2026 Finalists | CRN Members, vote via your personal ballot received via email. Contact Gretchen Powers with questions.
Arthur Ouwehand, Ph.D.
Technical Fellow, Principle Scientist
IFF Health Sciences
"I am incredibly honoured to be named a finalist of the Annette Dickinson Trailblazer Award, the Oscar nomination of dietary supplements, it makes me humble. Whatever has been accomplished has not been solely my achievement. I have had the privilege of having extremely talented people around me who have shared their knowledge. I hope it inspires others to think outside the box and do bold science."
BIO:
Since 2004 Arthur Ouwehand is a Technical Fellow at IFF, Kantvik, Finland (or its predecessor companies). He received his Ph.D. from University of Gothenburg (Sweden) and is Adjunct Professor at the University of Turku (Finland). He has published more than 350 works on probiotics and related topics.
Arthur is active in various organisations that promote probiotics. He is one of the authors of the International Dairy Federation (IDF) “Inventory of microorganisms with documented history of use in food”. He has been chairman of the Scientific Committee of the International Probiotics Association (IPA) and is currently cochair of the IPA Postbiotic Committee. He is chairman of the Probiotic Task Force of the International Life Science Institute (ILSI) Europe. Since 2025 Arthur is president of the International Probiotic Conference (IPC).
FUN FACTS:
My favourite supplement: I am maybe not a good promotor for CRN. I think you should aim to get your nutrients from food. However, having a strong dislike of fish, omega-3 is my essential and favourite supplement.
My happy place: I have two! On my bicycle riding somewhere in the middle of nowhere. And reading a comic, no superhero's, I prefer the Franco-Belgian ones.
Special talent: I can iron a long sleeve cotton shirt in 5 min. Guess who does the ironing at home?
ORIGINAL NOMINATION SUBMISSION:
Dr. Arthur Ouwehand exemplifies the spirit of the Annette Dickinson Trailblazer Award through his sustained leadership, scientific innovation, and advocacy that has helped shape the modern probiotics and microbiome field.
A globally recognized leader in probiotic science, Dr. Ouwehand has spent more than three decades advancing evidence-based approaches that continue to elevate the credibility and impact of the dietary supplement and functional food industry. Since 2004, he has served as a Technical Fellow at International Flavors & Fragrances (formerly DuPont and Danisco), bridging deep scientific expertise with real-world application. He holds an M.Sc. from Wageningen University and a Ph.D. in microbiology from the University of Gothenburg, and has served as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Turku since 1999.
With more than 400 scientific publications and book chapters, his contributions have helped define the scientific foundation of probiotics and prebiotics. His work has consistently pushed the boundaries of what is possible—including early exploration of non-viable microbes (now recognized as postbiotics) and pioneering research into emerging areas such as skin and vaginal microbiome applications.
Beyond his individual contributions, Dr. Ouwehand has played a critical leadership role across the global scientific community. Through long-standing engagement with the International Probiotics Association (IPA), including leadership within its scientific and postbiotics committees, as well as roles with ILSI Europe, ISAPP, the IDF, and President of the IPC scientific committee he has helped strengthen scientific standards, foster collaboration, and guide responsible innovation across the industry. He is also widely regarded as a trusted scientific expert, frequently invited to speak globally and contribute to discussions that help inform regulators and advance evidence-based understanding of probiotics.
Equally important is his commitment to mentorship and education. As an Adjunct Professor and long-standing collaborator with academic institutions, he continues to support the development of future scientists and strengthen connections between academia and industry.
Taken together, his impact extends far beyond his own work—helping to elevate the field as a whole and making him a truly deserving trailblazer in advancing responsible, science-driven innovation.
CRN Members, vote via your personal ballot received via email. Contact Gretchen Powers with questions. Learn more about this honor in CRN's April 2026 press release, “CRN and Radicle Science Announce 2026 Annette Dickinson Trailblazer Award Call for Nominations.”