Customers are asking for more than just ingredients. Instead, many look for partners that can put together concepts and ingredient packages that work well on a technical level, as well as having consumer credibility.
As consumers become more health-focused, customers are seeking ingredient combinations to target specific concerns such as mind health and heart health. Cardiovascular disease, for example, is one of the world’s biggest killers, responsible for around 17 million deaths each year.
Functional ingredients available on DSM’s heart health platform, such as MEG-3 and life’sDHA Omega-3s, can help improve cardiovascular function and prevent disease. In addition, categories such as energy drinks have broadened in recent years.
Outside the beverage segment, omega-3s have experienced a tremendous growth in recent years, but application problems mean broad usage in beverages has been limited so far. Once these challenges have been resolved, we expect significant growth, as demand from customers is already strong.
Customers are also increasingly interested in natural products such as fibres and oat beta-glucans, which have proven health benefits. Oat beta-glucan has authorised health claims in Europe for cholesterol reduction and the associated reduced risk of developing heart disease, as well as for digestive health and blood glucose control.
Aside from the field of sugar replacement, the beverage market hasn’t seen a blockbuster functional ingredient in recent years, but energy and sports drinks have been performing well, with an annual growth rate ranging from 6% to more than 20%. As a result, ingredients used in this segment, such as caffeine and taurine, have experienced the strongest growth alongside natural energy boosters such as guarana.
Lately, glucuronolactone, which is used as a detox ingredient in energy drinks, has become more popular. Usage in beverage launches increased by 33% per annum over the last five years, though levels used are low.
Looking at the beverage market landscape, it’s interesting to note that vitamins and minerals are still the most used functional ingredient in beverage new product development. Worldwide, more than 4,000 beverages were launched in 2012 containing vitamins, which is 15% more than in 2011.
In packaging terms, latest developments now mean more sensitive ingredients can be used in products and therefore reach more consumers. Such developments lead to a longer shelf life and allow for a decrease in preservatives.
There is also growing interest in beverage caps and dispensing, and activation closures, which are ideal for ready-to-drink beverage formats, including functional drinks. They represent a good technical solution for ingredients that are sensitive, or that are challenging to stably formulate in a beverage.
However, it’s important for manufacturers to keep costs down. This limits the potential of this sort of beverage cap to high value, premium product market niches.
This article was originally prepared by Hannah Oakman, who is deputy managing editor magazines at FoodBev Media.
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