Big commercial potential in nutrigenomics, say DNA testing firms

Firms offering dietary advice on the basis of DNA testing claim that customers are already demanding products that are specifically formulated to...

Firms offering dietary advice on the basis of DNA testing claim that customers are already demanding products that are specifically formulated to match their genetic profiles.

Currently, companies such as Genelex and Sciona screen customers’ DNA to see if they have a genetic predisposition to a range of afflictions from heart disease to diabetes. On this basis, they will then produce a diet plan to match that person’s genetic profile.

However, as this kind of testing becomes more widespread, people will start looking for the food industry to come up with tailor made, convenient products (rather than diets) that meet their genetic/dietary needs, which is good news for food manufacturers such as Unilever, Nestlé and Danone, that are all pumping millions into nutrigenomics, said Dr Rosalynn Gill-Garrison, chief science officer at DNA screening firm Sciona.

“We have found that personalisation of dietary advice through the use of genetics has provided individuals with considerable incentive to change their dietary habits,” she said.

“However, consumers are also looking for convenient solutions that can help them to achieve their nutritional goals, but which are amenable to their current lifestyle habits. Given the growing obesity epidemic and the fact that heart disease remains the number one killer in the western world, it is apparent that we need to find solutions that they can actually incorporate into their daily lives.”

Kristine Ashcraft of Genelex, another firm offering clients dietary advice on the basis of DNA screening, added: “As more is understood about the genome, personalised nutrition and personalised medicine will become commonplace. I believe that large companies will, of course, address this by providing products that are more catered to people's genetic make-up, rather than one-size-fits-all.”

Although US consumers currently seemed more interested in DNA diets than their UK counterparts, this would change over time, predicted Gill-Garrison. “The US consumer has been focused on the preventative health care for much longer than Britain. It is also important to remember that US consumers are much more accustomed to paying out of pocket for health care."

She added: “We have found considerable interest and enthusiasm for our products and services in the UK, but as a small developing company, we need to focus where our greatest opportunities lie in order to provide long term growth for our endeavours.”

She rejected claims that companies screening only a small number of genes were not able to provide consumers with credible dietary advice: “We have a strict selection criteria that demands that each genetic marker that we choose has a well-documented effect on health together with a well-validated nutritional or lifestyle intervention that can help toameliorate any risk associated with a particular genetic marker.

“We acknowledge that this is an early stage technology and that there is much to learn, but we also believe that there is more than sufficient credible, rigorously defendable information that we can provide to the consumer today that help to guide them on the path to a healthier lifestyle.”