Menomonie, Wis. – With the rapid increase in the use of GLP-1 weight management and metabolic health medications, such as Ozempic, Wegovy, or Mounjaro, food manufacturing companies are influenced to think about new product development for consumers with reduced appetite, early satiety, gastrointestinal discomfort and other related nutrition challenges.
To understand the growing GLP-1 – glucagon-like peptide-1 – consumer market, M.S. food science and technology students at University of Wisconsin-Stout are using AI as a research support tool in the early-stage design of evidence-based functional food concepts for GLP-1 users.
Professor Eun Joo Lee, program director of food science technology, designed the project based on observations she made while attending a professional conference last summer. “In several sessions, I saw how quickly the number of consumers using products such as Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro was growing, and I also noticed that food companies were beginning to explore this as a new market by developing products intended specifically for these users,” she said.
With artificial intelligence incorporated across the curriculum at Wisconsin’s Polytechnic University, the consumer trend made Lee think that the AI-assisted design of products for GLP-1 users would be a timely and meaningful topic for her master’s students in the Nutraceutical/Functional Food course.
The seven student groups will present their findings at UW-Stout’s annual Research Day on Tuesday, May 5. They will be among more than 300 undergraduate and graduate students and faculty, representing more than 30 degree fields at the event.
Research Day invites industry professionals and the campus and surrounding communities to engage with students and faculty and discuss their research and creative works through posters, prototypes, exhibits and collaborative faculty-student oral panel presentations.
AI-assisted design of products for GLP-1 users
In their literature-based and concept-design focused project, students used AI tools such as ChatGPT and Claude to help define possible target consumer groups, identify a specific nutrition-related need-state, analyze the current market to compare product concepts and formats, organize market examples, develop literature search ideas and improve communication strategy.
They also used AI tools to evaluate ingredients and food chemistry feasibility, review scientific literature, and consider claims, labeling, and ethics. In functional food and nutraceutical product development, health-related claims depend not only on the ingredient but also on the product form, intended use, scientific evidence and regulatory limits. In addition, they used Google Gemini to generate imagery for their research projects.
“At the same time, students were required to verify all scientific and market information using peer-reviewed literature, actual product information and other credible sources. Final scientific judgment and strategy decisions remained the students’ responsibility,” Lee said.
Understanding that GLP-1 users often face issues with constipation and bloating, Navya Sree Bathula’s group wanted to research a product to help make digestion more comfortable. “We studied gut health and weight loss last semester as well, and this project let us go deeper into our research,” she said.
The group’s research, “Gut Balance PHGG Calm Bites: AI-Assisted Design of a Chewable Fiber System for Bloating Reduction in GLP-1 Users,” focused on chewable bites to improve digestion and bowel movements and aid in weight loss, using partially hydrolyzed guar gum (PHGG) as the main ingredient. PHGG is a natural, water-soluble prebiotic fiber made from guar beans.
Their proposed idea of Calm Bites would also include ginger and fennel extracts to reduce nausea and bloating, peppermint oil for gastrointestinal smooth muscle relaxation, and probiotics.
“We found the most valuable part of this project was the teamwork, building time management and communicating to work well together and distribute the work among us. Each member of the group did their best to dive deep into the research project to make it a success,” Bathula said.
Another group researched “AI-Assisted Design of a Leucine-Rich Vegan Potato Protein Hydrogel Functional Food for Muscle and Digestive Support in GLP-1 Users,” with their target market being women, ages 35 to 55.
Their idea for a product called Mama Bear – an apple-flavored hydrogel for pre- and post-menopausal women – is for GLP-1 users seeking weight loss or for those with diabetes. “We found that some studies suggest lean body mass can account for up to about 40% of total weight lost during GLP-1 therapy,” Sakshi Amreliya said. “That helped us focus on a protein-rich product concept that could support muscle maintenance for GLP-1 users, especially women in our target age group.”
When analyzing the current market, the group noticed a gap in products addressing this issue. They wanted to introduce a high-volume and easy-to-consume protein gel pouch that supports muscle mass, as well as supports a well-balanced fiber diet.
The group also noticed that most of the protein powders and gels on the market are animal-based, which can cause bloating and discomfort. Their research sought to fill the market gap by introducing a potato protein isolate hydrogel, with added konjac glucomannan as a dietary fiber.
They cross-checked the AI-assisted research with the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, leading researchers in GLP-1-related topics; Food Science and Biotechnology for hydrogel information; and Medicine, Science and Sports and Exercise for consumer information.
Because GLP-1 receptor agonist medications are often administered by injection, a third group studied the possibility of an ingested nutrient shot as a more comfortable method. They researched the “Development of a Low-Volume Synbiotic Nutrient Shot for Early-Stage GLP-1 Users: AI-Guided Functional Food Strategy.”
A 60ml synbiotic nutrient shot – a mixture of PHGG, pea protein and probiotics to aid in gut health – is a natural product that promotes the production of GLP-1 hormone in the human body. The group’s concept was based on emerging research suggesting that certain prebiotic fibers and beneficial gut microbes, including Akkermansia muciniphila, may support gut health and endogenous GLP-1-related signaling. However, the students treated this as a literature-based functional food strategy, not as a replacement for GLP-1 medications.
“A nutrient shot would help GLP-1 users feel more full during a meal, helping them feel less hungry and therefore aiding in weight loss,” Dathu Ramvath said. “Compared to other products currently on the market, a synbiotic nutrient shot would be more affordable.”
Students found AI tools useful for brainstorming, organizing ideas, generating poster images and identifying possible market gaps, but they also learned that AI outputs needed to be carefully checked against peer-reviewed literature, actual product information and credible sources.
“We used the AI tools more to help organize and refine our jumbled thoughts,” Amreliya said. “The process was interesting, but we don’t rely 100% on it.”
Ramvath agreed, adding, “We used AI to find articles and asked AI to combine that information. It is a way to gather a lot of information quickly. We learned a lot about how to integrate these methods into our research.”
Outstanding researchers recognized at Research Day
The 2026 Outstanding Researchers will be honored at the Awards Ceremony from 5:15 to 6 p.m. on Research Day, closing the event. The Outstanding Researcher honors for leadership and significant
contributions to research and scholarly activities are awarded by the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, on behalf of the Provost’s Office and the committee. This year’s recipients are:
Charles Matson Lume, Senior Outstanding Researcher
Yuan Xing, Emerging Outstanding Researcher
Erik Evensen, Outstanding Research Mentor.
Outstanding student researcher awardees are:
Desiah Melby, Graduate Studies
Bonnie Allen, Honorable Mention, Graduate Studies
Reese Hufnagel, CSTEMM, undergraduate
Ella Kemp, CAHS, undergraduate
Michael Romero, Honorable Mention, undergraduate.
UW-Stout, a member of the Universities of Wisconsin, is Wisconsin’s Polytechnic University, with a focus on applied learning, collaboration with business and industry, and career outcomes. Learn more via the FOCUS2030 strategic plan.
