Opportunities galore
Times Food Processing Journal presents excerpts of the presentation by Tom Bruynel on consumer requirements and the challenges for Asian suppliers for catering the global market for nutritional products
Both the market and the science are evolving for fortified foods as well as the supplements.
The market and the science
The market is a strongly growing field.
The present market focuses on health-consciousness, ageing and preventing diseases.
The science focuses on nutritional sciences, nutrigenomics and epidemiological sciences.
What are nutritional supplements?
Nutritional supplements are not a food or functional food, but quite concentrated serving of micro-nutrients and nutraceutical molecules or herbal extracts, typically in tablet or capsule form or may be a sachet or a tonic or a drink. They should not be treated as a pharmaceutical.
Functional foods or supplements?
In order to determine which is the best among functional foods and supplements, let us look at the table (Table 1) on the next page for the striking differences. There is a widespread belief that new nutraceutical trends start in dietary supplements and gradually move to beverages. n-3 PUFA capsules, soy-isoflavone supplements, EGCG tablets (green tea) and Yakult milk drinks are getting popular.
What is driving the business globally?
• Ageing population
• Rising average incomes
• Changes in lifestyles and reduction in physical work
• More awareness in health issues - type II diabetes
• Prevention rather than cure
• Global health scares, for example, SARS, avian influenza and so on
• Disenchantment with traditional western medicine
• Hot new ingredients, for example, LC PUFA.
What are consumers interested in?
• Not much the ingredient, but benefits
• Easily understood messages
• Education as well as supplementation
