Biotropics Malaysia Berhad participated in the 1st International Conference on Food as Medicine (ICFAM 2026), hosted by Monash University Malaysia from 13–15 January 2026 at its Sunway campus. Organised by the Food as Medicine (FAM) Research, the conference brought together researchers, healthcare professionals, nutritionists, and industry stakeholders to explore the role of food and bioactive compounds in health and disease management.

What is ICFAM?

ICFAM 2026 served as a global platform for sharing evidence-based research on how nutrition and specific food components can help prevent, manage, and support treatment of chronic diseases. Key discussions centred around bioactive compounds, immunity and the microbiome, and community nutrition—highlighting food as a complementary approach to conventional healthcare.  

Key Highlights from the Conference

Across plenary sessions, oral and poster presentations, speakers shared insights on:

•   The role of bioactive compounds in managing non-communicable diseases

•   The link between diet, immunity, and the gut microbiome

•   Community-based nutrition strategies for long-term health outcomes

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Post-conference workshops further deepened discussions on gut health, metagenomic analysis, and applied nutrition.

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Reflections & Looking Ahead

Beyond formal sessions, interactions at the Biotropics booth highlighted growing curiosity around Malaysian botanicals and their scientific potential. Conversations with students and researchers underscored the role of industry–academia collaboration in advancing credible, clinically supported herbal actives.

While novel bioactives and sustainable tropical sources are gaining attention, much is need to prove the efficacy of the product in real population rather than theoretical promise. The main take-away from the ICFAM conference were:

1. From nutrition to precision solutions

Food-as-medicine is moving toward genotype-, microbiome- and metabolite-informed interventions –creating demand for botanicals with defined actives, consistent standardisation, and clinically relevant populations.

2. Prevention-led health priorities dominate

Cognitive ageing, metabolic health, sarcopenia, immunity and men’s health are no longer niche; they are core growth areas where mechanism-backed tropical botanicals can outperform generic nutrients.

3. Microbiome is no longer optional

Ingredients are expected to modulate the microbiome (pre-, post- or symbiotic effects), reinforcing the need to design extracts that work with biological conversion pathways, not just isolated compounds.

4. Novel bioactives need translation, not hype

Pigments, tocotrienols, botanical extracts and gut-brain actives show promise, but the real gap is human-relevant, clinically translatable data – a space where Biotropics’ branded-ingredient model fits.

5. Sustainability + science must coexist

Plants and by-products offer ESG value, but differentiation now depends on validated efficacy, reproducibility, and premium positioning; not sustainability claims alone.