Nutriearth: Partnering with Nature to Tackle Vitamin D Deficiency

Almost 49.5% of UK adults have vitamin D levels below the optimal range. When nearly half the population is falling short, health issues like weaker bones and a slower immune response become far more common.

The underlying problem is that everyday habits rarely close this gap. Sunlight is inconsistent and diets vary widely. Most vitamin D3 ingredients also depend on long and heavily processed supply chains. This makes it harder for brands to offer options that feel natural and traceable.

Nutriearth steps in at that point. Their light-based method creates natural vitamin D3 inside edible mealworm flour and oil. This gives food and supplement brands a cleaner way to support better nutrition. Once you see how they do it, the whole vitamin D story becomes even more interesting.

Company Spotlight: Nutriearth – Science-Driven Vitamin D3

Nutriearth is a French ingredients company with a clear mission to act for health through new and sustainable nutrition. Founded in 2017 by Thomas Dormigny and Dr. Jérémy Defrize, the company develops and produces functional ingredients from its base in Carvin, northern France. The business has strengthened its leadership by appointing Jeremy Burks as CEO. He brings more than ten years of C-suite and board level experience across the food, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, feed and cosmetics industries.

From the start, Nutriearth was structured as a science-driven business. This foundation is built on several key pillars:

• Scientific Validation: A dedicated scientific committee was established to rigorously challenge and validate all research.

• Intellectual Property: The company invested heavily in IP and now holds around 60 patents.

• In-House Production: It operates its own production facility. This keeps R&D and quality control tightly integrated.

The company's 16-person multidisciplinary team handles all operations on-site. This structure allows new ingredients to move from development to market with speed and efficiency.

Nutriearth's work has also earned external recognition. It received the La Bourse French Tech innovation grant and a Trophées de l’Économie Responsable award for its focus on responsible nutrition.

In 2025, the company launched full-scale production at its Carvin site. The facility is built to high hygiene standards and is dedicated to natural vitamin D3 production. It has the capacity to support tens of millions of daily servings annually. This step establishes Nutriearth as a key supplier in the vitamin D3 market.

This strong foundation provides the context for understanding the importance of their work.

What Nutriearth Does Differently

Nutriearth’s innovation lies in how closely it follows natural processes. The company works with the yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor), whose larvae contain a vitamin D precursor similar to the one in human skin.

The method is straightforward and biomimetic:

1. Mealworm larvae are ground into flour or separated into oil.

2. This whole-food material is exposed to controlled UV light.

3. The light naturally converts the precursor into vitamin D3 inside the food matrix.

This avoids synthetic chemistry, harsh solvents and industrial extraction. It mirrors what sunlight does for the human body but allows the reaction to take place inside a clean, scalable production environment.

Beyond vitamin D, mealworms offer more nutritional value. A study confirmed that yellow mealworms contain 36% to 60% high-quality protein, plus valuable fatty acids and minerals.

This multi-nutrient base is what Nutriearth transforms into their ingredient formats.

The Ingredient Formats and Their Applications

Nutriearth channels its technology into two product lines: N-Health for people and N-Care for animals.

N-Health – For Foods and Supplements

• N-utra Functional Flour: A vitamin D3-rich mealworm flour suitable for everyday foods. After receiving EU Novel Food authorization, this flour can now be used to enrich foods like bread, pasta or biscuits. For brands, this means a simple way to raise vitamin D in daily diets without affecting taste or texture.

• Food-oil /Nutra-oil: A concentrated vitamin D3-rich oil designed for functional foods and supplements. For supplement brands, this ingredient supports clear claims around sourcing and transparency. Internal studies show Nutriearth's vitamin D3 is absorbed up to three times better, making it more effective.

Even small amounts of Nutriearth ingredients can help consumers reach daily recommended intakes, enabling brands to make official health claims (bones health, immune system, muscle function...) and improve overall nutritional value in foods and supplements.

N-Care – For Animal and Pet Nutrition

The N-Care is a range of insect-based ingredients enriched in natural vitamin D3 for pet food and animal feed. Made from Tenebrio molitor with a low environmental footprint, it delivers highly digestible protein, essential amino acids, and vitamin D3 in flour, oil, or whole-worm formats.

The key benefits of N-Care include:

• Bone Health: It is a natural source of vitamin D3 to help remineralize bones, preserve bone density, and maintain normal metabolism.

• Vitality and Recovery: It provides quality protein and essential amino acids to support physical recovery and overall vitality.

• Immune Support: It supports the immune system and can improve egg quality in laying animals.

• High Digestibility: It offers high digestibility (85–90% for pets) and is a source of essential fatty acids (omegas 3, 6, and 9), polyphenols, and natural fiber.

• Eco-Responsible Sourcing: This sourcing helps reduce the number of additives in formulations while aligning with demand for natural, sustainable nutrition.

These products are supported by a strong record of safety and sustainability.

Sustainability and Safety: A Story Backed by Data

Nutriearth’s claims are built on a foundation of independent science and official regulatory approvals.

Area: Land Use

Key Finding: Mealworm farming requires only 10% of the land needed for an equivalent amount of beef protein.

Area: Environmental Impact

Key Finding: Compared to pork, mealworms deliver comparable nutrition with a lower impact on ecosystems and climate.

Area: Process Efficiency

Key Finding: Nutriearth's specific process cuts greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 77%. It also reduces total environmental impact by a factor of eight versus lanolin-based D3.

Area: Regulatory Approval

Key Finding: Both the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and a 2025 EU legal act have confirmed the safety and authorized the use of UV-treated mealworm powder in a wide range of food products.

Conclusion

Nutriearth’s approach is built on a powerful, simple idea. It aims to solve the widespread problem of vitamin D deficiency by partnering with nature. By using a well-studied edible insect and a process that mimics the sun, the company has created something truly remarkable.

The result is highly effective vitamin D3 in versatile, whole-food formats. These ingredients integrate seamlessly into foods, supplements, and feeds. It is a compelling example of how modern ingredient technology can close the vitamin D gap with a story grounded in transparency, efficacy, and solid evidence.

To discover how Nutriearth ingredients can enhance your product range and contribute to consumer health:

• Visit their website: www.nutriearth-ingredients.com

• Or meet them in person at FiE Paris, 2 to 4 December.

If you are working in the sustainable nutrition or functional ingredients space and want to strengthen your leadership team with people who understand these emerging technologies, feel free to get in touch. I am always happy to discuss how we support businesses shaping the future of food.

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