Stance4Health · Project

Personalized Nutrition App and Tailored Foods Guided by Your Gut Bacteria

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Imagine a phone app that looks at your gut bacteria and tells you exactly what to eat — not generic diet advice, but food recommendations tailored to your body. The team built two apps (one for adults, one for kids), created 9 special cereal-based foods for people with allergies or weight issues, and even made dietary supplements matched to individual needs. Think of it as a fitness tracker, but instead of counting steps, it reads your gut and tells you what your body actually needs.

By the numbers

67 million

European adults potentially impacted

8 million

European children potentially impacted

0.99€/month

Target consumer price for the app

Tailored cereal-derived foods developed

Individualized dietary supplements for adults

Personalized nutrition apps built

Consortium partners across 8 countries

SMEs involved in commercialization

The business problem

What needed solving

Most nutrition advice is generic — the same food pyramids and calorie counts for everyone, ignoring that each person's gut processes food differently. Food manufacturers sell one-size-fits-all products while consumers increasingly demand personalization. Companies in food, supplements, and health tech are losing market share to competitors who can offer individualized solutions backed by real science.

The solution

What was built

The project delivered 2 working personalized nutrition apps (for adults and children), a wearable device integration for body composition tracking, 9 tailored cereal-derived foods for vulnerable groups (overweight, coeliac, food allergy), 6 individualized dietary supplements, 1 nutraceutical, and 1 in vitro diagnostic test for gut microbiota — totaling 32 deliverables across 19 partners.

Audience

Who needs this

Cereal and functional food manufacturers wanting to launch personalized product linesHealth and wellness app developers seeking clinically validated nutrition algorithmsDietary supplement companies looking for microbiome-guided product differentiationRetail pharmacy chains wanting to offer personalized nutrition servicesHealth insurance companies exploring preventive nutrition programs

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Functional Food Manufacturing

mid-size

Target: Cereal and snack producers looking to enter the personalized nutrition market

If you are a cereal or snack manufacturer struggling to differentiate in a crowded market — this project developed 9 tailored cereal-derived foods for specific consumer groups (overweight, coeliac, food allergy). These formulations were designed for vulnerable populations including adults and children, giving you a ready blueprint to launch specialty product lines backed by EU-funded clinical validation.

Digital Health & Wellness

SME

Target: Health app developers and wellness platforms wanting science-backed nutrition features

If you are a health tech company looking for clinically validated personalized nutrition algorithms — this project built 2 working apps that connect wearable body composition data with gut microbiota analysis to generate individualized dietary recommendations. The service was demonstrated running for both adult and child populations, with a target price point of just 0.99€ per month.

Dietary Supplements & Nutraceuticals

any

Target: Supplement companies seeking microbiome-based product differentiation

If you are a supplement manufacturer looking to move beyond one-size-fits-all products — this project created 6 individualized dietary supplements for adults plus 1 nutraceutical, all guided by gut microbiota diagnostics including 1 in vitro diagnostic test. These products were developed across a consortium of 19 partners with 7 SMEs specifically tasked with commercialization.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to offer this personalized nutrition service to my customers?

The project targeted a consumer price of just 0.99€ per month for the app-based personalized nutrition service. Production costs for the 9 tailored cereal-derived foods and 6 dietary supplements are not disclosed in the available data, but the low app price point suggests a volume-based business model.

Can this scale to serve a large customer base across Europe?

The project estimated a potential market of more than 67 million European adults and 8 million children. The service was demonstrated running for both adult and child populations as confirmed by two demo deliverables, suggesting the platform architecture was built for scale.

Who owns the intellectual property and can I license it?

The consortium of 19 partners includes 7 SMEs that were specifically tasked with development and future commercialization. IP ownership is governed by the consortium agreement. Contact the coordinator (Universidad de Granada) or the commercial SME partners to discuss licensing terms.

Has this actually been tested with real people?

Yes. The project delivered a running Smart Personalised Nutrition (SPN) service for both children and adults, as documented in two demo deliverables. As an Innovation Action (IA) funded project running from 2018 to 2023, it was required to demonstrate technology at near-market readiness.

What regulatory approvals would I need?

The in vitro diagnostic test would need CE-IVD marking under the EU IVDR regulation. The 9 cereal-derived foods and 6 dietary supplements would need to comply with EU food safety regulations. The health app would need to consider the EU Medical Device Regulation depending on the claims made.

How does the gut microbiota analysis actually work in practice?

The system integrates a wearable device for daily body composition analysis with gut microbiota profiling, including an in vitro diagnostic test. Based on available project data, these inputs feed into the app's algorithms to generate personalized food and supplement recommendations.

Is there ongoing technical support or has the project ended?

The project officially closed in June 2023. However, with 7 SMEs built into the consortium specifically for commercialization, some partners may be actively marketing these products and services. Check the project website at stance4health.com for current status.

Consortium

Who built it

The Stance4Health consortium is well-balanced for commercialization with 19 partners from 8 European countries. The 7 industry partners (37% of the consortium) include 7 SMEs specifically tasked with development and future commercialization — an unusually strong commercial commitment for an EU project. The 9 universities and 2 research organizations provide the scientific backbone, particularly in gut microbiota analysis and nutrition science. The coordinator, Universidad de Granada in Spain, led a geographically diverse team spanning Belgium, Germany, Denmark, Greece, Spain, Italy, Romania, and the UK, giving the results broad European market relevance.

UNIVERSIDAD DE GRANADACoordinator · ES
CENTIV GMBHparticipant · DE
AARHUS UNIVERSITETparticipant · DK
UNIVERSITY OF BATHparticipant · UK
ETHNIKO KAI KAPODISTRIAKO PANEPISTIMIO ATHINONparticipant · EL
BIOZOON GMBHparticipant · DE
UNIVERSITY OF HAMBURGparticipant · DE
TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAT BERLINparticipant · DE
CONSIGLIO NAZIONALE DELLE RICERCHEparticipant · IT
UNIVERSIDAD DE NAVARRAparticipant · ES
TRITECC SRLparticipant · RO
FUNDACION PARA EL FOMENTO DE LA INVESTIGACION SANITARIA Y BIOMEDICA DE LA COMUNITAT VALENCIANAparticipant · ES
PANEPISTIMIO IOANNINONparticipant · EL
PANEPISTIMIO PATRONparticipant · EL
EUROPEAN FOOD INFORMATION COUNCILparticipant · BE

How to reach the team

Universidad de Granada (Spain) — reach out to the research group's nutrition or food science department

Order a report on this consortium See UNIVERSIDAD DE GRANADA profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to license the personalized nutrition platform or tailored food formulations? SciTransfer can connect you with the right consortium partner for your market.

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