Systematic Literature Review on Food Supplement Bioavailability

The Food Standards Agency is seeking a qualified supplier to conduct a systematic literature review on the bioavailability of food supplements from June 2026 to March 2028. This project addresses a critical evidence gap in food safety regulation. Food manufacturers increasingly market supplement formulations (such as liposomes, micelles, emulsions, nanoparticles, and micronised particles) claiming enhanced bioavailability, but robust evidence supporting these claims is limited. This uncertainty creates regulatory challenges, particularly regarding how these novel formulations affect toxicological risk assessment and whether existing safety guidance values remain appropriate. The Committee on Toxicity has identified the need for case-by-case assessment of novel formulations considering factors such as feeding state and species metabolism differences. Your systematic review will synthesize current evidence on how different formulation types influence bioavailability and toxicokinetics, directly supporting the FSA's risk assessment processes and policy decisions. This work contributes to the FSA's priority of evidence-based risk analysis and advances novel approaches to chemical hazard assessment.