Genie
Enabling ultra-personalised nutrition through genomics, microbiota and blood biomarkers — integrated responsibly within retail food systems
The GENIE project (Genomic Evaluation and Nutritional Integration Experience) demonstrates how advanced biological science and responsible data technology can converge to deliver truly personalised nutrition at scale. Developed by GUNDO, ADN Institut, i3S Porto, and Ametller Origen, the initiative validated an end-to-end digital platform that integrates genetic, microbiota, and blood biomarker data into actionable food recommendations directly within supermarket ecosystems.
Through the DRG4FOOD framework, GENIE applied privacy-by-design principles, user data vaults, and transparent recommendation logic to ensure that citizens remain in control of their biological data while benefiting from evidence-based dietary guidance. The large-scale pilot with Ametller Origen – engaging over 3 000 participants and achieving 97 % sample-return rates – confirmed both the scientific robustness and commercial relevance of this approach, marking a breakthrough in digitally responsible, science-driven nutrition for retail.
WHY THIS MATTERS
Across Europe, chronic conditions such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease continue to rise – largely linked to poor diet quality and generic nutritional advice that ignores individual biology. Consumers increasingly seek solutions that connect scientific evidence (genetics, microbiota, and blood biomarkers) with practical, everyday shopping decisions. Yet most retail experiences still fail to support individuals with specific health goals, offering the same recommendations to all.
At the same time, retailers face mounting pressure to differentiate in a competitive landscape where price-based loyalty schemes are no longer sufficient. Customers now expect added-value services that combine health, science, and convenience within their shopping experience
The Genie project solves this by providing a seamless, ultra-personalised experience directly integrated into the supermarket environment. By combining validated genetic, microbiota, and blood-biomarker insights with responsible data governance, the project further demonstrates how biological science can be translated into actionable food choices for consumers while strengthening trust and privacy.
Through this approach, Genie highlights how digitally responsible innovation can align the goals of public health, commercial value, and citizen wellbeing – showing that the next generation of retail nutrition services can be both scientifically credible and contribute to more sustainable and healthy food systems.
The great advantage of GENIE is its preventative approach. By combining genetics and gut microbiota with dietary habits, we also reduce the risk of developing long-term diseases.
WHAT THE SOLUTION DOES
The Genie project turns the complexity of nutrition science into a simple, personal experience.
Imagine Anna, a regular shopper at her local Ametller Origen supermarket. When she logs into the Genie web app, she sees her usual basket of products, now enriched with a nutritional score and suitability tags dynamically matched to her biological profile (based on genetic, microbiota, and blood data).
From her personalised dashboard, Anna can explore more than just products. The platform brings together her test results, progress indicators, and adaptive nutrition plans – each one automatically updated as new biological or lifestyle data is added. Every recommendation links transparently to the relevant genetic or microbiome marker, explaining why a product is suitable or not, and how it contributes to her goals for energy, digestion, or overall wellbeing.
The interface feels effortless: a single space where Anna can review her results, adjust her goals, and shop in line with her biology. For every meal or ingredient, Genie connects science with daily decisions – transforming data into guidance that is immediate, practical, and understandable.
Built on GUNDO’s Ultra-Personalisation engine, Genie has extended the platform with new biological data integrations and scientific validation modules developed by ADN Institut and i3S Porto. The project also leverages GUNDO’s nutritional scoring and suitability-tagging tools within Ametller Origen’s e-commerce environment.
Genetic data, analysed by the i3S laboratory through high-precision Axiom™ Precision Medicine Diversity Research Arrays, identifies nutrient-related genetic variants. Microbiota samples are processed using Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) – a high-throughput DNA sequencing method – targeting the V3 + V4 regions of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene on Illumina platforms, to map gut composition and diversity.
All data flows securely through a GDPR-compliant user vault, integrated via REST APIs with Ametller Origen’s loyalty and e-commerce systems. In this way, scientifically validated insights become part of the everyday shopping experience, allowing users to make better choices while maintaining full control over their personal health data.
HOW YOU CAN USE IT
While GENIE’s core platform remains proprietary, its value for the DRG4FOOD Toolbox lies in the scientific and ethical frameworks it validated. The project demonstrates how genetic, microbiota, and biomarker data can be responsibly integrated into consumer-facing nutrition services.
Developers and researchers can study GENIE’s modular architecture, consent design, and trust-by-design principles as a reference for building their own data-driven health solutions.
GENIE’s anonymised datasets and scientific validation study – expected to be shared within the DRG4FOOD ecosystem – will provide a valuable research resource for future projects exploring ethical, data-centric personalisation in food systems.
For now, the public-facing demonstrators remain the most tangible outputs:
DIGITAL RESPONSIBILITY IN PRACTICE
While the GENIE consortium did not adopt the Digital Responsibility Goals (DRGs) as a guiding framework, its work inevitably touched on several core principles through regulatory compliance and data-management obligations. Operating with highly sensitive biological and health data, the project emphasised data protection, cybersecurity, and GDPR-aligned privacy controls as prerequisites for scientific validity and consumer trust.
Although these measures reflect regulatory good practice rather than ‘above-and-beyond’ responsible-design methodologies, they nonetheless illustrate the minimum technical and ethical safeguards required when integrating genetic, microbiota, and biomarker data into consumer-facing digital services.
To promote understanding, Genie provides participants with educational materials explaining the relationship between genetics, gut microbiota, and nutrition, enabling more informed engagement with personalised-nutrition technologies
Genie applied standard security protocols to protect sensitive biological and personal data. All information is encrypted at rest and in transit, with strict role-based access controls limiting data handling to authorised staff. Regular internal audits and training sessions reinforce secure-by-design practices across the consortium’s cloud infrastructure.
Participant data processing followed GDPR principles of fairness, and transparency. Each participant signed an informed-consent form describing purpose, use, and rights of withdrawal. Personal identifiers were replaced with anonymised codes, and retained separately under restricted access. After study completion, datasets were deleted or irreversibly anonymised according to GDPR retention limits.
Users were informed about how their genetic, microbiota, and biomarker data was applied for personalised recommendations. Clear explanations and consent dashboards showed what data was stored and how it contributed to the nutritional insights delivered. Algorithmic outputs are accompanied by short rationales to help users interpret results and understand the scientific basis of the advice
CONTRIBUTION TO THE TOOLBOX
The GENIE project did not develop any open-source technical enablers but is preparing to contribute a set of scientific and methodological assets:
The underlying platform — the GUNDO Ultra-Personalisation engine — and its associated
recommender and data-management modules remain proprietary technology.
Links to the resources listed above will be provided in due course.
IMPACT AND OUTLOOK
The Genie project validated the feasibility of integrating genomics and microbiota data into a real-world retail environment. Through the Ametller Origen pilot, more than 900 participants engaged in a structured scientific study linking biological indicators with personalised food recommendations. Sample-return rates exceeded 97 %, confirming both usability and participant trust in the process.
Scientifically, Genie demonstrated that combining genetic, microbiota, and biochemical biomarkers can generate actionable nutritional insights when handled under strict data-protection and ethical protocols. The project also established a working model for collaboration between research institutions and food retailers, aligning consumer engagement with validated health science.
On the commercial side, Genie proved that personalised nutrition can be operationalised directly within the Ametller Origen e-commerce system, offering an evidence-based complement to conventional loyalty and wellness programmes.
Looking ahead, the consortium plans to finalise its scientific publication and anonymised dataset, extend cooperation with European academic and retail partners, and explore potential integration of the GUNDO personalisation engine into additional market contexts. These steps aim to consolidate Genie’s results into a transferable reference model for ethically governed, data-driven nutrition services.
QUICK FACTS
- Funding
- DRG4FOOD Open Call #2
- Use case
- Targeted Nutrition
- Partners
- Start date
- Oct 2024
- End date
- Jun 2025
- Resources