Vitafoods Asia 2026, a premier event focusing on nutraceuticals and functional foods, ended on 4 September in Bangkok, with strong representations from reputable global brands, one of them being US-based Balchem Corporation, which is actively promoting its scientifically-proven VitaCholine® and OptiMSM® ingredients to the rapidly growing Southeast Asian market.
AFBR had the opportunity to interview Jessica Arnaly, Senior Marketing & Business Development Manager at Balchem Human Nutrition & Health to gain in-depth understanding of the above 2 ingredients, specifically OptiMSM® which has now become the backbone in innovations within the functional food space with versatility in various formats from powders to beverages, snack bars and gummies. As for Choline, there is still low market awareness of its versatility beyond infant nutrition, which affects its adoption in adult functional beverages in Asia. This might eventually change with the US leading the growth while Asia is slowly picking up the momentum.
The following are excerpts from the interview with her:
Can you briefly describe VitaCholine® and OptiMSM® ingredients and are there scientific evidence that can prove their efficacy?
OptiMSM® is Balchem’s industry-leading source of methylsulfonylmethane, or MSM, an organic sulfur compound that plays a key role in the building blocks of healthy cartilage, helping support its proper structure and function.[1] Its benefits are backed by a growing body of science, including a study on healthy adults with mild knee pain, showing that just 2g per day can significantly reduce discomfort.[2] More recent research has also highlighted its potential in post-exercise recovery, demonstrating that MSM supplementation modulated the expression of exercise-recovery markers, including those associated with inflammation, oxidative stress, and muscle recovery.[3] Beyond joint and muscle health, MSM is also gaining recognition in the beauty-from-within space. Sulfur gives our skin the critical nutrition it needs to stay healthy and acts as a key player in our body’s antioxidant defense system.[4],[5] Evidence also shows that MSM can be a perfect partner for collagen, enhancing its impact on skin after only 12 weeks of use.[6]
Meanwhile, VitaCholine® is our choline brand. Choline plays a key role in the production of acetylcholine, the neurotransmitter that helps coordinate the response of neuronal networks and transmit messages from the brain to the muscle, facilitating essential cognitive functions like memory, mood and muscle control.[7],[8] There’s an extensive body of research supporting its brain health benefits. Among these, a new study published in 2026 expanded the industry’s understanding of choline’s effects in postmenopausal women, showing that 1,650mg of choline (as VitaCholine®) intake rapidly increased functional connectivity within the working memory network, helping optimize brain efficiency just three hours after consumption.[9]
How can VitaCholine® and OptiMSM® be applied in functional food products?
OptiMSM® is highly versatile and suitable for a wide range of functional foods and beverages positioned around mobility, muscle recovery and beauty from within. Its water solubility and exceptional stability allow it to resist degradation during formulation and maintain a long shelf life, making it ideal for powdered drink mixes and RTD beverages. OptiMSM® also blends well with other ingredients and retains its efficacy in solid formats, enabling its integration into nutrition bars and gummies. These formats continue to gain traction across APAC as consumers move beyond traditional tablets and seek greater portability, convenience, and sensory appeal.[10]
VitaCholine® is similarly well suited to functional beverages, thanks to its good solubility in liquid solutions and formulation stability. These formats can be particularly appealing to the growing number of consumers seeking quick mental activation. A good example of how VitaCholine® can be incorporated into a finished product comes from our partner GHOST – an approach that could also translate well to the Asian market. In reformulating its LEGEND V4 powder, the brand increased the VitaCholine® dose from 500 mg to 1,000 mg per serving, putting greater emphasis on cognitive performance.
Can you describe recent consumers trends and why Southeast Asia is an important market to Balchem ?
Southeast Asia is a strategic and exciting market for Balchem’s OptiMSM® and VitaCholine® expansion, given its scale, economic foundation and strong consumer momentum in holistic health and healthy aging. Market data showed that 40% of individuals in Asia Pacific have used supplements in the past 12 months to boost mental focus, while more than half used them to improve bones and joints.[11] This demand creates strong growth potential for regional brands to bring science-backed ingredients such as OptiMSM® and VitaCholine® into new formulations that look beyond the most common ingredients.
Within this context, Thailand stands out. With a population of approximately 71.7 million and GDP exceeding US$526 billion,[12] the country is one of Southeast Asia’s largest and most established consumer markets. The recent approval of OptiMSM® by the Thai Food and Drug Administration for use in supplements provides a clear regulatory pathway and creates new opportunities for product development.
Currently, Balchem has partnered with Thai-based Rama Production to offer interesting innovations from jelly strips for brain development in children, and fruit-flavored powder stick which can be conveniently mixed with water for beauty and healthy skin.
How do you compare the regional (APAC) market for functional foods, in terms of development, with the Western (US/Europe) counterparts ?
APAC and Western markets are converging on the same fundamentals: targeted, benefit-led products designed to support everyday well-being, including cognition, gut health, stress, and weight management, delivered in convenient, approachable formats that improve portability and overall experience.[13]
This growing focus on consumer experience is driving strong innovation globally, but APAC is setting the pace. We’re seeing significant improvements aimed at enhancing stability, absorption, and solubility through advanced technologies such as encapsulation of self-microemulsifying delivery systems. At the same time, imaginative and experiential flavor profiles are also emerging to create more immersive, emotionally engaging wellness experiences.[14]
Beauty is another area in which APAC continues to lead. The region has long been a trendsetter in this category, with K-beauty perhaps its best-known example. APAC’s functional food market also has a strong cultural dimension. Traditional ingredients such as ginseng, ginkgo biloba, and brahmi continue to shape consumer expectations around natural approaches to supporting energy, endurance, stress management, and mental focus.[15]
[1] Debbi EM, et al., Efficacy of methylsulfonylmethane supplementation on osteoarthritis of the knee: a randomized controlled study. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2011; 11:50. doi: 10.1186/1472-6882-11-50.
[2] Toguchi A, et al., Methylsulfonylmethane Improves Knee Quality of Life in Participants with Mild Knee Pain: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial, Nutrients, 15, 2995, (2023).
[3] McFarlin, B. K., et al. (2025). Using the Rise and Fall of Oxidative Stress and Inflammation Post-Exercise to Evaluate the Effect of Methylsulfonylmethane Supplementation on Immune Response mRNA. Nutrients, 17(11), 1761.
[4] Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine, 2005.
[5] Hewlings S. and D. Kalman. (2019). Sulfur and Human health. EC Nutrition, 14.9: 785-791
[6] Pogačnik T, et al. (2023). The effect of a 12-week dietary intake of food supplements containing collagen and MSM on dermis density and other skin parameters: A double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized four-way study comparing the efficacy of three test products, Journal of Functional Foods, 110(4):105838.
[7] National Institute of Health. Choline: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. Available at: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Choline-HealthProfessional/
[8] Woolf, N. J. (1991). Cholinergic systems in mammalian brain and spinal cord. Progress in neurobiology, 37(6), 475-524.
[9] Dumas, J. A., et al. (2026). Oral Choline Reduced Working Memory-Related Brain Activation in Postmenopausal Women: A Pilot Study. Nutrients, 18(3), 459.
[10] Innova Market Insights (2026). Supplements in Asia Pacific.
[11] Innova Market Insights (2026). Supplements in Asia Pacific.
[12] World Bank Group, Thailand. Available at: Thailand | Data
[13] Innova Market Insights (2026). Supplements in Asia Pacific.
[14] Innova Market Insights (2026). Supplements in Asia Pacific.
[15] Innova Market Insights (2026). Supplements in Asia Pacific.
