Rowett & Sciiona: When Science and Nature Come Together

Our team has been passionate about Sciiona since 2015. More recently they have partnered with researchers at the world-renowned University of Aberdeen, Rowett Institute who share an interest in moringa . Our goal was and is, to create the next generation of moringa.

Our journey started several years ago when we were working in Malawi alongside local communities to develop improved agricultural practices of intercropping trees with local crops. One of the trees was moringa, the growth and nutritional value of which was hugely impressive.

Moringa is one of the most nutrient-dense plants on earth. The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) who lead international efforts to improve nutrition, describes moringa as “the most valuable species of plant” and a true “superfood”.

However, one of the drawbacks of raw moringa is the bitter taste associated with the isothiocyanates that are present in quite high concentrations. These isothiocyanates are similar to those found in the brassica family and they do play an important role in human nutrition, especially in the prevention of some cancers.

Unfortunately, moringa suffers not only from an adverse taste, but many of the water soluble vitamins can rapidly deteriorate when exposed to air, moisture or heat, let alone the harsh acidic environment of the stomach. As such, there was a clear demand for a product that tackled the known limitations, with innovative solutions that would in turn, enhance the numerous benefits.

In 2017 the Sciiona team scheduled a strategy meeting with Professor Wendy Russell at the University of Aberdeen, Rowett Institute to explore the opportunities for moringa. The Rowett Institute is part of the School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition and plays a major role in the UK research capability in nutrition and human health. Throughout their long and proud history, the Institute has made a significant impact on animal health and human nutrition and are now widely recognised as a global leader in nutrition research.

In this meeting it became apparent that despite the huge benefits from consuming moringa, uptake is considerably hindered by its unpleasant taste. As we both shared a joint passion for moringa and the numerous health benefits from consumption, the idea for Sciiona was born.

Sciiona is a direct result of three years of collaborative research to develop a patented process for coating every miniscule particle of powdered moringa with cellulose, removing the bitter taste whilst leaving a versatile food formulation that is stable up to 160°C. This preserves all of the nutritional qualities when cooked with, or added to, your favourite food which is lost when you use raw moringa. Furthermore, cellulose coating enables modified release of the micronutrients in the digestive tract where they’ll be most beneficially utilised by the c39 trillion microbes in the gut, which play a pivotal role in maintaining a functional immune system.

Sciiona is the only moringa product on the market that has a patented cellulose protective coating, removing the bitter taste, yet keeping all of the goodness and ensuring it’s protected in the stomach and released in the intestine for maximum benefit.

Thus, the transformational impact of Sciiona is that it offers an end to the ‘consume and hope for the best’ tactic associated with many wellness products. Sciiona provides confidence in moringa’s potential and what it can do for our everyday lives. Backed by science and using the highest quality materials and audited producers at every stage of the process, you can be confident that Sciiona will deliver all that’s best about moringa.

Ready to get started with Sciiona? Get your daily fill of goodness now or get in touch with us to learn more.