Omics data refers to any form of data linked to the biological information of our bodies, with better-known datasets including genomics (genetic-linked data), proteomics (proteins), microbiomics (microbiome), metabolomics (small molecules) and more.
Many food scientists today believe that omics data holds the key to unlocking precision nutrition for the masses, which would mean impactful personalised and precise nutritional input based on each consumer’s individual environment and lifestyle.
We break down four reasons why industry experts believe omics will play a crucial role in shaping the future of the global food industry.
1) Tools to gather omics data are already available
At present, a wide range of digital tools already exist for things like tracking food intake, body composition, glucose levels and more. Capturing omics data contributes to a better understanding of consumers’ nutritional needs.
In this way, omics data is already shaping the way consumers understand both their physiological needs and how to make better food decisions
“These technologies are rapidly advancing, and the next wave of tools and platforms will take tracking and data collection to the next level, thereby becoming even more deeply integrated in consumers’ lives,” A*STAR’ Singapore Institute of Food and Biotechnology Innovation (SIFBI) Nutrition and Digestive Health Division deputy head of department Dr James Chan said.
“Powered by artificial intelligence capabilities, this next generation of tools will include the actual integration and analysis of the omics data gathered, helping consumers to ‘make sense’ of all this complicated data to provide them with actionable insights.”
Expert flavourist and Orchid Aromatech Director Trevor Groome added that this new generation of technology will be different in terms of helping consumers understand the ‘so what’ when it comes to omics data, which will bring around a new appreciation of this area.
“Personalised nutrition and data collection has been around for a while, but the difference is that now we will have the means to both make measurements and make sense of the data collected,” he said.
“So this means the sector is shifting towards just collecting a whole bunch of data that the average layperson would not really know what to do with, to helping consumers understand how this applies in the context of their own tastes, preferences, medical needs and so on.”
2) Omics data can keep up with changing needs
The human body is a dynamic system with constantly evolving needs, so precision nutrition for any individual would need to also keep up with these changes.
“Personalising nutrition suggestions requires a deep understanding of what each person lacks and needs to be supplemented, but this is a major challenge as every single individual is different in different ways,” Dr Chan added.
“Adding on to this complicated situation is the fact that every individual is also a dynamic system that is constantly changing, so no hospital test is going to be able to constantly keep up with one’s needs at all times – these need to be fast and at the consumer’s fingertips, and omics data platforms are a good way forward for this.”
This means that new tools built to analyse omics data will need to not only translate data quickly into actionable insights, but also be dynamic and able to change over time.
“Consumers want to know ‘what can I do to improve my own health’ using these actionable insights, not what ‘potential solutions for the general population,” he added.
“The nutritional insights they expect from using omics data and precision nutrition tools are specific to the individual, down to their unique needs and behaviours – and the technology is rapidly advancing towards meeting these demands.”
3) Omics’ precision can provide consumers with choice
A major drawback of generalised nutrition advice obtained at the nutritionist or online is the potential restriction of dietary choices, as this would be based on general population data on what foods are ‘safe’ and what are not.
For instance, a consumer with an unspecified level of gluten intolerance might have to completely remove all gluten-containing foods from their diet to be ‘safe’ usually – but omics would be far more precise in terms of what they can include in their diets, such as corn but not wheat, or wheat within a specific quantity.
“Consumers want variability, choice and agency in choosing what they want do and what they eat – none of them want to eat a specified group of vegetables or be forced to take a pill daily,” Broome said.
“What they need is a portfolio of products that is accessible for them, with the information available on which they can eat and how much is good for them at any given time – omics can do this, and this also links back to the need for omics tools to have a functional speed that can give consumers feedback whenever they need it.”
4) Omics data can identify early needs to prevent later issues
Many diseases are the result of both genetic and environmental factors that an infant is exposed to from early on in its life, but tend to only present at a later stage.
“For example, our research has shown that many babies born via C-section are predisposed to a variety of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), linked to a compromised gut microbiome since birth,” Danone Nutricia Research Gut Microbiology and #OneBiome senior team leader Christophe Lay said.
“Danone has approached this by using a metabolomics approach to identify the impacts of the compromised microbiome then identifying how probiotics, synbiotics or other biotics can help these babies improve their gut health.”
C-section babies tend to have poorer gut health due to missing out on the initial transfer of beneficial bacteria from the mother’s birth canal, which would usually happen during a natural delivery.
This has a wide variety of impacts, including on the immune system, and C-section babies tend to be more prone to diseases such as allergies and asthma later on.
“Sometimes these conditions can be mitigated via strategies like breastfeeding to obtain the beneficial bacteria and nutrients, but sometimes when the gut is compromised the babies cannot even absorb the benefits of the breast milk,” Lay added.
“This is where the omics data and analysis can come in to identify the issues, so that biotics solutions can come in to restore the gut’s healthy microbiota, so that the baby would be able to absorb the benefits of the breast milk once again.”
