Currently browsing posts about: Functional-foods

ConfectionaryNews.com, a daily newsletter from this industry, has a Special Edition: The Rise of Functional Jellies.

“Functional,” you may recall, means something added over and above what is in the food to begin with.  In the case of gummy bears, it means added vitamins, minerals, herbals, or, these days, CBD.

The demand for functional jellies is growing with herbal extracts, cannabinoids and vitamins proving a good fit with the mainstream candy sector.

One of the quickest ways of getting nutrients into the body is via gums or jellies.

“Gummies have a slightly nostalgic feeling of something that we had as children, but in this version, it is completely transformed into a product that we can feel good about eating and that can easily fit into a healthy diet for kids and adults,” ​said ​Amanda Vagochik, VP of innovation at SinnovaTek.

In the articles below we look at how street-smart entrepreneurs are disrupting the industry with innovation and a fresh attitude and how CBD edibles are also changing the landscape of functionality in candy.

• Functional jellies, demand is growing thanks to CBD:  The demand for functionality is growing for convenient, but nutritious and tasty product solutions. Herbal extracts, which contain polyphenols caffeine, cannabinoids or vitamins have a good fit with the mainstream candy sector as one of the quickest ways of getting nutrients into the body is via gums or jellies… Read
• Matcha Bears pack energy and antioxidants in gummy form:  Three New York City entrepreneurs have developed gluten-free gummies infused with premium grade matcha that walk the line between functional and fun, reaching those who drink tea and those who just want a boost of energy at any time of day… Read
• Interview: SmartSweets primps the gummy category for future with ‘kick sugar’ ethos:  At the ripe age of 21, Tara Bosch wanted to cut her connection with sugary gummy worms. The result: a line of a favorite gummies made with stevia, coconut oil, tapioca and chicory root fiber, now available – in bright, bold packaging – online and in thousands of stores in the US and Canada… Read
• Pollen’s CBD gummies are the new kids on the block, with some history: Pollen, a new brand established by Melanie Goldsmith, aims to make ‘CBD simple’ in relation to its use in gummies and jellies… Read
• Upcycled, high protein gummies emerge from North Carolina produce and food science:  SinnovaVita uses microwave-assisted technology to extract protein-packed polyphenols from otherwise unwanted fruits and vegetables. They are sold under the Ripe Revival brand, which US grocery chain Kroger named a winner in its anti-hunger campaign… Read
• Vegan Gummy Bears continue winning streak:  Vegan and sugar free brand Free From Fellows has been recognized again for its Gummy Bears range, picking up an award at the Great British Food awards… Read
• CREATIVE CONVERSATIONS: Danny Lowe, founder/director, BLOCKHEAD:  BLOCKHEAD is a relatively new start up that makes functional confectionery such as Blockhead caffeine Energy Gum and Blockhead Vitamin Gum, available in retail stores across the UK. Founder Danny Lowe tells Confectionery News what inspired him to get into this high-energy market… Read

“In a way, it wouldn’t take much marketing to target this group.”

That’s me, they are talking about.

As a senior citizen, I am deluged with scam requests to fix my Apple computer (I don’t have one), unblock my Social Security checks (they are fine), and deal with my failure to pay appropriate taxes (I do).

Now I’m the target of sellers of functional foods?  Apparently so, says this video.

Functional foods, please recall, are those formulated with added nutrients or other components said to improve health in some way.  You can think of them as dietary supplements added to foods.

Like dietary supplements, functional foods don’t have much evidence backing up their health benefits, particularly because they are largely consumed by people who are already healthy.

Do they do anything beneficial for the elderly?  Show me the evidence, please (and make sure the studies you show me were not funded by the makers of the products that are supposedly beneficial).

The purpose of functional foods?  Marketing, as all of this makes clear.

 VIDEO: How to target the ageing consumer:  Despite seniors showing a strong interest in functional food and supplements, the number of products launched with senior claims in Europe does not reflect the population which means brands are missing out on a huge market, says Mintel. Read more

Estimation of Total Usual Dietary Intakes of Pregnant Women in the United States.  Regan L. Bailey, Susan G. Pac, Victor L. Fulgoni III, et al.  JAMA Network Open. 2019;2(6):e195967. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.5967 June 21, 2019

Question  How do the usual dietary intakes of pregnant US women compare with the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine Dietary Reference Intakes for nutritional adequacy and excess?

Conclusions and Relevance.  This study suggests that a significant number of pregnant women are not meeting recommendations for vitamins D, C, A, B₆, K, and E, as well as folate, choline, iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium, and zinc even with the use of dietary supplements.

Conflict of Interest Disclosures: Dr Bailey reported serving as a consultant to Nutrition Impact LLC, Nestle/Gerber, RTI International, and the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. Dr Fulgoni, as Senior Vice President of Nutrition Impact LLC, reported performing consulting and database analyses for various food and beverage companies and related entities. Ms Pac and Dr Reidy reported being employees of Nestle Nutrition. No other disclosures were reported.

Funding/Support: This research was funded by Nestle Nutrition. Nestle Nutrition and Nutrition Impact had a financial agreement for completion of the statistical analysis. Drs Bailey and Catalano received an honorarium for the time contributed to manuscript development.

Role of the Funder/Sponsor: Nestle Nutrition had no role in the design and conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis, and interpretation of the data; preparation, review, or approval of the manuscript; and decision to submit the manuscript for publication.

Comment: It’s Nestlé, not Nestle, the company, not me.  Nestlé is the largest food and beverage company in the world, selling $94 billion worth of products in 2018.  This study is part of the company’s plan to focus on personalized nutrition—functional food products targeted to the personal nutritional needs of individuals.

We continue to invest in long-term innovation projects with the potential for high returns. Examples include infant and maternal nutrition, healthy aging, personalized nutrition, and understanding the microbiome.

It is in Nestlé’s corporate interests to demonstrate that pregnant women are deficient in essential nutrients as a basis for creating nutrient-supplemented products targeted to this group.  Are U.S. pregnant women really deficient in 13 nutrients as reported here?  This study’s conclusions are based on comparison of self-reported dietary intake to average daily nutrient intakes.  They are not based on laboratory or observed measurements of clinical signs of deficiency. To me, this looks like a typical industry-funded study with results favorable to the sponsor’s marketing interests, as I discuss in my book, Unsavory Truth.

A notice from FoodNavigator-Asia got my attention: Coca-Cola is partnering with the New Zealand dairy company Fonterra to produce “Nutriboost” products for Southeast Asia.

What are these?

• Nutriboost Kids is targeted at children above three years of age, with each of its products being fortified with different occasion-based vitamins and minerals:…Morning Growth (fortified with vitamins for growth), Playtime (designed for stronger immunity) and Good Night (fortified with DHA for brain development).
• Nutriboost To-Go is an energy-providing breakfast range enriched with oats and fibre.
• Nutriboost Beauty is fortified with fitness and beauty-associated minerals like collagen and zinc.

Given the lack of evidence for significant nutritional benefits of any of these things, and the high prevalence of lactose intolerance among Asian populations, why this partnership?

• Vietnam is the third largest dairy market in the ASEAN region.
• To grow [sales] to 40 million or 50 million cases within the next five years.
• Coca-Cola’s strategy is to evolve away from drinks with high sugar content.

The article doesn’t say how much money is going into this partnership, but both companies must think there is a big market for such products.

I’m not a fan of “functional” foods, alas.

Real food, anyone?

The industry newsletter ConfectionaryNews.com has a collection of articles on “functional” candy.  In this context, “functional” means the addition of something not originally present to enhance the food’s nutritional value.

In the U.S., confectioners have to be careful not to violate the FDA’s so-called “jelly bean rule,” one that says you cannot add nutrients to foods (like jelly beans) just to make them appear to be healthy.

But wouldn’t it be great if candy was a health food?  Spirulina chocolate?  Read on.

Special Edition: Functional Confectionery

The consumer trend towards better-for-you snacks gives confections made with functional ingredients an opportunity to scoop up their share in the health and wellness market.

As part of this special edition on Functional Confectionery, ConfectioneryNews talks to YouBar about its nutrition bars that meet individualized recipes for dietary and nutritional needs; Rainmaker which is currently testing its first line of branded protein confectionery products in the UK and Ireland; and Supertreats’ carob powder which is a healthy alternative to cocoa.

• Michigan food incubator bets big on protein for confectionery startups’ growth:  Food incubator Rainmaker said incoming confectioners should mimic the snack category using protein as a functional ingredient to drive their sales… Read
• Carob’s health halo beats cocoa for kids confectionery, says UK start-up:  Far from being cocoa’s poor cousin, carob powder is the ideal ingredient for healthy confectionery for kids, mimicking the “shine, snap and silky smooth texture” of milk chocolate without the stimulants caffeine and theobromine, says Supertreats founder… Read 
• YouBar increases production for nutrition bars for individualized dietary needs:  YouBar has seen increased demand for its ready-for-market nutrition bars that meet individualized recipes for a range of dietary and nutritional needs… Read 
• Functional formulation: Turkish team hunt for recipe to better quality omega-3 chocolate:  Both white and dark chocolate can be used as a carrier matrix for bioactive substances like omega-3, say researchers. However the type of EPA and DHA used may have a major impact on quality, they warn… Read 
• Going for gum: Vitamin drinks brand expands into vitamin chewing gum:  A vitamin drinks brand is expanding into confectionery with its vitamin chewing gum: seeing the potential of both products to appeal to on-the-go consumers… Read 
• Spirulina finds success in Dutch start-up’s algae chocolate:  Dutch start-up The Algae Factory is pushing the foodpairing boundaries with its algae chocolate that contains sustainably sourced spirulina… Read

The Beverage Daily newsletter always has something interesting from its business perspective.  Its June 3 mailing was a special edition—a collection of its articles—about “functional” beverages.  In nutrition-speak, functional means something added above and beyond the nutrients that were there to begin with.

Here’s what Beverage Daily says about them:

Once, beverages were simply about hydration. Now, people want hydration and more from their drinks.

Rich with innovation, the functional beverage category is full of exciting developments and new ideas. From beauty beverages to digestive health drinks, these beverages offer something extra to consumers.

The functional beverage market accounts for around 7% of total beverages by volume, according to figures from Zenith International. But the real interest is in value, with functional beverages accounting for around 13% of the beverage category in terms of value.

• ‘Functional water is predicted to grow very fast’: Euromonitor on functional beverage trends: Energy drinks, sports drinks, and functional bottled water are among the functional and fortified beverage categories to watch, according to Euromonitor International… Read
• Probiotic punch: ‘Consumers are realizing they can get probiotics in beverages they already consume and love’: Cold-pressed juices, cashew-milk smoothies, energy drinks, water and even cold-brew coffee: probiotics are making their mark across on-trend beverages… Read
• New look and new horizons: NOA Relax & Focus: Inspired by the wilderness of the Swedish archipelago, NOA Relax & Focus has now set its sights on 30 markets worldwide. One lesson learned so far was the need for a rebrand: ensuring consumers can immediately identify what the drink is all about. .. Read
• Bella Berry beauty drink on finding the right retailers and investors: Beauty drink Bella Berry launched in the UK last year with a mission to bring beauty drinks to a mass market. One of the key lessons for the brand has been to learn who the right retailers for the drink are, as it continues to build listings both in the UK and abroad.   .. Read
• CCE launches sports cap packaging for Glacéau Smartwater: Coca-Cola Enterprises (CCE) has launched a sports cap for its bottled water brand, Glacéau Smartwater, following a £14m ($20m) investment at its Morpeth, Northumberland site… Read

From my perspective, functional beverages are about marketing.  You want hydration?  Try water!

NutraIngredients-USA has a special edition on functional foods, those that have something supposedly healthy—vitamins, probiotics, antioxidants, omega-3s, etc—added above and beyond the nutrients naturally present.

I think functional foods are about marketing, not health, but that’s why food companies love them.

From the industry’s perspective, “getting nutritional ingredients into foods requires tackling regulatory hurdles, but food offers a mass market that dwarfs anything possible with supplements.

Here are some of NutrIngredients’ latest developments:

Collagen peptides: Functional Ingredients for a booming market: Functional ingredients are now more visible to the consumer than ever, with people becoming more aware of the benefits they can offer. Among all these ingredients, collagen peptides are increasingly recognized as a highly effective ingredient solution for manufacturers targeting the skin beauty and healthy aging market segments….

Pill fatigue is driving innovation in space between functional foods and supplements, experts say:  Is pill fatigue just a marketing ploy? No, say many experts in the field.  It’s a real phenomenon and it’s driving both dosage form innovation and the movement of bioactives into functional foods…

Functional Foods: The end of the processed foods era?  To understand Functional Foods you must see it as a strategy to add value to processed foods, says the president and founder of the HealthyMarketingTeam, Peter Wennstrom, in this guest article…

Phood booed: Why big pharma fails at functional food:  Faced with mounting difficulties in their drug businesses, many pharmaceutical manufacturers are looking at getting into functional foods and beverages, notes food marketing expert, Julian Mellentin in this guest article…

What’s driving functional food and beverage growth? Snacking, convenience, and consumer behavior:  With sales of $176.7 billion this year functional foods are a hot growth sector. But which ingredients, sectors and countries are the best bets for product launches?

‘The trick is to come up with something that actually works’: The elephant in the weight management room:  Two years on from revised European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) guidelines on weight management, the industry is still struggling to produce sufficient evidence to back claims. ..

Lemon myrtle: Aboriginal functional favourite revived by Sydney Games:  An indigenous Australian tree plant, used for tens of thousands of years by Aborigines before being forgotten after the arrival of Europeans Down Under, has the Sydney Olympics to thank for its remarkable comeback as a functional food in teas, chocolate, pasta and more…

Raisio brings cholesterol-lowering Benecol home for €90m>  “J&J should have sold it 10 years ago,” is one analyst’s appraisal of Finnish agro-food giant Raisio’s buy-back of the licensing rights to its cholesterol lowering, plant stanol-based Benecol brand today, referring to US market difficulties for the European sector leader…

Jill Hobbs, Stavroula Malla, Eric Sogah, and May Yeung.  Regulating Health Foods: Policy Challenges and Consumer Conundrums.  EE Edward Elgar Publishing, 2014.

I did a blurb for this one:

Regulating Health Foods systematically organizes the widely disparate definitions, regulations, and policies used internationally to govern functional foods, supplements and nutraceuticals, and does so from the standpoint of the industry and its regulators.  Food scientists, regulators, and industry professionals will especially appreciate its detailed international perspective.

This is a book for policy wonks and students who want to find out how various countries regulate food labels, or who would llike to know such things as how Codex Alimentarius guidelines apply to health claims.  The authors, who work at Canadian Universities, have pulled together vast amounts of detailed information about label regulations by country, with commentary.  Here is an example:

Japan currently provides an interesting mix between a purely generic system and a purely product-specific one.  Although the system is decidedly more product-specific.  Standardized FOSHU [Food for Specific Health Uses] lowers the costs to individual firms seeking claims on ingredients with well-established ingredient-health effect relationships.  At the same time, there are potentially significant returns to investment for firms wishing to market a new product with health benefits.