New research reveals that Gen Z are more likely to turn to TikTok than official sources such as the NHS website for health and nutrition advice.
A survey conducted across major Europeans markets, including the UK, found that 32 % of 18 – 24-year-olds, rely on social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram for healthcare advice. This figure increases to 35 % when seeking nutrition or dietary information, such as tips on special diets, food allergies and even intolerances.
By comparison overall, 28 % of Europeans, including Brits, are turning to official healthcare websites, including the NHS, increasing to 31 % amongst Brits. Just 16 % of Europeans are looking to traditional news outlets – decreasing to one in ten Brits (10 %). Simialrly, 15 % of Europeans look to medically reviewed publications from health and fitness experts with only 6 % of Brits doing this.
The abundance of polarising online content has left many feeling uncertain. More than half of respondents said the exposure to conflicting advice online from health experts and influencers has led to confusion about which guidance to follow.
“With so much contradictory information online, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed about what’s actually healthy,” says Dr Carrie Ruxton, award-winning dietitian. “Social media can be a great way to learn, but it should never replace advice from qualified professionals like registered dietitians and other healthcare experts.”
Across all age groups in the UK, cold and illness remedies remain the most common health, wellbeing and nutrition search topic (38 %) online. This is followed by weight management (34 %), dietary choices (30 %) and nutritional deficiencies (26 %). Despite the growing use of social media for health-related searches, within the UK, trust remains highest in healthcare professionals (82 %), followed by nutritionists and dietitians (75 %), friends and family (53 %), journalists and traditional media (28%), and social media influencers (24 %).1
While younger Europeans may increasingly rely on social media for guidance, the confusion around conflicting advice can make it difficult to make healthy choices. With this in mind, Dr. Ruxton highlights 3 common nutrition myths circulating on social media.
- 100 % fruit juice is wrongly feared for causing blood sugar spikes: Many people are unsure whether or not 100 % fruit juice is beneficial with over a third (38 %) of Europeans worrying that it causes blood sugar spikes, and nearly three in ten (28 %) avoiding it completely, but these concerns are unfounded. By law, 100 % fruit juice contains no added sugars or sweeteners, yet nearly two in five adults (38 %) believe it does, rising to almost half (48 %) among 18-34-year-olds. A single glass of orange juice can provide over 90 % of the European daily recommendation for vitamin C, supporting normal immune function.2
- Protein shakes are essential for staying healthy: On platforms like TikTok, creators frequently promote protein shakes as a requirement for energy, fitness, or muscle gain. However, research shows that most people already consume enough protein through their diets, and supplementation is only useful for people taking regular exercise.3 Whole foods such as meat, eggs, dairy, legumes and nuts provide protein along with valuable vitamins and minerals in their natural form.
- Detox diets and juice cleanses rapidly remove toxins and improve health: Widespread across social platforms, including TikTok trends, this myth has recently gained traction in the form “internal shower drinks,” juice cleanses, and chlorophyll water. However, scientific evidence is clear: detox diets do not remove toxins, and there is no clinical research about their safety or health effects. The liver, kidneys and digestive system already manage detoxification effectively without extreme restrictions. Several medical sources warn that detox diets can lead to nutrient deficiencies, electrolyte imbalance and metabolic disruption. The concept of “detoxing” through diet is more of a marketing myth rather than a physiological reality.4
How to navigate nutrition advice online:
- Check the source: Follow dietitians and registered nutritionists, not influencers and other professionals without credentials.
- Keep it simple: Focus on small, manageable changes that you can stick to over time.
- Don’t demonise foods: Most foods can fit somewhere in a varied healthy diet and it’s important to enjoy what you eat.
- Be wary of quick fixes: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
- Stay consistent: Long-term habits matter more than viral trends.
1Research conducted by Savanta ComRes among 8,000 European residents across the regions UK, France, Germany and Spain, undertaken in 2025.
2https://fruitjuicesciencecentre.eu/en/research/is-home-squeezing-worth-the-hassle-when-shop-bought-oj-provides-over-90-of-daily-vitamin-c#:~:text=The%20researchers%20developed%20an%20equation,a%20typical%20shelf%2Dlife%20period
3https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/the-hidden-dangers-of-protein-powders?utm_source=chatgpt.com
4https://www.openaccessgovernment.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/openaccessgovernment.org-Detoxification-The-science-behind-social-media-claims-of-detox-health-benefits.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com
OptiCept Technologies has signed an agreement with one of Vietnam’s largest food companies to validate the CEPT® technology for juice extraction. The project includes a fee-based testing period during which the CEPT® application will be integrated into the customer’s production lines for pineapple and passion fruit juice.
This initiative marks an important step in OptiCept’s strategic expansion in Southeast Asia and strengthens the company’s position in the global juice segment. During the third quarter of 2025, an OPTICEPT® LJ7 unit is planned to be installed at the customer’s facility in Vietnam. The goal is to demonstrate the technology’s ability to increase extraction yield and improve product quality.
“We see great opportunities in the region, and this collaboration confirms our ambition to grow in the Southeast Asian market. We already have very strong results for pineapple and see significant potential in passion fruit as well, which is a more technically challenging raw material. Taking these results from lab scale to industrial scale is an important step forward,” says Thomas Lundqvist, CEO of OptiCept Technologies.
Two iconic Australian businesses with household brands that have been in the pantries of Australian families for decades are merging, together with the powdered milk business of a third Australian founded business Nature One Dairy to create a market leading Australian food and beverage company with significant scale.
Former Asahi Beverages Group CEO and current SPC Director Robert Iervasi has been appointed the Managing Director of the merged business, which will own and operate three business divisions, namely SPC, The Original Juice Co. and Nature One Dairy.
SPC is an iconic Australian brand and is the largest producer of fruit, tomato, baked beans and spaghetti processing, packaging, and canning in Australia. It holds some of Australia’s most recognisable household food brands such as SPC, Ardmona, Goulburn Valley, ProVital, Pomlife, the Good Meal Co, and Street Eats – feeding Australian families for more than 100 years.
The Original Juice Company is a well-known Australian food processing company specialising in chilled fruit and vegetable juices. Founded in 1988, it has maintained a commitment to sourcing local fruit and producing fresh juice daily for over 30 years. Using a mix of conventional and custom-developed equipment, OJC manufactures high-quality juices, fibres, infused fruits, and fruit waters for both domestic and international markets.
Nature One Dairy is a Singapore registered, Australian-founded dairy company that manufactures and sells premium infant formula, nutritional formula and milk powder products. With an established sales and marketing footprint in Australia, China and other Asia Pacific markets, products are sold under the Nature One Dairy brand. The Nature One Dairy international market presence provides a platform for further inorganic growth for the combined business through product diversification and access to the Asian distribution market.
Together the three businesses create a substantial Australian based and owned global food and beverage companies that will continue to support Australian producers and execute on a global growth strategy.
Tate & Lyle PLC, a leading global provider of food and beverage ingredients and solutions, announces that it has signed an agreement to acquire Quantum Hi-Tech (Guangdong) Biological Co., Ltd (Quantum), a leading prebiotic dietary fibre business in China from ChemPartner Pharmatech Co., Ltd (ChemPartner) for a total consideration of USD 237 million.
Quantum engages in the research, development, production and sale of fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) and galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS). Together, FOS (from sucrose) and GOS (from milk sugar/lactose) represent around 25 % of the global dietary fibres market which is forecast to grow at around 6 % per annum. In China, which currently represents the majority of Quantum’s sales, the FOS and GOS market is forecast to grow at around 10 % per annum.
The acquisition of Quantum significantly strengthens Tate & Lyle’s position as a leading global player in dietary fibres, bringing a high-quality portfolio of speciality fibres, strong R&D capabilities and proprietary manufacturing processes and technologies. The acquisition expands Tate & Lyle’s ability to provide added-fibre solutions for its customers across a range of categories including dairy, beverages, bakery and nutrition (including infant nutrition), and to meet growing consumer interest in gut health. It also significantly expands Tate & Lyle’s presence in China and Asia, and extends its capabilities to create solutions across food and drink utilising its leading speciality ingredient portfolio.
The transaction is subject to approval by the shareholders of ChemPartner, a public company listed in China, of which Quantum is a wholly-owned subsidiary. At completion, consideration will be paid in cash for 100 % of the equity interests in Quantum. For the 11 months ended 30 November 2021, Quantum generated revenue of USD 46 million and EBITDA of USD 14 million. The acquisition is expected to be accretive to revenue growth and EBITDA margin for Tate & Lyle in the first year of ownership.
Quantum produces its range of FOS and GOS fibres at its production site in Guangdong Province, Southern China. The management team of Quantum will join Tate & Lyle at completion. Closing of the transaction is expected to occur in the second quarter of calendar year 2022.
