Purity at its best
B
Jaya Kumar, Director, Nandan Biomatrix, speaks to the Times Food Processing
Journal on the recent trend of revolutionary plant extracts in food
ingredients
How does
the Indian market respond when it comes to adding plant extracts to
food ingredients? What are the bottlenecks?
We are aware that the thin line between the food and medicine is
fast disappearing and the world today wants preventive and promotive
medicine to be first in place than the curative medicine. We are looking
at herbal extracts being added to the food in larger quantities in the
years to come. As we are aware that herbs and spices have been a part
of our food since generations, it is easy to convince people to add
plant extracts to the food ingredients. It is essential in such a case
to have the safety studies about the extract and its compatibility with
the food that it makes. This is needed to be studied along with dosage
recommendations of a particular herbal extract. Please explain Nandan
Biomatrix’s contribution in the field of food ingredients. Nandan
has developed various formulations both in beverages as well as solid
forms to be provided as health supplements and food ingredients. The
main products under beverage category the company is looking at are
Aloe Vera, Safed Musli and Stevia in various combinations suiting to
different categories of markets.
How would you compare the global market with the Indian market for
neutraceuticals/nutritional supplements?
The international markets for nutraceuticals and nutritional supplements
are well organised compared to the domestic market since product awareness
and health consciousness of the individuals abroad is very much at an
advanced stage. Health supplements are new for Indian markets and would
be geared up over a period of time. As such the health and wellbeing
industries, which are covering the fitness and dietary supplements as
well as diet with specific needs, are all being focused on by food manufacturing
companies across the globe. To capture this opportunity, they are all
preparing themselves to the task.
How are your products different from similar products in the market?
Our products are different from others since we have followed an
integrated mechanism wherein we grow the herb in-house as well as through
our franchisee system of cultivation wherein we control the agricultural
practices and other inputs that might harm the therapeutic content of
the herb. Also, we process and then manufacture the product at our own
facility addressing from A to Z in product development. This is the
uniqueness of our company wherein everything is inhouse and nothing
is being outsourced. This integrated approach provides the company the
required edge in marketing our products.
What are your future plans regarding nutritional supplements?
We are looking at nutritional supplements as a huge market and
we are working with the national and international organisations in
food for coming out with various formulations and products.
