are focusing on protein delivery that is both digestible and biologically effective—not just high in protein calories.
The team is formulating powders that combine plant-based, dairy, and “hybrid” vitamin and mineral blends. Alongside protein, the compositions include ingredients intended to support muscle retention, cognitive health, and overall wellbeing, targeting the nutritional challenges that often worsen with age.
To improve adoption, the products will be developed in familiar coffee and cocoa flavours. Familiarity matters: when interventions taste acceptable, adherence typically increases—an essential factor for long-term nutritional support.
A central element of the project is the Protein Quality Assessment Unit led by Dr Thomas Wilson. Researchers use a bioreactor that simulates the digestive fluids and conditions encountered as food moves through the stomach and into the intestine. Temperature and pH can be precisely controlled, while simulated gastric and intestinal fluids are introduced into sequential chambers to mimic digestion stages.
By analysing the material emerging from the bioreactor, the team can quantify protein breakdown and estimate absorption potential throughout the digestive process. This approach allows scientists to compare formulations based on functional performance rather than protein content alone.
Lead researcher Dr Pilar Martinez Martin emphasises that the project unites science, sustainability, and sensory appeal. The formulations include bioactive ingredients such as hemp seed, lion’s mane mushroom, and cocoa, while protein sources range from animal options like whey and casein to plant-based hemp seed protein.
The project is carried out with Welsh research and development company Ymchwil Tetrim Research, and it prioritises sustainability by sourcing key ingredients from Welsh producers. Funding comes through Innovate UK’s Launchpad programme under UKRI.
Subject of Research: Protein powders for older adults; malnutrition risk; simulated digestion and protein absorption assessment.
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Image Credits: Credit to Aberystwyth University
Keywords: malnutrition; protein; ageing; digestion simulation; bioreactor; protein absorption; hemp; lion’s mane; cognitive health
