Transforming ingredient discovery with AI: Q&A with Nuritas CEO Nora Khaldi

At a time of food insecurity and upheaval, food tech company Nuritas says it is on a mission to improve the lives of billions of people around the world by leveraging artificial intelligence to enhance and streamline the discovery process for plant-based peptide ingredients.

Founded in 2014, the company recently closed a $42 million Series C funding round, and currently has two products on the market and more in development. 

Nuritas Founder and CEO Dr. Nora Khaldi recently spoke with Food Dive about Nuritas and the ways in which the company believes AI can help transform the food industry. 

FOOD DIVE: Can you share a bit about Nuritas and its mission?

DR. NORA KHALDI: At Nuritas, our goal is to provide the hero ingredients inside everyday products. Ingredients are the foundation of any food, but many currently in use were created decades ago, primarily for taste and cost. They often don’t align with modern consumer demands for health and nutrition. We aim to change that by using AI to create new, functional ingredients that support well-being while remaining cost-effective and sustainable.

How does AI factor into your ingredient discovery process?

Discovering and developing new ingredients traditionally takes decades and costs millions. Ten years ago, we were pioneers in introducing AI in this area, and AI allows us to accelerate this process. Our proprietary platform, Magnifier, uses advanced machine learning and our extensive dataset of molecules to identify natural peptides with specific health benefits. These molecules are optimized for stability and scalability, ensuring they perform in real-world food applications.

Can you provide an example of how your AI technology has discovered a new ingredient?

A great example is PeptiStrong, derived from fava beans. Old ingredients usually are not built for consumer demand, they’re built to provide a taste or a texture. But there’s a clear demand moving forward; we want to be stronger, we want to extend our well-being and our health. So, while fava beans themselves may offer direct health benefits, we use AI to isolate peptides within them that improve muscle health, strength and bone density. Through our technology, we made these peptides accessible, stable, and effective for human consumption.

Are your ingredients solely focused on functional health benefits, or do you also improve taste and texture?

Our platform is versatile. While health is a key focus — with products targeting muscle health, sleep improvement, and reduced sugar impact — we also address taste, texture, and shelf life. For example, we collaborate with companies to replace artificial sweeteners or preservatives with natural, functional alternatives.

What are the biggest challenges in ingredient discovery?

The sheer complexity. Traditional methods are linear and time-consuming, often leading to dead ends after years of research. AI changes this by processing millions of variables simultaneously, pinpointing viable ingredients quickly. For instance, creating PeptiStrong without AI would have taken an estimated 30 million years because of the multitude of dimensions you have to think about when you’re developing an ingredient.

What trends are shaping the future of ingredient development?

We’re seeing growing consumer demand for ingredients that support muscle health, longevity and energy. Muscle loss, which begins around age 28, impacts strength, energy and overall health. Addressing this through nutrition can significantly improve quality of life. Other trends include solutions for anxiety, sleep and reducing the impact of high-glycemic foods on metabolic health.

Who are your key partners, and what products use your ingredients?

We’re a B2B company, partnering with brands across dietary supplements, sports nutrition, medical foods, and cosmetics. For instance, PeptiStrong is in bars and supplements, while PeptiYouth is used in a variety of skincare products.

What does the future hold for Nuritas?