Trends & Business

Cargill conducted new global field research in which half of the U.S. consumers surveyed said they consume both dairy and dairy-alternative products.

Following a recent report predicting 6.9% CAGR for global digestive enzyme supplements through 2025, Nutritional Outlook spoke to enzymes supplier Deerland Enzymes about what’s driving that growth.

A company representative from AIDP told Nutritional Outlook that consumer interest in gut health is growing as the research community begins to unravel the complex connections between gut health and everything from healthy skin to cognitive function.

According to a new report from Mintel, global launches of food and beverage products containing stevia have grown steadily since 2012, with an 11% increase in beverage launches from 2016 to 2017 and a 10% increase in food product launches from 2016 to 2017.

Company representatives from NattoPharma spoke with Nutritional Outlook about how the company plans to raise consumer and industry awareness about vitamin K2 for cardiovascular health through research initiatives, as well as through a new iHeart device that measures a user’s “internal age,” or aortic stiffness.

Nutritional Outlook spoke with a representative from BI about how the company’s Protexx HP Green Steam botanical sterilization process can provide manufacturers a “safety net” for botanical ingredients, and why kill-step validation and adequate testing methods are now an industry imperative.

The company said that this reforestation project will ensure that more than 166,600 Indian Kino trees, whose extract is traditionally used to help maintain healthy blood sugar levels, are planted over the next 10 years.

Pea ingredients supplier Puris says that while pea protein is still a fraction of the size of the soy market, the company’s new partnership with Cargill will help grow the pea protein supply.

At the March trade show, Milk Specialties Global described how its ProBev heat-stable whey protein isolate enabled the creation of what it said is one of the market’s first sparkling protein waters.

The report, released by ingredients firm Kerry at Natural Products Expo West, sheds insight on what motivates certain customers to purchase clean-label products.

A look at the diversifying sports nutrition market

Manufacturers are offering innovative solutions for achieving dairy-like taste and texture in dairy-free products. 

As demand for ginger in the digestive-health category grows, companies like OmniActive and Naturex say that the ingredient could see the same kind of sales growth as fellow trending botanical turmeric.

Most recently, DuPont Nutrition & Health announced it is partnering with the Center of Food and Fermentation Technologies to explore new processes for producing “next generation” probiotics.

The rising popularity of medicinal mushrooms is opening up new avenues of growth for savvy manufacturers, but these avenues can be fraught with pitfalls and risk for the unprepared.

The sports drinks market is continuing to diversify, with consumers driving demand for healthier sports drinks products. This demand for healthy drinks-coupled with growing niches that have very specific functional needs-is likely to open up new opportunities for brands that fine-tune their formulations and marketing in response.

Nutritional Outlook interviewed representatives from the International Probiotics Association and the Global Prebiotic Association about whether there is growing collaboration between the probiotic and prebiotic industries.

NutraProtein Power Blend is formulated with plant proteins, essential amino acids, and other nutrients, says the company.

Ingredients supplier Sabinsa has named analytic testing firm Eurofins as its global testing partner for both raw materials and ingredients. Eurofins will also adapt some of Sabinsa’s own proprietary testing methods.

Cranberry-ingredients supplier Fruit d’Or Nutraceuticals (Villeroy, QC, Canada) is presenting innovative new delivery formats for its nutraceutical-grade cranberry ingredients, which the company says are standardized for their high content of proanthocyanidins (PACs). The new delivery formats include beverages as well as “popping” crystals that burst on the tongue once consumed.

Aker BioMarine (Oslo, Norway) debuted promising new pilot-study data at last week’s Natural Products Expo West trade show, examining the benefits of the company’s Superba Boost krill oil concentrate for recovery of triathletes following high-intensity exercise.

Companies like Kashi and Bunge are introducing ingredients and products certified by Quality Assurance International as “certified transitional,” which the companies say provides a pathway for farmers who want to convert their farmland to organic.

Through recent acquisitions and investments in supply chain and infrastructure, the company says it has become one of the top five suppliers worldwide for natural colors.

SecuriLam comes with microscopic encoded silica particles-the company’s branded “TruTags”-pre-embedded into standard adhesive laminate film stock.

Solarplast is an extract formulated from dark, leafy greens, and is designed to optimize the body’s repair processes.

According to Nutrition 21, Nitrosigine’s ability to boost nitric oxide levels, thus increasing blood flow to muscles during exercise, makes it an ideal addition to pre-workout supplements like Evertrain Pre.

Attendees will have the opportunity to meet and collaborate with industry leaders throughout the nutraceuticals supply chain.

Survey results from Mintel show that among 1,876 U.S. internet users aged 18 and older who eat plant-based proteins, taste is the top reason they choose to do so, with 52% of those surveyed ranking it ahead of health (39%), the environment (13%), animal protection (11%), and dietary concerns (10%) as a motivator.

The four-year, $2.6 million grant was awarded to help develop and validate a laboratory test panel for assessing human choline status.

Even as non-GMO certified products continue to skyrocket in popularity, new gene-editing techniques are causing ripples in the gene pool.