Technical FAQ · 12 questions for formulators
Sport-nutrition raw materials — formulator-grade questions
Twelve questions on regulatory claim eligibility, dose-response evidence, formulation behaviour, particle size and documentation. Sources: EU Register, EFSA opinions, ISSN position stands, peer-reviewed literature.
What is the only EFSA-authorised performance health claim for creatine in the EU?+
Under Regulation (EU) 432/2012, creatine carries the authorised claim: 'Creatine increases physical performance in successive bursts of short-term, high intensity exercise.' The conditions of use specify a daily intake of 3 g creatine and target adults performing high-intensity exercise. A second claim (Reg. EU 2017/672) covers resistance training in adults over 55. No other performance claims for creatine are currently authorised — claims around 'lean mass', 'endurance', or 'recovery' are unauthorised marketing language under EU law.
What are the EU compositional conditions for a sports drink to bear the carbohydrate-electrolyte claim?+
The authorised claims (water absorption + endurance maintenance) require: 80–350 kcal/L from carbohydrates; ≥75% of energy from carbohydrates inducing a high glycaemic response (glucose, glucose polymers, sucrose); sodium 460–1150 mg/L (20–50 mmol/L); osmolality 200–330 mOsm/kg water. A formulation outside this window cannot legally use the EFSA endurance claim, even if it functionally performs.
What is the actual difference between WPC 80 regular and instant in formulation?+
Regular WPC 80 has a hydrophobic surface and tends to clump on rehydration — fine for blender or recombined dairy applications. Instant WPC 80 is lecithinated (typically with soy or sunflower lecithin at 1–2%) during agglomeration, producing a porous granule with a hydrophilic coating. The result is wet-out time of seconds vs minutes, and clean dispersion in 5–10 °C water without a high-shear mixer. Choose instant for shaker-bottle RTM, ready-to-drink beverages, and stick-pack formats.
How does mesh size affect creatine monohydrate dosing accuracy and dust risk?+
Mesh number is an inverse measure of particle size: 80 mesh ≈ 180 µm D50, 200 mesh ≈ 75 µm, 325 mesh ≈ 44 µm. Finer grades disperse faster in water but generate more airborne dust during weighing — relevant for occupational hygiene in scoop-fill lines. 200 mesh is the sport-nutrition standard: small enough to avoid grit on tongue, coarse enough that volumetric scoops (a 7 mL scoop holds ~5 g) remain consistent within ±3%. Below 200 mesh, electrostatic clumping and ATEX dust considerations rise.
Does the loading-phase protocol for creatine give superior outcomes vs straight 3–5 g/day?+
No — endpoint muscle creatine saturation is identical. Loading (0.3 g/kg/day, ~20 g/day for 5–7 days) reaches ~95% saturation in week one; daily 3–5 g/day reaches the same plateau in 3–4 weeks (Hultman 1996; ISSN position stand 2021). Loading raises GI side-effect rate (bloating, transient water retention 1–2 kg). For commercial formulations targeting general consumers, single-dose 3–5 g/day stick packs deliver equivalent long-term results with better tolerance and compliance.
Why is leucine the rate-limiting amino acid in muscle protein synthesis, and how does this affect protein selection?+
Leucine activates the mTORC1 pathway via Sestrin2 sensing, triggering ribosomal initiation of muscle protein synthesis. The empirical 'leucine threshold' is ~2.5–3 g per feeding (Phillips et al.). WPC 80 delivers ~10% leucine by protein mass — a 25 g serving provides ~2 g leucine, often paired with whey to cross threshold. Soy isolate at ~8% leucine and bovine collagen at ~2.5% leucine are below threshold per typical serving without fortification. This is why MPS-targeted formulations specify leucine content, not just protein content.
What is the practical difference between micellar casein, MPI 90 and rennet casein for athletes?+
Micellar casein retains intact micelle structure (gentle membrane filtration), forming a slow-release gastric clot — ideal for overnight protein delivery. MPI 90 is a co-isolate of casein (~80%) and whey (~20%) preserving native ratios — provides both fast and slow kinetics in one matrix. Rennet casein is acid-precipitated from milk via chymosin — primarily used as a functional binder in processed foods, not as a standalone sports protein. For sports nutrition formulations: micellar casein for night, MPI 90 for meal replacement, WPC/WPI for post-workout.
How do you stabilise caffeine anhydrous in dry stick packs against moisture migration?+
Caffeine anhydrous is hygroscopic above 50% RH and can pick up moisture, leading to caking and dose drift. Best practice: blend with anhydrous excipients (dextrose, maltodextrin DE 12–18, microcrystalline cellulose), package in PET-Alu-PE laminate sachets with oxygen scavenger optional, store ≤25 °C / ≤50% RH. Some formulators co-process with silicon dioxide (E551) at 0.5–1% as a free-flow agent. For RTD beverages, caffeine citrate is more soluble but less common in dry-blend sport nutrition.
What is the bioavailability difference between bovine and fish collagen peptides for joint formulations?+
Both deliver hydrolysed collagen peptides at ~3–5 kDa with high oral bioavailability (>90% absorption as di- and tri-peptides). Marine (fish) collagen is predominantly Type I with smaller average MW and slightly faster absorption kinetics; bovine collagen offers Type I + Type III in approximately 90:10 ratio at significantly lower cost per kg. For joint-targeted finished products, formulators commonly stack 10 g collagen + 1–3 g MSM + glucosamine, irrespective of bovine vs marine origin.
Why is taurine ubiquitous in pre-workout and energy-drink formulations, and what does EFSA say?+
Taurine is added at 1000–4000 mg/L in energy drinks for sensory and formulation reasons (mouthfeel, stability of co-ingredients) rather than for an authorised health claim. EFSA assessed multiple proposed claims for taurine (cognition, performance) under Reg. 1924/2006 with negative or pending outcomes — taurine carries no authorised performance claim in the EU. It is, however, a permitted food ingredient under the energy-drink derogation. Formulators rely on its compatibility with caffeine, B-vitamins and acidulants rather than on regulatory health messaging.
How should L-glutamine be dosed in clinical-style recovery formulations vs sport formulations?+
Clinical literature (post-surgical, gut-barrier) uses 0.3–0.5 g/kg/day, typically 20–30 g/day in adults. Sport-recovery formulations rarely exceed 5 g per dose — the evidence for performance benefit at sport doses is limited and EFSA has not authorised any performance claim for glutamine. The amino acid is conditionally essential during catabolic stress (illness, heavy training blocks) and is added to recovery matrices for compositional positioning rather than ergogenic effect. For B2B, source pharma-grade fermentation-derived material with COA confirming ≥99% purity.
What documentation should a B2B buyer request from a sport-nutrition raw material supplier?+
Minimum: Certificate of Analysis (CoA) per batch with assay, identity, microbiology and heavy metals (Cd/Pb/Hg/As); Technical Data Sheet (TDS); Specification (spec sheet); Allergen statement (for whey/soy/dairy); GMO status (relevant for soy isolate); BSE/TSE statement (for bovine collagen); Halal/Kosher certificates if required; supplier ISO 22000 / FSSC 22000 / GMP audit reports. FDCM provides documentation pack with each B2B order — request via contact@fdcm.eu before purchase.
