An at-home kit for personalised food recommendations

A nutritional science startup is helping customers understand their personal biological responses to food, enabling better dietary suggestions

Spotted: Good gut health is increasingly recognised as an essential component of physical and mental wellbeing, with imbalances in the gut microbiome impacting the development of metabolic diseases and cancer. Proper nutrition plays a key part in gut health, but a nutritious diet can look different from person to person. 

With a personalised nutrition programme, British startup Zoe is helping people understand the impact of certain foods with an at-home test kit, so that users can better look after their guts. The company’s approach combines large-scale human studies with artificial intelligence (AI) technology and microbiome sequencing to provide accurate and science-backed results.  

The kit tests gut health, blood fat, and blood sugar, with users tracking their food intake throughout the test period on the Zoe app. There is a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) that records blood sugar, and the gut health test identifies bacteria strains in your gut microbiome. Users also eat a specially formulated muffin included in the kit. A finger-prick test will then analyse how your body responds to the muffin, including blood sugar and blood fat control.  

After completing the test kit, customers receive a personalised insight report comparing results to thousands of other people. The report provides personalised Zoe scores from 1 to 100 for thousands of foods and then suggests suitable food combinations and meals that will support a customer’s gut and metabolism. The Zoe app allows users to build healthy habits and offers nutritional support along the way. 

The programme is available for early access in the UK and is expected to be on general release later in 2023.  

There are many innovations out there to help people optimise their health with the right foods. For instance, one startup is using microbial protein for people with modified diets, and an online platform makes it easier for those with chronic health issues to access proper nutrition.

Written By: Anam Alam